History of Michael Busch (baseball) in Timeline

Michael Busch is an American professional baseball infielder currently playing for the Chicago Cubs in MLB. Prior to joining the Cubs, he played for the Los Angeles Dodgers. Busch played college baseball at the University of North Carolina before making his MLB debut in 2023 with the Dodgers.

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Full Timeline

November 9, 1997: Michael Busch Born

On November 9, 1997, Michael James Busch was born. He is an American professional baseball infielder.

2016: High School and Draft Status

In 2016, Michael Busch was an All-State selection in baseball during his senior year at Simley High School. He was not drafted out of high school and chose to attend the University of North Carolina.

2017: Freshman Year at North Carolina

In 2017, as a freshman at North Carolina, Michael Busch played in 55 games, hitting .215 with three home runs and 22 RBIs. He also played in the Northwoods League for the St. Cloud Rox after the season.

2018: Sophomore Season and College World Series

In 2018, Michael Busch started all 64 games for North Carolina, batting .317 with 13 home runs and 63 RBIs. He was named the Most Outstanding Player of the NCAA tournament's Chapel Hill Regional and helped lead North Carolina to the 2018 College World Series. He was also named to the All-ACC Second Team. Following the season, he played in the Cape Cod Baseball League for the Chatham Anglers and was named to the All-Cape League Team.

2019: Drafted by Los Angeles Dodgers

In 2019, Michael Busch was drafted by the Los Angeles Dodgers with the 31st overall pick and signed with them on July 5 for a $2.31 million bonus. He played in ten games in the Dodgers farm system, split between the Arizona League Dodgers and Great Lakes Loons.

2019: Preseason All-American

Prior to the 2019 season, Michael Busch was named a preseason All-American by multiple media outlets, including Perfect Game and Baseball America. Over 65 games, he batted .284 with 16 home runs and 57 RBIs.

2020: Minor League Season Cancellation

In 2020, Michael Busch did not play a minor league game due to the cancellation of the minor league season because of the COVID-19 pandemic.

2021: All-Star Futures Game Selection

In 2021, Michael Busch was assigned to the Tulsa Drillers and selected to play in the All-Star Futures Game at Coors Field. He played in 107 games for the Drillers, hitting .267 with twenty home runs and 67 RBIs, and was selected as a post-season Double-A Central All-Star.

November 15, 2022: Added to Dodgers 40-Man Roster

On November 15, 2022, the Dodgers added Michael Busch to the 40-man roster to protect him from the Rule 5 draft.

2022: Promotion to Oklahoma City Dodgers

In 2022, Michael Busch returned to Tulsa to begin the season. After batting .306 with 11 home runs and 29 RBIs over 31 games, he was promoted to the Oklahoma City Dodgers, where he hit .266 in 111 games with 21 homers and 79 RBIs.

2023: MLB Season with the Dodgers

In 2023, Michael Busch played in 27 major league games for the Dodgers, hitting .167/.247/.292 with two home runs and seven RBIs. His first major league hit was a single off of Johan Oviedo, and his first MLB home run was off Gavin Williams on August 24.

2023: MLB Debut and Minor League Player of the Year

In 2023, Michael Busch was called up to the majors for the first time on April 25 and made his debut with the Dodgers. He was also selected as the organization's Minor League Player of the Year after hitting .323 with 27 home runs and 90 RBI in 98 games for Oklahoma City, helping them win the Pacific Coast League (PCL) championship and was honored as the MVP and Top Prospect of the PCL.

January 11, 2024: Traded to the Chicago Cubs

On January 11, 2024, Michael Busch and Yency Almonte were traded to the Chicago Cubs in exchange for Jackson Ferris and Zyhir Hope. He later homered in five straight games, tying the longest streak by a Cub. He finished the season with 21 home runs and 65 RBI.

2025: All-Star Game Performance

In 2025, Michael Busch finished third in Phase 1 of fan voting for the MLB All-Star Game. On July 4, Busch became the first Cubs first baseman since Ernie Banks to have a three-homer game. At the All-Star break, Busch had an OPS of .925, ranking fifth in Major League Baseball.