Adams attended Red Oak High School in Red Oak.[1] Playing guard for the school's basketball team, he scored 3,251 points, making him the fifth-highest scorer in Oklahoma high school basketball history.[3][2] His 93.7% free throw percentage as a junior led all of Oklahoma.[4] He committed to attend Missouri State University on a basketball scholarship.[5]
Career
Kansas City Royals
The Royals selected Adams in the 13th round of the 2009 MLB Draft, and he signed with the Royals for a $225,000 signing bonus rather than attend college.[6][7]
In 2014, playing for the Northwest Arkansas Naturals he batted .269/.352/.427 with 65 runs (tied for 6th in the league), 25 doubles (tied for 5th), 38 stolen bases (3rd) while being caught 6 times, and 9 hit by pitch (tied for 6th) in 524 at bats.[12] Adams was a Mid-Season Texas League All Star and Post-Season All Star.[8] On September 1, 2014, the Royals promoted Adams to the major leagues.[13] He made his Major League debut that night, replacing Raúl Ibañez as a pinch runner in the eighth inning of the Royals' game against the Texas Rangers.[14][15]
In 2015, again playing for the Northwest Arkansas Naturals, Adams batted .298/.360/.466 with 29 stolen bases (tied for 4th in the league) while being caught 6 times in 373 at bats.[12] He was released in November 2015.[16]
New York Yankees
After the 2015 season, the New York Yankees claimed Adams off of waivers.[17] In 2016 for the Trenton Thunder he batted .253/.343/.363 with 31 stolen bases in 36 attempts in 289 at bats.[12] On July 28, 2016, he was released by the Yankees.[18] He contemplated retiring at 26 years of age.[19]
Chicago Cubs
On August 3, 2016, Adams signed a minor league contract with the Chicago Cubs organization.[20][21] Playing for the Tennessee Smokies, he batted .325/.378/.506 with 9 stolen bases without being caught, in 83 at bats.[12] Adams elected free agency following the season on November 7.[22]
Atlanta Braves
Adams signed a minor league contract with the Atlanta Braves organization on December 13, 2016.[23] Braves manager Brian Snitker said: “I didn’t know who he was. I’d never heard of him.”[19] With the Gwinnett Stripers in 2017, he batted .264/.320/.461 with 15 stolen bases in 18 attempts, in 178 at bats.[12]
The Braves promoted him to the Major Leagues on April 25, 2017.[24] Adams recorded his first major league hit in a game against the Milwaukee Brewers four days later.[25] Adams hit his first major league home run, a three-run shot, against the San Francisco Giants on June 22.[26] On September 10, Adams hit a 2-run, walk off home run against the Miami Marlins in the 11th inning.[27] The home run clinched the NL East for the Washington Nationals. For the 2017 season with the Braves, he batted .275/.339/.468, and was successful in all 10 of his stolen base attempts, in 109 at bats.[12]
On April 19, 2018, Adams was designated for assignment by the Braves.[28] He refused an assignment to the Gwinnett Stripers and elected free agency on April 27.[29]
Chicago Cubs (second stint)
On May 5, 2018, Adams signed a minor league deal with the Chicago Cubs.[30] He hit .325 in 22 games for the Double–A Tennessee Smokies and .231 in 7 games for the Triple–A Iowa Cubs. Adams was released by the Cubs organization on June 30.[18]
Atlanta Braves (second stint)
On July 16, 2018, Adams signed a minor league deal with the Atlanta Braves. He was called up to the major leagues on September 1. With the Braves in 2018, he batted .240/.345/.520 with one steal in 25 at bats.[12] The Braves outrighted him to the minors on October 31.[31] He elected free agency on November 2.[32]
Through 2018, in his major league career Adams had batted .263/.333/.467 with 11 stolen bases without being caught, in 137 at bats. In his minor league career he had batted .264/.338/.403 with 235 stolen bases while being caught 44 times, in 3,718 at bats.[12]
Philadelphia Phillies
On January 14, 2019, Adams signed a minor league contract with the Philadelphia Phillies.[33] He played for the Triple–A Lehigh Valley IronPigs, batting .255/.340/.465 with 12 home runs and 29 RBIs in 271 at bats, as he stole eight bases in ten attempts.[34] He was released on July 1, 2019.
Atlanta Braves (third stint)
On July 31, 2019, Adams signed a minor league deal with the Atlanta Braves. In 18 games for the Double–A Mississippi Braves, he went 3–for–39 (.077) with three RBI and two stolen bases.[34] Adams elected free agency following the season on November 4.[35]
Minnesota Twins
On February 17, 2020, Adams signed a minor league deal with the Minnesota Twins. Adams did not play in a game in 2020 due to the cancellation of the minor league season because of the COVID-19 pandemic.[36] He became a free agent on November 2.[37]
Acereros de Monclova
On May 20, 2021, Adams signed with the Acereros de Monclova of the Mexican League.[38] Adams hit .263/.324/.326 with 11 RBI in 26 games, but was released on June 21.[8]
Tigres de Quintana Roo
On June 24, 2021, Adams signed with the Tigres de Quintana Roo of the Mexican League.[39] In 9 games for Quintana Roo, he went 2–for–25 (.080) with no home runs and one RBI.
Adams retired from professional baseball following the season and later became a private hitting instructor.[40]