Ian Desmond
Encyclopedia
Ian M. Desmond is a shortstop
for the Washington Nationals
. He was selected by the Montreal Expos
in the third round of the 2004 Major League Baseball Draft
and signed on June 16.
Desmond was named the 19th best prospect and the best defensive shortstop in the South Atlantic League
by Baseball America
at the end of .
with 216 at-bats and fifth in stolen bases with 13. He had a .250 batting average with one home run and one RBI in four games for Class-A Short-Season Vermont Expos.
In Desmond batted .247 with four home runs and 23 RBIs in 73 games for Class-A Savannah Sand Gnats
. He added a career-high 20 stolen bases. Desmond had a .256 batting average with three home runs and 15 RBIs in 55 games for the Class-A Advanced Potomac Nationals
. At seasons end was named the best defensive shortstop in the South Atlantic League
in Baseball America's top tools survey of league managers. He ranked 19th best prospect in the SAL by Baseball America.
Desmond batted .244 with a career-high nine home runs and 45 RBIs for Class-A Advanced Potomac. He scored 50 runs and had 20 doubles in 92 games. He had a .182 batting average with no home runs and three RBIs for the Double-A Harrisburg Senators
.
He spent the season with Class A Advanced Potomac in the Carolina League
and set career highs in home runs with 14, average with a .264 clip, on-base percentage with .357 and doubles with 30. Desmond slugged his first homer of the season on April 17. He went 3-for-5 with a home run, double, three RBIs and scored twice on April 20. He homered in consecutive games on July 28 and 29 and August 12 and 13.
In he played for Double-A Harrisburg, and started the year there in . In his three months there he batted .306 and, in June, was promoted to the Triple-A Syracuse Chiefs, and in 55 games batted .354. After the minor league season ended, he was called up to the Nationals.
. He later went on to hit his first home run
during the same game. He followed that up with a 4-for-4 game, and become only the second player ever (along with Guy Sturdy
of the 1927
St. Louis Browns
) to record at least six hits and four RBI in his first two games as a major leaguer.
On March 28, 2010, after a solid spring training in which he led the team in RBI's, Desmond was awarded the Nationals' starting shortstop job, beating out incumbent Cristian Guzmán
. His first full year was a bit erratic. He booted the first ball that came to him, and in the next game hit the first home run of the season for the Nationals. Desmond ended up having a very good rookie season, batting .269 with 10 home runs and 65 runs batted in, while stealing 17 bases.
Shortstop
Shortstop, abbreviated SS, is the baseball fielding position between second and third base. Shortstop is often regarded as the most dynamic defensive position in baseball, because there are more right-handed hitters in baseball than left-handed hitters, and most hitters have a tendency to pull the...
for the Washington Nationals
Washington Nationals
The Washington Nationals are a professional baseball team based in Washington, D.C. The Nationals are a member of the Eastern Division of the National League of Major League Baseball . The team moved into the newly built Nationals Park in 2008, after playing their first three seasons in RFK Stadium...
. He was selected by the Montreal Expos
Montreal Expos
The Montreal Expos were a Major League Baseball team located in Montreal, Quebec from 1969 through 2004, holding the first MLB franchise awarded outside the United States. After the 2004 season, MLB moved the Expos to Washington, D.C. and renamed them the Nationals.Named after the Expo 67 World's...
in the third round of the 2004 Major League Baseball Draft
2004 Major League Baseball Draft
The 2004 First-Year Player Draft, Major League Baseball's annual amateur draft, was held on June 7 and 8. It was conducted via conference call with representatives from each of the league's 30 teams...
and signed on June 16.
Desmond was named the 19th best prospect and the best defensive shortstop in the South Atlantic League
South Atlantic League
The South Atlantic League is a minor league baseball league based chiefly in the Southeastern United States, with the exception of three teams in the Mid-Atlantic States...
by Baseball America
Baseball America
Baseball America is a magazine which covers baseball at every level, with a particular focus on up-and-coming players in high school, college, Japan, and the minor leagues. It is currently published in the form of a bi-weekly newspaper, five annual reference book titles, a weekly podcast, and a...
at the end of .
Minor Leagues
Desmond batted .227 with one home run and 27 RBIs for the Gulf Coast League Expos in . He was second in the Gulf Coast LeagueGulf Coast League
The Gulf Coast League is a minor league baseball league which operates in Florida. It is a Rookie League, with a season running from mid-June to late August. The season is 60 games long and teams in the league are divided into three divisions, East, North and South...
with 216 at-bats and fifth in stolen bases with 13. He had a .250 batting average with one home run and one RBI in four games for Class-A Short-Season Vermont Expos.
In Desmond batted .247 with four home runs and 23 RBIs in 73 games for Class-A Savannah Sand Gnats
Savannah Sand Gnats
The Savannah Sand Gnats are a minor league baseball team in Savannah, Georgia and are a member of the A-level South Atlantic League. Since the 2007 season, the Sand Gnats have been an affiliate of the New York Mets.-History:...
. He added a career-high 20 stolen bases. Desmond had a .256 batting average with three home runs and 15 RBIs in 55 games for the Class-A Advanced Potomac Nationals
Potomac Nationals
The Potomac Nationals are a Minor League Baseball team located in Woodbridge, Virginia. The Nationals play in the Class A Advanced Carolina League, and are an affiliate of the Washington Nationals.-History:...
. At seasons end was named the best defensive shortstop in the South Atlantic League
South Atlantic League
The South Atlantic League is a minor league baseball league based chiefly in the Southeastern United States, with the exception of three teams in the Mid-Atlantic States...
in Baseball America's top tools survey of league managers. He ranked 19th best prospect in the SAL by Baseball America.
Desmond batted .244 with a career-high nine home runs and 45 RBIs for Class-A Advanced Potomac. He scored 50 runs and had 20 doubles in 92 games. He had a .182 batting average with no home runs and three RBIs for the Double-A Harrisburg Senators
Harrisburg Senators
The Harrisburg Senators are a minor league baseball team based in Harrisburg, Pennsylvania. The team, which plays in the Eastern League, is the Double-A affiliate of the Washington Nationals....
.
He spent the season with Class A Advanced Potomac in the Carolina League
Carolina League
The Carolina League is a minor league baseball affiliation which operates in the South Atlantic Coast of the United States. Before 2002, it was classified as a "High A" league, indicating its status as a Class A league with the highest level of competition within that classification, and the fifth...
and set career highs in home runs with 14, average with a .264 clip, on-base percentage with .357 and doubles with 30. Desmond slugged his first homer of the season on April 17. He went 3-for-5 with a home run, double, three RBIs and scored twice on April 20. He homered in consecutive games on July 28 and 29 and August 12 and 13.
In he played for Double-A Harrisburg, and started the year there in . In his three months there he batted .306 and, in June, was promoted to the Triple-A Syracuse Chiefs, and in 55 games batted .354. After the minor league season ended, he was called up to the Nationals.
Major Leagues
He played his first major league game on September 10, . He had his first hit, a double, and RBI during his second at batAt bat
In baseball, an at bat or time at bat is used to calculate certain statistics, including batting average, on base percentage, and slugging percentage. It is a more restricted definition of a plate appearance...
. He later went on to hit his first home run
Home run
In baseball, a home run is scored when the ball is hit in such a way that the batter is able to reach home safely in one play without any errors being committed by the defensive team in the process...
during the same game. He followed that up with a 4-for-4 game, and become only the second player ever (along with Guy Sturdy
Guy Sturdy
Guy Sturdy was a professional baseball player. He was a first baseman over parts of two seasons with the St. Louis Browns. For his career, he compiled a .288 batting average and one home run in 66 at-bats, with 13 runs batted in.After his playing careers, Sturdy managed in the minor leagues for...
of the 1927
1927 St. Louis Browns season
The 1927 St. Louis Browns season involved the Browns finishing 7th in the American League with a record of 59 wins and 94 losses.- Offseason :...
St. Louis Browns
Baltimore Orioles
The Baltimore Orioles are a professional baseball team based in Baltimore, Maryland in the United States. They are a member of the Eastern Division of Major League Baseball's American League. One of the American League's eight charter franchises in 1901, it spent its first year as a major league...
) to record at least six hits and four RBI in his first two games as a major leaguer.
On March 28, 2010, after a solid spring training in which he led the team in RBI's, Desmond was awarded the Nationals' starting shortstop job, beating out incumbent Cristian Guzmán
Cristian Guzmán
Cristian Antonio Guzmán is a Dominican baseball player who plays second base and shortstop, who is currently a free agent.-Minnesota Twins:...
. His first full year was a bit erratic. He booted the first ball that came to him, and in the next game hit the first home run of the season for the Nationals. Desmond ended up having a very good rookie season, batting .269 with 10 home runs and 65 runs batted in, while stealing 17 bases.