James Darnell
Encyclopedia
James T. Darnell is a professional baseball
player in the San Diego Padres
organization. He was drafted in the second round of the 2008 Major League Baseball Draft
.
, Arrowhead Christian Academy
and San Ramon Valley High School
. He was a four-year varsity starter and a four-year All-League high school selection. He compiled a career batting average
of .475 with 20 home runs and 50 stolen bases.
where in his freshman season he played in 50 games, 29 for starts. He played multiple positions including second base, third base
, shortstop
and outfield
. He finished his freshman season with a .239 average, three home runs and 18 RBIs. At seasons end he played with the Hyannis Mets
of the Cape Cod Baseball League
.
In his sophomore season Darnell played in 64 games, all starts. He led the team in hitting with a .331 average. He also had 19 home runs, 63 RBIs and 61 runs scored
. He earned second team All-Southeastern Conference
honors at third base.
of the Northwest League
. In 16 games Darnell hit .373 with nine runs, 25 hits
, six doubles
, two home runs and 15 RBIs.
Darnell was promoted to the Class-A Fort Wayne TinCaps of the Midwest League
in . He hit .329 with 17 doubles, seven home runs and 38 RBIs in 66 games with the TinCaps before his promotion to the Class-A Advanced Lake Elsinore Storm
of the California League
. With the Storm he hit .294 with 18 doubles, 13 home runs and 43 RBIs in 60 games giving him a combined total of a .311 average with 35 doubles, four triples
, 20 home runs, 81 RBIs, eight stolen bases and 87 walks. At seasons end he was named as the Padres' Organizational Player of the Year by MLB.com
.
On August 8, 2011, Darnell was called up to replace Chase Headley
, who was placed on the 15-day disabled list with a fractured finger.
Baseball
Baseball is a bat-and-ball sport played between two teams of nine players each. The aim is to score runs by hitting a thrown ball with a bat and touching a series of four bases arranged at the corners of a ninety-foot diamond...
player in the San Diego Padres
San Diego Padres
The San Diego Padres are a Major League Baseball team based in San Diego, California. They play in the National League Western Division. Founded in 1969, the Padres have won the National League Pennant twice, in 1984 and 1998, losing in the World Series both times...
organization. He was drafted in the second round of the 2008 Major League Baseball Draft
2008 Major League Baseball Draft
The 2008 Major League Baseball First-Year Player Draft continued Major League Baseball's annual amateur draft of high school and college baseball players, and was held on June 5 and 6, 2008.-First round selections:* Did not sign...
.
High school
Darnell attended Upland High SchoolUpland High School
Upland High School is a public four-year secondary school located in the city of Upland, California. The school was established in 1955 as part of the Chaffey Joint Union High School District, and since 1991 it has been a member of the Upland Unified School District.-History:Just prior to the City...
, Arrowhead Christian Academy
Arrowhead Christian Academy
Arrowhead Christian Academy is a private junior high and secondary school located in Redlands, California.-History and Campus:Co-founded in 1979 by Dr. Larry W. Poland Arrowhead Christian Academy is a private junior high and secondary school located in Redlands, California.-History and...
and San Ramon Valley High School
San Ramon Valley High School
San Ramon Valley High School is a four-year public high school located in the East Bay neighborhood of Danville, California, USA. San Ramon Valley High School is one of the schools in the San Ramon Valley Unified School District. It is a National Blue Ribbon school from the Blue Ribbon Schools...
. He was a four-year varsity starter and a four-year All-League high school selection. He compiled a career batting average
Batting average
Batting average is a statistic in both cricket and baseball that measures the performance of cricket batsmen and baseball hitters. The two statistics are related in that baseball averages are directly descended from the concept of cricket averages.- Cricket :...
of .475 with 20 home runs and 50 stolen bases.
College
He attended the University of South CarolinaUniversity of South Carolina
The University of South Carolina is a public, co-educational research university located in Columbia, South Carolina, United States, with 7 surrounding satellite campuses. Its historic campus covers over in downtown Columbia not far from the South Carolina State House...
where in his freshman season he played in 50 games, 29 for starts. He played multiple positions including second base, third base
Third Base
is a 1978 Japanese film directed by Yōichi Higashi.-External links:...
, shortstop
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...
and outfield
Outfield
The outfield is a sporting term used in cricket and baseball to refer to the area of the field of play further from the batsman or batter than the infield...
. He finished his freshman season with a .239 average, three home runs and 18 RBIs. At seasons end he played with the Hyannis Mets
Hyannis Mets
The Hyannis Harbor Hawks, formerly the Hyannis Mets, are a collegiate summer baseball team based in Hyannis, MA. The team is a member of the Cape Cod Baseball League and plays in the league's Western Division. Hyannis currently plays its home games at McKeon Park, which opened for play in 1979...
of the Cape Cod Baseball League
Cape Cod Baseball League
The Cape Cod Baseball League is a collegiate summer baseball league located on Cape Cod in the U.S. state of Massachusetts, in which many college baseball stars play during the summer. Many future Major League Baseball players have started there during their college years; MLB has provided...
.
In his sophomore season Darnell played in 64 games, all starts. He led the team in hitting with a .331 average. He also had 19 home runs, 63 RBIs and 61 runs scored
Run (baseball)
In baseball, a run is scored when a player advances around first, second and third base and returns safely to home plate, touching the bases in that order, before three outs are recorded and all obligations to reach base safely on batted balls are met or assured...
. He earned second team All-Southeastern Conference
Southeastern Conference
The Southeastern Conference is an American college athletic conference that operates in the southeastern part of the United States. It is headquartered in Birmingham, Alabama...
honors at third base.
San Diego Padres
After being drafted by the Padres in , Darnell was assigned to the Short-Season Eugene EmeraldsEugene Emeralds
The Eugene Emeralds is a minor league baseball team in Eugene, Oregon, United States. They are a short-season Class A team in the Northwest League, and have been a farm team of the San Diego Padres since 2001....
of the Northwest League
Northwest League
The Northwest League of Professional Baseball is a Class A-Short Season minor baseball league. The league is the descendant of the Western International League which ran as a class B league from 1937-1951 and class A from 1952-1954...
. In 16 games Darnell hit .373 with nine runs, 25 hits
Hit (baseball)
In baseball statistics, a hit , also called a base hit, is credited to a batter when the batter safely reaches first base after hitting the ball into fair territory, without the benefit of an error or a fielder's choice....
, six doubles
Double (baseball)
In baseball, a double is the act of a batter striking the pitched ball and safely reaching second base without being called out by the umpire, without the benefit of a fielder's misplay or another runner being put out on a fielder's choice....
, two home runs and 15 RBIs.
Darnell was promoted to the Class-A Fort Wayne TinCaps of the Midwest League
Midwest League
The Midwest League is a Class-A minor league baseball league which operates in the Midwestern United States.-History:Six teams – the Belleville Stags, the Centralia Cubs, the Marion Indians, the Mattoon Indians or East Frankfort White Sox, the Mount Vernon Braves, and the West Frankfort...
in . He hit .329 with 17 doubles, seven home runs and 38 RBIs in 66 games with the TinCaps before his promotion to the Class-A Advanced Lake Elsinore Storm
Lake Elsinore Storm
The Lake Elsinore Storm is a minor league baseball team in Lake Elsinore, California, USA. It is a Class A - Advanced team in the California League, and is a farm team of the San Diego Padres. The Storm plays its home games at Lake Elsinore Diamond...
of the California League
California League
The California League is a Class A Advanced minor league baseball league which operates throughout the state of California. 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...
. With the Storm he hit .294 with 18 doubles, 13 home runs and 43 RBIs in 60 games giving him a combined total of a .311 average with 35 doubles, four triples
Triple (baseball)
In baseball, a triple is the act of a batter safely reaching third base after hitting the ball, with neither the benefit of a fielder's misplay nor another runner being put out on a fielder's choice....
, 20 home runs, 81 RBIs, eight stolen bases and 87 walks. At seasons end he was named as the Padres' Organizational Player of the Year by MLB.com
MLB.com
MLB.com is the official site of Major League Baseball and is overseen by Major League Baseball Advanced Media, L.P. . MLB.com is a source of baseball-related information, including baseball news, statistics, and sports columns...
.
On August 8, 2011, Darnell was called up to replace Chase Headley
Chase Headley
Chase Jordan Headley is a major league baseball player currently playing for the San Diego Padres. He plays third base, and formerly played left field. He is a switch-hitter...
, who was placed on the 15-day disabled list with a fractured finger.