Michael Stanton
Encyclopedia
Giancarlo Cruz Michael "Mike" Stanton (born November 8, 1989 in Panorama City, Los Angeles, California
) is an outfielder
for the Miami Marlins.
in southern California. There he was a three-sport athlete, he had accepted a scholarship to play baseball for USC
, and was receiving offers from UCLA
and UNLV
to play football. However he opted to go pro after being drafted in the second round (76th overall) in the 2007 amateur draft
by the Florida Marlins.
Marlins, but quickly advanced to the Single-A short season New York - Penn League
, playing for the Jamestown Jammers
. After nine games for the Jammers, where he batted .067 on 2 for 30 hitting, he was promoted to the Single-A Greensboro Grasshoppers
. At Greensboro, Stanton hit 39 home runs, on a .293 batting average
with 97 RBIs and a .993 OPS. Stanton received an invitation to the 2009 Marlins spring training. He won numerous post-season awards for his performance in the 2008 minor league season, and was placed at number 16 on Baseball America
's top 100 prospects list. He began the season in High A with the Jupiter Hammerheads
, where he batted .294 with 12 home runs and 39 RBI. This outstanding performance led to a promotion to the AA Jacksonville Suns
. He was recently selected to the U.S. All- Star Futures game in the minor leagues, as he was chosen to represent the Florida Marlins
. In the off-season, he was sent to the Arizona Fall League
, for the organization's top prospects. Before going down with an injury forcing him to leave, he led the league with a .478 batting average. Baseball America declared him the number 1 prospect in the Marlins system, as well as being number 3 on John Manuel's of Baseball America, top 20 prospects in the minors.
In 52 games with the Jacksonville Suns
, Stanton batted .311 with 21 homers, 52 RBI and a 1.167 on-base plus slugging percentage. Perhaps most impressive was that he struck out just nine more times than he walked (44). After a series against the Mississippi Braves
in early May, Mississippi manager Phil Wellman told The Florida Times Union: "He looks like a 15-year-old playing on an 8-year-old's Little League team." On May 6, 2010, Stanton blasted a monstrous home run, his 14th, at Montgomery
, clearing the scoreboard in center field. Estimates are the ball was anywhere from 500–550 feet.
(20 years, 67 days). Stanton went 3-for-5 with two infield singles and scored twice in the debut.
Stanton's first big league home run was a grand slam
off of Tampa Bay Rays
pitcher Matt Garza
. He joined Jeff Conine
, Chuck Carr, Quilvio Veras
, Craig Counsell
and Jeremy Hermida
on the list of Marlins whose first homer came with the bases loaded. In addition, Stanton became the fourth player in the past 25 years to hit his first career grand slam before his 21st birthday along with Jose Reyes (2003), Andruw Jones
(1997) and Alex Rodriguez
(1996). On August 11, 2010 against the Washington Nationals Stanton went 5-for-5 with 4 RBIs 2 doubles and a home run. He became the second youngest player to collect five hits and four RBI in a game, and the first to do it since 1935 (Phil Cavarretta
, who was 19 years and 33 days old with the Chicago Cubs
on August 21, 1935). Stanton also is just the second Marlin with five hits and four RBI in the same game, joining Gary Sheffield
, who did it on September 17, 1995 at Colorado.
For his rookie season, Stanton's home runs averaged a distance of 399.6 feet with average speed off bat clocked at an average of 104.3 MPH. His 2011 season brought significant improvements; his home runs averaged a distance of 416.6 feet with the average speed off bat clocked at 107.4 MPH.
He was named an outfielder on Baseball Americas 2010 All-Rookie Team. He was also named an outfielder on the 2010 Topps
Major League Rookie All-Star Team
.
Mike Stanton has had a good 2011 campaign. He has battled through leg and eye injuries, which have kept him from being a consistent hitting threat in the Marlins lineup. He hit his first walk-off home run
on July 6, 2011 against the Philadelphia Phillies
. Stanton finished the 2011 season batting .262 with 34 home runs and 87 RBI in 516 at bats. According to HitTrackerOnline, Stanton belted 15 no-doubt home runs, the most in the National League and second most in the Major Leagues behind Jose Bautista
's 18. Stanton hit the longest home runs of the season by any player in 2011 at Citi Field (465 feet), Nationals Park (455 feet), Coors Field
(475 feet), and Sun Life Stadium (466 feet). His average distance (416.6 feet) and off bat speed (107.4 MPH) made significant improvement in his sophomore season.
Panorama City, Los Angeles, California
Panorama City is a district in the San Fernando Valley region of the city of Los Angeles, California. It is known as the San Fernando Valley's first planned community.-Description:...
) is an outfielder
Outfielder
Outfielder is a generic term applied to each of the people playing in the three defensive positions in baseball farthest from the batter. These defenders are the left fielder, the center fielder, and the right fielder...
for the Miami Marlins.
Early life
Stanton attended Verdugo Hills High School in Tujunga before he left and went to Notre Dame High School (Sherman Oaks)Notre Dame High School (Sherman Oaks)
Notre Dame High School in Sherman Oaks, Los Angeles, California, is a co-ed Catholic college preparatory high school founded by the Congregation of Holy Cross in 1947. Located in the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Los Angeles, Notre Dame is known for an outstanding college-prep academic program,...
in southern California. There he was a three-sport athlete, he had accepted a scholarship to play baseball for USC
University of Southern California
The University of Southern California is a private, not-for-profit, nonsectarian, research university located in Los Angeles, California, United States. USC was founded in 1880, making it California's oldest private research university...
, and was receiving offers from UCLA
University of California, Los Angeles
The University of California, Los Angeles is a public research university located in the Westwood neighborhood of Los Angeles, California, USA. It was founded in 1919 as the "Southern Branch" of the University of California and is the second oldest of the ten campuses...
and UNLV
University of Nevada, Las Vegas
University of Nevada-Las Vegas is a public, coeducational university located in the Las Vegas suburb of Paradise, Nevada, USA. The campus is located approximately east of the Las Vegas Strip. The institution includes a Shadow Lane Campus, located just east of the University Medical Center of...
to play football. However he opted to go pro after being drafted in the second round (76th overall) in the 2007 amateur draft
2007 Major League Baseball Draft
The 2007 Major League Baseball First-Year Player Draft was Major League Baseball's annual amateur draft of high school and college baseball players, and was held on June 7 and June 8, 2007...
by the Florida Marlins.
Minor league career
Stanton began his career for 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...
Marlins, but quickly advanced to the Single-A short season New York - Penn League
New York - Penn League
The New York – Penn League is a minor league baseball league which operates in the northeastern United States. It is classified as a "Short-Season A" league; its season starts in June, after major-league teams have signed their amateur draft picks to professional contracts, and ends in early...
, playing for the Jamestown Jammers
Jamestown Jammers
The Jamestown Jammers are a minor league baseball team in Jamestown, New York, United States. The team is the Short-Season A classification affiliate of the Miami Marlins and plays in the New York - Penn League...
. After nine games for the Jammers, where he batted .067 on 2 for 30 hitting, he was promoted to the Single-A Greensboro Grasshoppers
Greensboro Grasshoppers
The Greensboro Grasshoppers are a minor league baseball team in Greensboro, North Carolina, USA...
. At Greensboro, Stanton hit 39 home runs, on a .293 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 :...
with 97 RBIs and a .993 OPS. Stanton received an invitation to the 2009 Marlins spring training. He won numerous post-season awards for his performance in the 2008 minor league season, and was placed at number 16 on 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...
's top 100 prospects list. He began the season in High A with the Jupiter Hammerheads
Jupiter Hammerheads
The Jupiter Hammerheads are a minor league baseball team based in Jupiter, Florida, named for the hammerhead shark.The team, which plays in the Florida State League, is the Class A Advanced affiliate of the Miami Marlins major-league club....
, where he batted .294 with 12 home runs and 39 RBI. This outstanding performance led to a promotion to the AA Jacksonville Suns
Jacksonville Suns
The Jacksonville Suns are a minor league baseball team based in Jacksonville, Florida. The team is currently a member of the Southern League and is the class Double-A affiliate of the Miami Marlins Major League Baseball team...
. He was recently selected to the U.S. All- Star Futures game in the minor leagues, as he was chosen to represent the Florida Marlins
Florida Marlins
The Miami Marlins are a professional baseball team based in Miami, Florida, United States. Established in 1993 as an expansion franchise called the Florida Marlins, the Marlins are a member of the Eastern Division of Major League Baseball's National League. The Marlins played their home games at...
. In the off-season, he was sent to the Arizona Fall League
Arizona Fall League
The Arizona Fall League is an off-season league owned and operated by Major League Baseball which operates during the fall in Arizona, United States at five spring training complexes...
, for the organization's top prospects. Before going down with an injury forcing him to leave, he led the league with a .478 batting average. Baseball America declared him the number 1 prospect in the Marlins system, as well as being number 3 on John Manuel's of Baseball America, top 20 prospects in the minors.
In 52 games with the Jacksonville Suns
Jacksonville Suns
The Jacksonville Suns are a minor league baseball team based in Jacksonville, Florida. The team is currently a member of the Southern League and is the class Double-A affiliate of the Miami Marlins Major League Baseball team...
, Stanton batted .311 with 21 homers, 52 RBI and a 1.167 on-base plus slugging percentage. Perhaps most impressive was that he struck out just nine more times than he walked (44). After a series against the Mississippi Braves
Mississippi Braves
The Mississippi Braves, or M-Braves as they are referred to locally, are a minor league baseball team based in Pearl, Mississippi, a suburb of Jackson. The team is the Class AA affiliate of the Atlanta Braves, and plays in the Southern League. The team is owned and operated by Liberty Media, which...
in early May, Mississippi manager Phil Wellman told The Florida Times Union: "He looks like a 15-year-old playing on an 8-year-old's Little League team." On May 6, 2010, Stanton blasted a monstrous home run, his 14th, at Montgomery
Montgomery Biscuits
The Montgomery Biscuits are a minor league baseball team based in Montgomery, Alabama. The team is the Class AA affiliate of the Tampa Bay Rays and plays in the Southern League. The 2004 season was the team's first in Montgomery...
, clearing the scoreboard in center field. Estimates are the ball was anywhere from 500–550 feet.
Major league career
On June 6, 2010, the Florida Marlins announced that Stanton would be called up to the Major Leagues, making his debut on June 8. At 20 years, 212 days, he became the second youngest player for the Marlins, behind Miguel CabreraMiguel Cabrera
José Miguel Cabrera Torres nicknamed "Miggy", is a Venezuelan professional baseball first baseman with the Detroit Tigers of Major League Baseball. He bats and throws right-handed....
(20 years, 67 days). Stanton went 3-for-5 with two infield singles and scored twice in the debut.
Stanton's first big league home run was a grand slam
Grand slam (baseball)
In the sport of baseball, a grand slam is a home run hit with all three bases occupied by baserunners , thereby scoring four runs—the most possible in one play. According to The Dickson Baseball Dictionary, the term originated in the card game of contract bridge, in which a grand slam involves...
off of Tampa Bay Rays
Tampa Bay Rays
The Tampa Bay Rays are a Major League Baseball team based in St. Petersburg, Florida. The Rays are a member of the Eastern Division of MLB's American League. Since their inception in , the club has played at Tropicana Field...
pitcher Matt Garza
Matt Garza
Matthew Scott Garza is a United States professional baseball pitcher with the Chicago Cubs of Major League Baseball.-Amateur career:He attended Washington Union High School and Fresno State.-Minnesota Twins:...
. He joined Jeff Conine
Jeff Conine
Jeffrey Guy Conine is a former Major League Baseball first baseman/outfielder who played several years with the Florida Marlins. Previously, Conine played with the Kansas City Royals , Florida Marlins , Baltimore Orioles , Philadelphia Phillies , Cincinnati Reds , and New York Mets . He batted and...
, Chuck Carr, Quilvio Veras
Quilvio Veras
Quilvio Alberto Veras Perez is a former Major League Baseball second baseman. He is currently a roving coach for the Kansas City Royals....
, Craig Counsell
Craig Counsell
Craig John Counsell is a Major League Baseball infielder.Counsell grew up in Whitefish Bay, Wisconsin, and attended Whitefish Bay High School, where he played baseball. His father worked for the Milwaukee Brewers...
and Jeremy Hermida
Jeremy Hermida
Jeremy Ryan Hermida is an outfielder in Major League Baseball for the San Diego Padres. He bats left-handed and throws right-handed.-Early career:...
on the list of Marlins whose first homer came with the bases loaded. In addition, Stanton became the fourth player in the past 25 years to hit his first career grand slam before his 21st birthday along with Jose Reyes (2003), Andruw Jones
Andruw Jones
Andruw Rudolf Jones is a Major League Baseball outfielder who is a free agent.Jones made his debut during the 1996 season. In the 1996 World Series, Jones became the youngest player to ever homered in the postseason...
(1997) and Alex Rodriguez
Alex Rodriguez
Alexander Emmanuel "Alex" Rodriguez is an American professional baseball third baseman with the New York Yankees of Major League Baseball. Known popularly by his nickname A-Rod, he previously played shortstop for the Seattle Mariners and the Texas Rangers.Rodriguez is considered one of the best...
(1996). On August 11, 2010 against the Washington Nationals Stanton went 5-for-5 with 4 RBIs 2 doubles and a home run. He became the second youngest player to collect five hits and four RBI in a game, and the first to do it since 1935 (Phil Cavarretta
Phil Cavarretta
Philip Joseph Cavarretta was an American Major League Baseball first baseman, outfielder, and manager.Cavarretta spent almost his entire baseball career with the Chicago Cubs. He was voted the National League Most Valuable Player after leading the Cubs to the pennant while winning the batting...
, who was 19 years and 33 days old with the Chicago Cubs
Chicago Cubs
The Chicago Cubs are a professional baseball team located in Chicago, Illinois. They are members of the Central Division of Major League Baseball's National League. They are one of two Major League clubs based in Chicago . The Cubs are also one of the two remaining charter members of the National...
on August 21, 1935). Stanton also is just the second Marlin with five hits and four RBI in the same game, joining Gary Sheffield
Gary Sheffield
Gary Antonian Sheffield , nicknamed "Sheff", is an American retired Major League Baseball outfielder. He played for eight major league ball clubs from 1988 to 2009, primarily as an outfielder.-Biography:...
, who did it on September 17, 1995 at Colorado.
For his rookie season, Stanton's home runs averaged a distance of 399.6 feet with average speed off bat clocked at an average of 104.3 MPH. His 2011 season brought significant improvements; his home runs averaged a distance of 416.6 feet with the average speed off bat clocked at 107.4 MPH.
He was named an outfielder on Baseball Americas 2010 All-Rookie Team. He was also named an outfielder on the 2010 Topps
Topps
The Topps Company, Inc., manufactures chewing gum, candy and collectibles. Based in New York, New York, Topps is best known as a leading producer of baseball cards, football cards, basketball cards, hockey cards and other sports and non-sports themed trading cards.-Company history:Topps itself was...
Major League Rookie All-Star Team
Topps All-Star Rookie Rosters
This is a year-by-year list of the Topps All-Star Rookie teams. Note that players selected for a particular team appear in the following year's set release...
.
Mike Stanton has had a good 2011 campaign. He has battled through leg and eye injuries, which have kept him from being a consistent hitting threat in the Marlins lineup. He hit his first walk-off home run
Walk-off home run
In baseball, a walk-off home run is a home run that ends the game. It must be a home run that gives the home team the lead in the bottom of the final inning of the game—either the ninth inning, or any extra inning, or any other regularly scheduled final inning...
on July 6, 2011 against the Philadelphia Phillies
Philadelphia Phillies
The Philadelphia Phillies are a Major League Baseball team. They are the oldest continuous, one-name, one-city franchise in all of professional American sports, dating to 1883. The Phillies are a member of the Eastern Division of Major League Baseball's National League...
. Stanton finished the 2011 season batting .262 with 34 home runs and 87 RBI in 516 at bats. According to HitTrackerOnline, Stanton belted 15 no-doubt home runs, the most in the National League and second most in the Major Leagues behind Jose Bautista
José Bautista
José Antonio Bautista is a Dominican professional baseball outfielder with the Toronto Blue Jays of Major League Baseball. Though now primarily a right fielder, having been a utility player in the past, he has major league experience at six different positions...
's 18. Stanton hit the longest home runs of the season by any player in 2011 at Citi Field (465 feet), Nationals Park (455 feet), Coors Field
Coors Field
Coors Field, located in Denver, Colorado, is the home field of Major League Baseball's Colorado Rockies. It is named for the Coors Brewing Company of Golden, Colorado, which purchased the naming rights to the park prior to its completion in 1995...
(475 feet), and Sun Life Stadium (466 feet). His average distance (416.6 feet) and off bat speed (107.4 MPH) made significant improvement in his sophomore season.