Daniel Descalso

Daniel William Descalso...Married to Julia…has a daughter Emilia...Attended the University of California, Davis and majored in economics…named first team Division I All-Independent his junior year after batting .397…was the first freshman to lead the UC Davis in batting since 1967...Became the highest UC Davis player ever selected when the Cardinals took him with the 112th overall pick in 2007...Is a 2005 graduate of St. Francis High School (Calif.), the same high school as former D-backs outfielder Eric Byrnes…named to the West Catholic Athletic League First-Team his junior and senior years, and the WCAL MVP his senior season.

2017
Set career highs in home runs (10) and RBI (51) in his first season with the D-backs, hitting .233/.332 OBP/.395 SLG in 131 games, his most appearances since 2012 (143)...Hit .271/.371 OBP/.453 SLG in 69 games @ Chase Field, with 7 of his 10 home runs and 29 of his 51 RBI...Batted .231/.429 OBP/.462 SLG with 2 home runs, 7 walks and 9 RBI in 35 pinch-hit appearances...his on-base pct. in the pinch ranked fifth in the Majors behind Jose Martinez (.563), Tommy La Stella (.488), Chase Utley (.442) and Jace Peterson (.440)...Appeared in 45 games at second base (37 starts), 36 in left field (32), 19 at first (8), 15 at third (6), 2 at pitcher and 1 at shortstop...Delivered the game-tying RBI single in the ninth inning on Opening Day vs. Giants and scored the winning run on Chris Owings' single...Recorded his first career inside-the-park-homer on Aug. 17 @ Astros (14th in club history)...it was also the first inside-the-park homer by Arizona on the road since Kelly Stinnett on Aug. 29, 2005 @ Padres. POSTSEASON: Went 3-for-9 (.333) with 1 double, 2 home runs, 3 RBI, 4 walks and a 1.650 OPS in 4 games, reaching base safely in 7 of 13 plate appearances...hit a 2-run homer in the Wild Card Game vs. Rockies (off Tyler Anderson) and a solo shot in NLDS Game 3 vs. Dodgers (off Yu Darvish).

2016
Recorded a career-high 8 home runs and hit .264 (66-for-250) with 38 RBI in 99 games for the Rockies...On the disabled list from March 25-May 13 with a fractured left hand... Ranked fifth in the Majors with a .346 (9-for-26) average as a pinch-hitter...Batted .368 (21-for-57) with runners in scoring position...Started 31 games at shortstop, 11 games at first base, 11 at sec-ond, 7 in left field, 2 at third and 4 as the designated hitter...Recorded the second walk-off hit of his career on Sept. 16 vs. Padres (single).

2015
In his first season with Colorado, appeared in 101 games and batted .205 (38-for-185) with three doubles, two triples, five home runs and 22 RBI. Made 39 starts among shortstop (22 starts), second base (11), third base (four) and frst base (two) with the team going 26-13. Tied his career-high (2013) with fve home runs after hitting no home runs in 2014. Hit a two-run home run May 16 at Dodger Stadium, his frst since hitting two Aug. 2, 2013 at Cincinnati … span of 334 at-bats without a home run was the sixth-longest string in MLB. Two-run go-ahead home run and season-high tying three RBI in the second game of a doubleheader May 23 vs. San Francisco. Hit a go-ahead solo home run in the eighth inning Sept. 10 at San Diego. Was 8-for-44 (.182) as a pinch-hitter with three walks … frst pinch-hit home run of his career July 27 at Chicago-NL … hit a pinch-hit, walk-off single vs. San Diego April 22.

2014
First player in Cardinals history to start a game at four different infield positions over four consecutive games (2B, SS, 1B, 3B) Aug. 30 (doubleheader)-Sept. 1. Last in MLB was Michael Young (Aug. 16-19, 2012)...Appeared in over 100 games for the fourth consecutive season despite starting a career low 30...Had hits in 18 of his last 23 starts (27-for-73, .370) and batted .349 (22-for-63) over his last 37 games, including two pinch-hit doubles and four pinch-hit walks...Led the team with 9 pinch hits (T-14th, NL), and had five pinch-hit doubles (T-second, NL)...Batted .286 (12-for-42) in close & late situations...Batted .364 vs. left-handed pitchers (12-for-33) and .211 vs. right-handed pitchers...Hit .359 in August (14-for-39) with five RBI. Had a season high three hits at BAL (Aug. 9), part of back-to-back multi-hit games (Aug. 10, 2 hits).

2013
Appeared in 123 games, starting 78; had 48 starts at SS, 24 at 2B and six at 3B... Set single-season highs in home runs (5), RBI (42), doubles (25) and runs (43)... Batted .361 with runners in scoring position (26-72) and posted a .341 average with runners on base (44-129) with 3 HR and 41 RBI... Had 16 multi-hit games; seven of three hits or more and one four hit game at ARI (4/3). Tallied four games with two doubles... Hit first career grand slam at SD (5/21) off Anthony Bass, totaling a career-high 5 RBI in the game, the single-game high for RBI by a Cardinal in 2013... Batted .368 in May and .333 in June. Had season high 15 hits in September... Smacked two home runs at CIN (8/2), his first career multi-HR game, going 3-for-5 with a season-high three runs scored... Ended the season with a six-game hitting streak (9/21-end of season; 6-20, .300, 3-2Bs, 3RBI)... Appeared in 14 of the team's 16 total postseason games...started at SS in Game 1 and 2 of the Division Series vs. Pittsburgh...came in as defensive replacement at third base in Games 3, 4 and 5... offensively was 1-9 in the Division Series...singled off the bench in the 13th inning and scored the winning run of League Championship Series Game 1 vs. Los Angeles Dodgers...entered the game as injury replacement for Freese (5th inn.) in LCS Game 3...started at SS in Game 4, singled & scored the first run of the game, and finished the game playing third base...started World Series Game 2 at SS and moved to 3B, walked and scored...started World Series Games 4 and 6 at shortstop; singled and scored in Game 6.

2012
Versatile infielder made starts at three positions during the season, starting 94 games: 66 at 2B, 20 at SS, 8 at 3B. Finished the season with 12 defensive gems. Hit safely in 58 of 94 starts and had a career-best 7-game hit streak 6/17-24 (8-22, .364). Led the team with 7 triples,T11th in the National League. Hit 1st inning solo HR on 6/6 at HOU for his first GWRBI of season; hit 4th HR atWSH 9/2, to tie the game in the 7th. All of hisfour home runs came on the road and he had four game-winning RBI. Was 2-3 with a triple, stolen base and RBI on 7/27 at CHI; had a career high six steals in 2012. Started five games at SS (7/28-8/2)for injured Rafael Furcal. Played 10 innings at first base 8/19 vsPIT, a 19 inn. game in which he entered the game in the 10th. Had a season-high three hits with a triple& RBI vs. MIL on 8/5. Had 3 consecutive multi-hit games 9/4-7. 2012 POSTSEASON: Started and played every inning of each of team's 13 games at 2nd-base during the postseason, expect for bottom of the 8th of LCS Game 7...hit .316 with six hits and 6 RBI during the Division Series vs.Washington...had a 2-RBI single in the bottom of the 9th in Game 5 to tie the game at 7-7...had an RBI single and home run in Game 2....was 2-4 in League ChampionshipGame 1 at San Francisco, including double...had five hits total during the LCS.
2011
Rookie utility infielder earned a spot on the Opening Day roster, playing in a team-high 27 spring games, hitting .309...Played in 148 games, ranking 2nd on the club, in his first full MLB season. Made 61 starts at 3B, 11 at SS and nine at 2B...Led all National League rookies with nine intentional walks and 10 sacrifice hits. Also ranked in the Top 10 among NL rookieswith 86 hits (7th), 35 runs (7th), 20 doubles (8th), 3 triples (T4th), 28 RBI (9th), 33 walks (T5th) and 19 multi-hit games (10th)...Ranked 4th in MLB and 2nd in the NL batting .356 (26-73) with seven extra base hits and 12 RBI in Close and Late situations...With 2 outs/RISP hit .294 (10-of-34) with 14 RBI. Had 13 RBI from the 7th inn. on, 8 were either the go-ahead or GWRBI...Recorded a team-leading 10 sac. bunts on the season and tied for team lead (Jay) with 13 total sacrifices (10 SH, 3 SF)...His 11 infield hits were T2nd on the club. Had a season total of 15 two-out RBI...As a pinch hitter, had five hits, tied for 4th on the team (5-21). Had two hits off bench on 4/13 at ARI...Had 19 multi-hit games, including six 3-hit games and one 4-hit game tying career best (7/6 vs. CIN)...Posted three extra base hits 4/26 at HOU with two doubles and a triple, driving in three runs in start...Hit first career Major League home run off Clay Hensley in win vs. FLA (5/3), a 3-run shot in the 7th, the game-winning RBI...Had lone Cards hit on 5/7 vs. MIL, breaking up Yovani Gallardo's no-hit bid in a 4-0 Cards loss...Had three hits 5/24 at SD, including GWRBI single in 11th...Ranked 3rd among MLB third basemen with a .967 fielding percentage and was among Gold Glove finalists. His six errors atthird base were third fewest by a Cards third baseman with at least 600.0 innings (Gaetti-4 in 1998; Polanco-3 in 2001)...2011 POSTSEASON: Played in 13 games in the postseason, recording nine at-bats and 27.1 innings on defense appearing at 3B,SS and 2B; was flawless in nine total chances...came in as defensive replacement at third base in 10 games, played second basefor final inning of League Championship Series Game 2 and played shortstop in World Series Game 6...picked up first hit ofpostseason with a pinch hit single in 8th inning of NLCS Game 6 and remained at 3rd...recorded two hits in the World Series,bothing coming in Game 6, including a lead-off single to start rally in 10th inning and later came around to score.
2010
Began the season at Memphis (AAA) and was purchased by St. Louis and made his ML debut on 9/18 as he was announced as a pinch-hitter, but did not bat. His first ML plate appearance came on 9/20...Made his first ML start on 9/22 and went 1-for-3 with a two-RBI double off Brad Lincoln (PIT) for his first ML hit...Became the first Cardinals rookie to register four hits in his first or second start since Vince Coleman in 1985 when he rapped out four hits vs. PIT on 9/23...Played in 110 games at second base in Memphis and led all Pacific Coast League second basemen with 82 double plays, 553 total chances, 227 putouts, 311 assists and 15 errors...Did not commit and error in 18 ML chances (17 at third base) and turned four double plays at third, ranking T1st with David Wright (NYM) in the time since his first start (9/22)...Owns a minor league career .970 fielding percentage (61 E, 2038 TC) while turning 296 double plays in 419 games, including 64 games at 3B/1B...Ranked among the Top 10 of Cardinals minor leaguers with 86 runs (2nd), 32 doubles (3rd), 132 hits (5th) and 71 RBI (7th)...Registered two nine-game hitting streaks while at Memphis on 5/25 thru 6/3 and again from 8/21- 29...Led Memphis with 32 doubles and 86 runs scored and ranked second with 71 RBI,132 hits and 197 total bases...Recorded his first career multi-homer game when he hit two on 5/31 vs. ALB...Scored a run in six of his nine starts with the Cardinals and recorded a double and two RBI in each of his first two starts...Scored 29 runs in the month of August tying him with Albert Pujols (August) and Matt Holliday (June) for the most runs scored by any player in the organization in a single month...Was named PCL Post-Season All-Star and Topps Triple-A All-Star at second base...Was rated "Best Strike-Zone Discipline" in the Cardinals minor league system by Baseball America's Best Tools survey.
2009
Slick fielding infielder earned promotion to Memphis (AAA) in his third season...Named Topps AA All-Star Team second baseman batting .323 with 26 doubles, 5 triples, 8 HR and 51 RBI in Springfield (AA)...Had outstanding season ranking in the Top 10 among Cardinals minor leaguers in every offensive category except stolenbases and home runs. Ranked 7th in batting (.299), 4th in runs (69), T3rd in hits (131), 2nd in doubles (30), T-6th in triples (5),3rd in RBI (68), T7th in walks (47), 7th in slugging (.459), 10th in OBP (.373) and 8th in OPS (.816)...Selected to the Texas League All-Star Game as the starting second baseman. Batted third and went 0-for-3...Went 4-for-5 with 3 RBI on Opening Day vs. FRI (4/9), then hit safely in 18 of 19 games in April including a 14-game hit streak...Hit safely in 58 of 73 games in Springfield including 29 multi-hit games. Average never dropped below .322 (6/5)...Solid in the clutch batting .398 (33-83, 3 HR) with RISP and .370 (17-46, 3 HR) with runners on and two outs...Hit second career grand slam 7/18 at OMA off Brandon Duckworth...Posted a .977 fielding percentage (14 errrors, 604 TC) with 96 double plays while playing second and first base in 2009...Played in 21 games for the Surprise Rafters of the Arizona Fall League. Hit .220 with 11 runs scored and three RBI...Has posted strong career numbers in April, hitting safely in 37 of 41 games (.333, 52-156)...Owns a .968 career fld. pct. (46 E, 1439 TC) while turning 208 double plays in 309 games, including 56 games at 3B/1B...Rated as the ninth-best prospect in the Cardinals organization by Baseball America.
2008
Played in 124 games with 115 at Palm Beach (A) beforefinishing at Springfield (AA) batting .351 (13-37) in nine games...hitsafely in 19 of 22 games in April (.275, 22-80) at Palm Beach...smacked first career grand slam, a 9th inning game-winner at SLU(8/11) off Emary Frederick...posted a .965 fielding percentage(21 errors, 602 TC) between Palm Beach and Springfield, whileturning 89 double plays.
2007
Played in 66 games at Batavia (A) leading the team with67 hits...had a big August recording hits in 23 of 26 games (.333,36-108, 14 RBI) including a 12-game hitting streak from 8/19-31.

*Courtesy Cubs.com