The Cages

The Cages

Paul Goldschmidt grew up in The Woodlands, Texas, constantly dragging his father David to the batting cages for extra practice. David never refused, despite a demanding work schedule. He threw so much batting practice over the years that he tore his shoulder.

In 2009 the Diamondbacks selected Goldschmidt in the eighth round, 246th overall, out of Texas State University. He was not even listening when his name was called. His parents heard the news and phoned him. He signed for $95,000 and spent much of the bonus on an engagement ring for Amy, whom he had met as a freshman in college.

The Number

On May 7 of this season, his second with the New York Yankees, Goldschmidt collected his 2,200th career hit. He is 38, in his 16th major-league season, and the number was built across three stops: eight years in Arizona, six in St. Louis, and now the Bronx. His career average is .286 over 2,162 games — 388 home runs, 488 doubles, 175 stolen bases from a right-handed first baseman.

The Right Foot

Nolan Arenado, his teammate in St. Louis, has called Goldschmidt the smartest player he has ever seen. The Athletic reported that early in his Cardinals tenure, Goldschmidt tested dozens of bats by measuring exit velocity off each one with the team's help, ranking wood quality and separating game bats from practice bats. The same attention went to baserunning: always hitting the bag with his right foot first, landing flat on close plays at first.

A 2022 MVP and four Gold Gloves anchor the résumé. Seven All-Star selections span from 2013 to 2022. He completed a management degree online in 2013, fulfilling a promise to his family.

He is at first base for the Yankees, 2,264 hits on the ledger, 88 games into the 2026 season.

Reporting: MLB.com, AZ Snake Pit, The Athletic. Career and biographical data: MLB StatsAPI, via the Fever engine.