Lucas Duda

Lucas Christopher Duda (born February 3, 1986) is an American former professional baseball first baseman who played most of his Major League Baseball career for the New York Mets.

Duda was born in Fontana, California, on February 3, 1986, to David and Eleanor Duda.

He attended Arlington High School in Riverside, California.

Duda then enrolled in the University of Southern California (USC), where he played college baseball for the USC Trojans baseball team from 2005 through 2007.

Duda played 143 games for the Trojans, hitting 11 home runs, with 81 runs batted in, and a .275 batting average.

Duda was selected by the New York Mets in the seventh round of the 2007 Major League Baseball draft, as the 243rd overall selection.

He began his professional career in 2007 with the Single-A Brooklyn Cyclones of the Short Season Single-A New York–Penn League, where he batted .299, with 32 runs batted in, 32 runs, and 4 home runs.

During the following winter, he played on the Waikiki BeachBoys of Hawaii Winter Baseball, batting .340, with 13 runs batted in, 12 runs, and 3 home runs.

In 2008, he played for the St. Lucie Mets of the Single-A Florida State League, where he batted .263, with 66 runs batted in, 58 runs, 11 home runs.

For the 2009 season, Duda was promoted to the Double-A Binghamton Mets, where he batted .281, with 53 runs batted in, 49 runs, and 9 home runs.

During the fall of 2009, Duda played for the Surprise Saguaros of the Arizona Fall League, where he in 5 at bats batted .400, with 2 runs batted in and no home runs.

He made his MLB debut in 2010 for the Mets.

Prior to playing professionally, Duda attended the University of Southern California (USC) and played college baseball for the USC Trojans.

Duda began the 2010 season continuing to play for the Double-A Binghamton Mets, and was promoted to the Triple-A Buffalo Bisons on June 14.

While in Buffalo, Duda homered in five consecutive games, tying a Bisons record.

In 70 games for Buffalo, Duda hit 17 home runs, 2 triples, 23 doubles, and had 53 runs batted in, while compiling a .314 batting average.

At the end of the season, the Bisons named him their Most Valuable Player.

On August 31, 2010, the Mets announced that Duda would be added to the major league roster as part of their September call-ups.

Duda made his major league debut on September 1, against the Atlanta Braves, facing starting pitcher Tommy Hanson, whom he played against in high school.

He went hitless in three at-bats, but made a "stellar sliding catch" in the outfield.

Duda had to leave the game in the eighth inning due to hamstring cramps, which he said came from dehydrating while on the plane from Buffalo to Atlanta.

On September 17, 2010, again batting against Hanson, Duda hit his first career major-league home run.

Former Mets manager Jerry Manuel watched Duda during batting practice when he was first called up to the Majors and noted that Duda reminded him of Magglio Ordóñez or Moisés Alou.

With Ike Davis starting at first base, Duda's primary position in the minor leagues, all of Duda's playing time came in left field.

He batted .202 for the year.

The Mets named Duda their Sterling Organizational Player of the Year in 2010.

On April 10, 2011, Duda was optioned to the Triple-A Buffalo Bisons.

On August 8, 2011, batting in the cleanup spot for the first time in his major league career, Duda picked up his first major-league walk-off hit, with a two-run single off of Padres closer and former Mets reliever Heath Bell.

He batted .292 for the season.

Duda was selected as the starting right fielder for the Mets to begin the 2012 campaign.

On April 7, 2012, Duda had his first multi-homer game, hitting two solo shots off the Atlanta Braves in a 4–2 Mets' victory.

Going into June 26, Duda was hitting .269 with a team-high 11 home runs, yet from June 26 to July 24 Duda was hitting .138 with one home run and a .200 slugging percentage.

The sub par batting performance coupled with poor fielding prompted his being demoted to Triple-A Buffalo.

On August 26, the Mets recalled Duda from Buffalo.

It was the 26-year-old's second stint in the majors during the 2012 season.

He batted .239 for the season.

In October, Duda broke his right wrist while moving furniture at his home in South California, and had surgery on November 5.

However, Duda returned in time for spring training.

He was the starting first baseman for the 2015 Mets team that won the National League pennant, and led the team in games played during the 2010s.

He also played for the Tampa Bay Rays, Atlanta Braves and Kansas City Royals.