DJ LeMahieu

David John LeMahieu (born July 13, 1988) is an American professional baseball infielder for the New York Yankees of Major League Baseball (MLB).

He previously played for the Chicago Cubs and Colorado Rockies.

After his senior year at Brother Rice, he was selected by the Detroit Tigers of Major League Baseball (MLB) in the 2007 MLB draft in the 41st round.

He did not sign with Detroit so that he could attend college.

LeMahieu enrolled at Louisiana State University (LSU) to play college baseball for the LSU Tigers.

As a freshman at LSU, for the 2008 season, he started in 67 of 68 games, hit .337 overall, and helped LSU reach the NCAA post-season play for the first time since 2005.

In the post-season, he was selected to the All-Tournament team for the Baton Rouge regional after hitting .300 and scoring seven runs.

In between his only two college baseball seasons, LeMahieu was part of the 2008 Harwich Mariners team in the Cape Cod Baseball League, where he was named a league all-star, earned the team's regular-season MVP award, and was named the No. 6 prospect in the Cape Cod League by Baseball America magazine.

The Mariners won the League Championship Series for the first time in 21 years.

During his sophomore campaign, LeMahieu was selected as a pre-season All American by Collegiate Baseball.

The Cubs selected LeMahieu in the second round of the 2009 MLB draft out of LSU, and he made his MLB debut for the Cubs in 2011 before being traded to the Rockies before the 2012 season.

He opened the 2009 season with a 9-game hitting streak adding to his previous 16-game consecutive streak from the end of the 2008 campaign, to total hitting safely in 25 consecutive games.

LeMahieu finished the season leading the team in batting average, .350 and total hits, 96.

In Game 1 of the Championship Series, LeMahieu hit a home run in the seventh inning giving LSU the lead temporarily.

Down to their final out in the ninth inning, LeMahieu hit a game tying double off the left field wall.

L.S.U. won the championship, and LeMahieu was selected to the 2009 College World Series All-Tournament team, hitting .444 in the series and leading all players with 12 hits.

The Chicago Cubs selected LeMahieu in the second round of the 2009 MLB draft with the 79th overall selection.

He played for the Peoria Chiefs of the Class A Midwest League in 2009 after the draft.

In 38 games, he hit .316 with 30 runs batted in.

He spent the 2010 season with the Daytona Cubs of the Class A-Advanced Florida State League, batting .314 with 73 runs batted in and 15 stolen bases in 135 games, going on to earn a Florida State League post-season All-Star selection.

He then led off the 11th inning with a walk, stole second base with two outs, and scored the game's winning run.

LeMahieu began the 2011 season with the Tennessee Smokies of the Class AA Southern League.

On May 30, the Cubs promoted LeMahieu to the major leagues when Jeff Baker was placed on the 15-day disabled list with a left groin strain.

That day, LeMahieu made his major league debut pinch-hitting for the pitcher John Grabow, grounding into a double play.

He did not stay in the game, a 12–7 loss to the Houston Astros.

The Cubs demoted LeMahieu to the Iowa Cubs of the Class AAA Pacific Coast League (PCL) in June.

With Colorado, LeMahieu won Gold Glove Awards in 2014, 2017, and 2018, was named an All-Star in 2015 and 2017, and won the National League batting title in 2016.

As a free agent after the 2018 season, he signed a two-year contract with the Yankees, where he has played as a third baseman, second baseman, and occasionally as a first baseman.

His versatility on defense and hitting ability earned LeMahieu the nickname "LeMachine" from Yankees teammate Gary Sánchez.

He was also called "Big Fundy" due to his fundamentally sound techniques.

With the Yankees, he was named a starter on the 2019 All-Star team, and won his first career Silver Slugger Award that year.

LeMahieu won the American League batting title in 2020, becoming the first player in the modern era to win a batting title in each league.

LeMahieu was born in Visalia, California.

His family moved to Madison, Wisconsin, while DJ was in middle school, then to Michigan, where he attended Brother Rice High School in Bloomfield Township.

He played as a shortstop and pitcher for the school's baseball team.

In his senior year, as a leadoff hitter, he batted .574 with eight home runs, 16 doubles, seven triples, 70 runs scored, 32 runs batted in, and 39 stolen bases.

He recorded two strikeouts in 92 at bats.

His career average in high school was .459 with 201 hits.

As a junior, he was an Aflac All-American.

He was also a two-time Gatorade player of the year and Louisville Slugger Player of the Year for the State of Michigan.