Joe Panik

Joseph Matthew Panik (born October 30, 1990) is an American former professional baseball second baseman.

He played in Major League Baseball (MLB) for the San Francisco Giants, New York Mets, Toronto Blue Jays, and Miami Marlins.

Panik played the first-ever game at Citi Field in a pre-season game between St. John's University and Georgetown on March 29, 2009.

Panik earned All-America honors from the American Baseball Coaches Association (ABCA), Baseball America and Louisville Slugger.

Panik was also a finalist for the Brooks Wallace Award, an honor given to the nation's top shortstop.

He was also a first team ABCA All-Northeast Region honoree, a first team All-Big East selection, and the Red Storm Most Valuable Player.

After his sophomore season in 2010, Panik played collegiate summer baseball for the Yarmouth–Dennis Red Sox of the Cape Cod Baseball League, where he batted .297 in 50 games, was named the starting shortstop for the East Division All-Star team, and received the league's sportsmanship award.

During his junior season, Panik compiled a .398 batting average with 19 doubles, 10 home runs, and 57 runs batted in (RBI), ranking tenth among college baseball players with a .509 on-base percentage (OBP).

Out of St. John's, the San Francisco Giants drafted Panik in the first round, with the 29th overall selection, of the 2011 Major League Baseball draft.

Panik made his professional debut with the Salem-Keizer Volcanoes of the Class A-Short Season Northwest League.

He led the league with a .341 batting average, 49 runs scored, 54 RBI and a .401 on-base percentage (OBP) for Salem-Keizer, winning the league's Most Valuable Player Award.

He was rated the tenth best second base prospect prior to the 2012 season and was invited to spring training.

Panik spent the 2012 season with the San Jose Giants of the Class A-Advanced California League, batting .297 with 27 doubles, seven home runs, and 76 RBI in 130 games.

In 2013, Panik was promoted to the Richmond Flying Squirrels of the Class AA Eastern League, where he was moved to second base and recorded a .333 on-base percentage and 27 doubles, four triples, four homers.

In 2014, Panik started the season with the Fresno Grizzlies of the Class AAA Pacific Coast League, where he hit .321, with five home runs, 45 RBIs, and 50 runs scored in 74 games.

Panik made his MLB debut on June 21, 2014, pinch-hitting for the pitcher in the eighth inning and drawing a walk against Arizona Diamondbacks relief pitcher Matt Stites in a game the Giants won 6–4.

Panik's first Major League start came the next day, when he batted seventh and played second base.

In his second at-bat in that game he registered his first MLB hit.

Panik hit his first home run on August 22, against Doug Fister of the Washington Nationals.

It was a three-run home run (one of Panik's four hits that night), which gave the Giants the lead in a game they eventually won 10–3.

On September 1, Panik pinch-hit in the resumption of a game against the Colorado Rockies that began on May 22 but was suspended due to rain.

Per MLB record-keeping policy, Panik's debut is formally recognized as May 22, 2014.

On October 16, in the 2014 National League Championship Series, Panik hit a two-run home run in Game 5 to help lead the Giants to an eventual 6–3 victory over the Cardinals to advance to the 2014 World Series against the Royals.

On October 29, in Game 7 of the World Series, the Giants beat the Kansas City Royals 3–2 to win the series.

In the bottom of the third inning with a runner on first, Panik made a diving stop on a ball up the middle and flipped the ball with his glove to shortstop Brandon Crawford to get the lead runner out.

Crawford then threw to first to try to get a sliding Eric Hosmer out.

Initially, Hosmer was called safe on the play, but after a three-minute replay review, the call was overturned for the 4–6–3 double play.

It was the first-ever overturned call in the World Series since the replay review system was implemented, and the double play was regarded by multiple sportswriters as one of the most spectacular plays in World Series history.

In the 2014 regular season, Panik played in 73 games and recorded 269 at bats.

He scored 31 runs and 82 hits.

He had 10 doubles and two triples along with one home run.

Panik also recorded 18 runs batted.

He was walked 16 times and struck out 33 times.

He did not steal any bases.

He finished with a .305 average and an on base percentage of .343.

Panik was an All-Star in 2015 and won a Gold Glove Award in 2016.

Panik was born in Yonkers, New York, to Paul and Natalie Panik.

The family lived in East Fishkill during his formative years.

He attended John Jay High School in Hopewell Junction.

Panik attended St. John's University, where he played college baseball for the St. John's Red Storm, competing in the Big East Conference.