Matt Duffy

Matthew Michael Duffy (born January 15, 1991), nicknamed "Duffman", is an American professional baseball third baseman in the Texas Rangers organization.

He has previously played in Major League Baseball (MLB) for the San Francisco Giants, Tampa Bay Rays, Chicago Cubs, Los Angeles Angels, and Kansas City Royals.

He played college baseball at Long Beach State.

Born and raised in Long Beach, California, Duffy grew up a Los Angeles Angels fan.

Duffy attended Lakewood High School in Lakewood, California, where he acquired the nickname "Duffman."

At Lakewood High School, Duffy was a two-year letterwinner and led the team to a 23–12 record and a league championship in 2008.

He was a two-time all-state selection and a two-time all-league pick.

As a junior, Duffy achieved a batting average of .409 and 28 runs batted in.

He hit .380 his senior year with 34 runs batted in and 3 home runs.

Duffy played college baseball at Long Beach State University from 2010 to 2012.

During his 2010 season at Long Beach State, Duffy played in 30 games, starting 20 of them; averaged .244, had 86 at-bats, 8 runs, 21 hits, and 7 RBI.

In the 2011 season, Duffy played in 55 games, starting 54 of them; averaged .266, had 214 at-bats, 22 runs, 57 hits, and 31 RBI.

In those two seasons at Long Beach State, Duffy played in 85 games, starting 74 of them; averaged .260, had 300 at-bats, 30 runs, 78 hits, and 38 RBI.

In 501 college at-bats, Matt Duffy hit .253 and had an on-base percentage of .305.

Over those three seasons, Duffy recorded zero home runs, sixteen doubles, and one triple.

He was kept in the lineup more for his defensive abilities.

In 2011, Duffy played in the Cape Cod League with the Orleans Firebirds, where he was named a league all-star and improved his swing by standing further back in the batter's box and incorporating a leg kick.

In recent offseasons, he has occasionally worked with Firebirds' hitting coach Benny Craig.

Craig urged Duffy to read Harvey Dorfman's The Mental Keys to Hitting, which Duffy says he has read at least 10 times, referring back to it during the occasional struggles that hitting is known for.

Duffy was drafted by the San Francisco Giants in the 18th round (568th overall) of the 2012 Major League Baseball draft, and signed with the Giants two days later.

He began his professional baseball career in 2012 playing for the Salem-Keizer Volcanoes of the Low–A Northwest League, hitting .247 in 182 at-bats.

In 2013, Duffy played for the Augusta GreenJackets of the Single–A South Atlantic League and the San Jose Giants of the High–A California League.

In Augusta, he hit .307 with a 45/41 walk-to-strikeout ratio in 287 at-bats, and in San Jose, Duffy hit .292 in 106 at-bats.

Duffy began 2014 with the Richmond Flying Squirrels of the Double-A Eastern League.

In his minor league career, Duffy played in 248 games, recording 942 at-bats, 149 runs, 286 hits, and 55 stolen bases.

Duffy hit 13 home runs, had 135 runs batted in, walked 120 times, and struck out 145 times.

In the minors, Duffy recorded a batting average of .304 and an on-base percentage of .387.

Duffy was called up to the Giants and played his first game in the major leagues on August 1, 2014.

However, Duffy's MLB debut is officially recognized as May 22, 2014, as the Giants' game at the Colorado Rockies that day was suspended due to rain and resumed on September 1.

Duffy entered the resumed game in the bottom of the sixth inning at second base, striking out in his only at-bat.

In the 2014 regular season, Duffy played in 34 games and had 60 at bats.

He recorded 16 hits and 5 runs while batting .267/.302/300.

In Game 2 of the 2014 National League Championship Series, Duffy scored the tying run from second base on a wild pitch in the top of the ninth inning.

He recorded a speed of 20.3 miles per hour when he raced from second to home.

Duffy was also one of five rookies eligible to play against the Royals in the 2014 World Series.

In the 2014 World Series, at age 23, he was the youngest player on the Giants' 25-man roster.

By this point in his career, the knobs of his bats were decorated by cartoon "Duffman" decals.

Duffy was invited to his first spring training in 2015, where he hit .361 and earned the Barney Nugent Award, given to the player in his first Major League camp whose performance best exemplifies the spirit of the club.

On April 5, Duffy was named to the Giants' opening-day 25-man roster.

He hit his first major league home run on April 15 against the Colorado Rockies.