Paul Goldschmidt
First baseman for the New York Yankees, 2022 NL MVP, seven-time All-Star.
Paul Edward Goldschmidt (born September 10, 1987) is an American professional baseball first baseman for the New York Yankees of Major League Baseball (MLB). He has previously played in MLB for the Arizona Diamondbacks and St. Louis Cardinals, and has represented the United States in international competition.
- Drafted
- Arizona Diamondbacks, 8th round, 2009
- World Series Title
- None
- NL MVP
- 2022 (St. Louis Cardinals)
- Royals Tenure
- None
Lore & Background
Goldschmidt was born in Wilmington, Delaware, and grew up a Houston Astros fan. He attended The Woodlands High School in Texas, where he played third base and won a state championship in 2006. He played college baseball for Texas State University, setting career records with 36 home runs and 179 RBIs. The Arizona Diamondbacks selected him in the eighth round of the 2009 MLB draft. He made his MLB debut in 2011 and was traded to the St. Louis Cardinals during the 2018–19 offseason. A seven-time MLB All-Star, he won the National League MVP Award in 2022, along with two Hank Aaron Awards, four Gold Glove Awards, and five Silver Slugger Awards. He finished second in NL MVP voting in 2013 and third in 2015.
In Their Own Story
The late-summer evening at Kauffman Stadium carried that particular Kansas City humidity, the kind that made the outfield grass look almost black under the lights. Goldschmidt stood in the on-deck circle, bat resting on his shoulder, watching the next batter take his turn. A group of young Royals players huddled near the dugout steps, and he nodded at them without breaking his gaze on the field. When his name finally came up, the crowd noise shifted—a low, appreciative hum rather than a roar. He stepped in, planted his feet, and the first pitch caught the sweet spot with a crack that echoed off the left-field wall. He didn't celebrate. He just tapped the bat against his glove, looked back at the dugout, and let the moment settle into the night air over the Missouri River.
Reader's Guide
Goldschmidt is a first baseman. He led the NL in home runs and RBIs in 2013, winning All-Star, Hank Aaron, Gold Glove, and Silver Slugger honors that year. He has the most Silver Slugger Awards among first basemen. He has never played for the Kansas City Royals and has not won a World Series.
Did You Know?
- Goldschmidt was drafted by the Arizona Diamondbacks in the eighth round of the 2009 MLB draft.
- He won the NL MVP Award in 2022.
- He hit his first MLB home run off Tim Lincecum in 2011.
- Goldschmidt set the Missoula Osprey franchise record with 18 home runs in his first professional season.
- He was a third-team All-American in 2009 at Texas State University.
More in Club History
Elsewhere in the Kansas City Royals universe
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