Didi Gregorius

Mariekson Julius "Didi" Gregorius, OON (born February 18, 1990), is a Dutch professional baseball shortstop who is a free agent. He has played in Major League Baseball (MLB) for the Cincinnati Reds (2012), Arizona Diamondbacks (2013–14), New York Yankees (2015–2019) and Philadelphia Phillies (2020).

Didi Gregorius
Gregorius with the New York Yankees in 2015
Free agent
Shortstop
Born: (1990-02-18) February 18, 1990
Amsterdam, Netherlands
Bats: Left Throws: Right
MLB debut
September 5, 2012, for the Cincinnati Reds
MLB statistics
(through 2020 season)
Batting average.265
Home runs120
Runs batted in457
Teams

Family and early life

Gregorius was born in Amsterdam on February 18, 1990, to Johannes Gregorius, Sr. and Sheritsa Stroop. At the time, Johannes pitched for the Amsterdam Pirates in Honkbal Hoofdklasse and worked as a carpenter.[1] Stroop played for the Dutch national softball team.[2] His older brother, Johannes, Jr., pitched professionally in Honkbal Hoofdklasse and the Italian Baseball League and later played as an infielder in Curaçao.[1][3][4] His paternal grandfather, Antonio, was one of the greatest Curaçaoan pitchers of the mid-20th century.

Gregorius began playing tee-ball in the Netherlands before moving at the age of five to Curaçao where he was raised. He also played soccer and basketball in his youth.[1] Gregorius, his father, and his brother all go by the nickname "Didi". He began using the name in the United States when teammates could not pronounce "Mariekson". He speaks four languages: Dutch, Papiamentu, English, and Spanish.[2]

Professional career

Cincinnati Reds

Gregorius was discovered by a Cincinnati Reds scout assigned to the Netherlands while he was playing at an under-18 tournament in The Hague in 2006.[1] Gregorius signed with the Reds as an amateur free agent in 2007.[5] He chose to sign with the Reds rather than the Seattle Mariners or San Diego Padres because the Reds were willing to bring him to the United States, while San Diego and Seattle planned to start Gregorius' career in either the Dominican Summer League or the Venezuelan Summer League.[3] He made his professional debut with the Gulf Coast Reds of the Rookie-level Gulf Coast League in 2008, playing in 31 games and recording a .155 batting average in 109 plate appearances. The next year, the Reds assigned Gregorius to the Billings Mustangs of the Rookie-level Pioneer League, where he batted .314 in 255 plate appearances. The Reds promoted Gregorius to the Sarasota Reds of the Class A-Advanced Florida State League, where he had a .254 average in 74 plate appearances.[6] Gregorius played for the Dayton Dragons of the Class A Midwest League in 2010, where he batted .273.[7]

In 2011, Gregorius missed the first two months of the season after he was diagnosed with a kidney disorder.[8] He was assigned to the Bakersfield Blaze of the Class A-Advanced California League, and was promoted to the Carolina Mudcats of the Class AA Southern League. Combined, he batted .289 with seven home runs and 44 runs batted in (RBIs) in 89 games played. After the season, the Reds added Gregorius to their 40 man roster to protect him from being selected in the Rule 5 draft.[9] Gregorius played for the Canberra Cavalry in the 2010–11 Australian Baseball League season. In 36 games, he batted .189.[10] He was named as the Defensive Player of the Year for the 2010–11 Australian Baseball League season.[11]

Gregorius began the 2012 season with the Pensacola Blue Wahoos, the Reds' new affiliate in the Southern League, where he had a .278 batting average in 81 games. The Reds promoted him to the Louisville Bats of the Class AAA International League, where he batted .243 in 48 games.[12] On September 1, 2012, the Reds promoted Gregorius to the major leagues as a September call-up.[13] Gregorius made his major league debut on September 5. He played in eight games for the Reds,[3] and recorded six hits in 20 at-bats (.300).[12] After the season, the Reds assigned Gregorius to play in the Arizona Fall League.[6]

Arizona Diamondbacks
Gregorius batting for the Arizona Diamondbacks on August 9, 2013

As Gregorius was blocked on the Reds by starting shortstop Zack Cozart,[3] the Reds traded Gregorius to the Arizona Diamondbacks as part of a three team trade that also involved the Cleveland Indians after the 2012 season. The Reds sent Gregorius to Cleveland along with Drew Stubbs in exchange for Shin-Soo Choo and Jason Donald. The Indians then traded Gregorius to Arizona with reliever Tony Sipp and infielder Lars Anderson for pitchers Trevor Bauer, Bryan Shaw, and Matt Albers.[14][15]

Gregorius began the 2013 season in the minor leagues. He was promoted to the Diamondbacks on April 18,[16] due to an injury to starting second baseman Aaron Hill. In his first game with the Diamondbacks, Gregorius hit his first career home run off of Phil Hughes on the first pitch of his first at-bat.[17] On April 27, he was hit in the batting helmet by a 93-mile-per-hour (150 km/h) fastball thrown by Josh Outman,[18] which caused a mild concussion. He was placed on the seven-day disabled list for concussions, and returned to the Diamondbacks' lineup the next week.[19] Gregorius batted .252 in 103 games for the Diamondbacks, but began to lose playing time later in the season due to his struggles against left-handed pitching; he batted .200 with a .267 on-base percentage against left-handers.[16]

In spring training in 2014, Gregorius competed for the starting shortstop role with Chris Owings, a prospect in the Diamondbacks' organization.[20] The Diamondbacks named Owings their starting shortstop for Opening Day, and sent Gregorius to the Reno Aces of the PCL.[21] On April 19, 2014, Gregorius hit three home runs which gave the Aces a 10–7 win over the Las Vegas 51s.[22] In June, the Diamondbacks promoted Gregorius after an injury to backup infielder Cliff Pennington, and he split playing time with Owings.[23]

New York Yankees

Needing a shortstop to replace the retired Derek Jeter, the New York Yankees acquired Gregorius in a three-team trade on December 5, 2014. In that trade, the Yankees sent Shane Greene to the Detroit Tigers, the Tigers sent Robbie Ray and Domingo Leyba to the Diamondbacks, and the Diamondbacks sent Gregorius to the Yankees.[24] With the Yankees, Gregorius has become known for his "victory tweets". In his "victory tweets", Gregorius highlighted players' performances that helped lead to a Yankees win using emojis coded for each of his teammates.[25][26][27]

2015

Gregorius made the Yankees' 2015 Opening Day starting lineup at shortstop . He replaced Yankees captain Derek Jeter, who had retired after the 2014 season after having played shortstop for the Yankees for 20 years.[28] Gregorius struggled in April and May, batting .222 and committing six errors. By the beginning of August, he increased his batting average to .260 and became more consistent in the field.[29] On July 27, 2015, he went 3-for-4 with a home run and, a career high, 4 RBIs. The following day, July 28, he had four hits, three RBIs, and two runs in a game against the Texas Rangers.[30] On August 28, he went 4 for 5 with a home run and a career-high 6 RBIs. Gregorius was named a finalist for the American League Rawlings Gold Glove Award at shortstop, but lost to Alcides Escobar of the Kansas City Royals.[31][32] Gregorius played in 155 games in 2015, hitting a career-high 9 home runs with 56 RBIs and a .265 average.

2016

Gregorius hit a walk-off two-run home run on June 29, 2016, to cap a six-run comeback in the Yankees' 9–7 victory over the Texas Rangers, who came into the game with the AL's best record at 51–27.[33] Gregorius was more successful against left-handed pitchers than right-handed ones.[34] In 153 games in the 2016 season, Gregorius batted .276 with 20 home runs and 70 RBIs. Gregorius had career highs in hits (155), doubles (32), home runs (20), and RBIs (70).

2017
Gregorius batting in 2017

Gregorius missed Opening Day due to a shoulder injury he suffered during the World Baseball Classic.[35] On April 21, he was sent to High-A Tampa for a rehab assignment.[36] On April 28, the Yankees activated Gregorius off the disabled list; he made his season debut that night against the Baltimore Orioles. He hit a double in his first at bat and also collected an RBI single as the Yankees defeated the Orioles 14–11 in extra innings.[37] On June 10, Gregorius collected his 500th major league hit. On June 21, Gregorius hit the 50th home run of his career. Gregorius was named as a Final Vote candidate for the 2017 MLB All-Star Game.[38] From July 23 to 26, Gregorius hit a home run in three consecutive games.[39] On September 20, he broke the record for most home runs in a season by a Yankee shortstop.[40] Despite missing the first month and playing only 136 games, Gregorius finished the regular season with career highs in batting average (.287), home runs (25), and RBIs (87).

In the 2017 American League Wild Card Game, Gregorius hit a three-run home run in the bottom of the first that tied the game.[41] In the 2017 American League Division Series, he hit two home runs off of Corey Kluber in the series-deciding Game 5. He is the second Yankee to hit two home runs in a winner-take-all game.[42]

2018

During the home opener against the Tampa Bay Rays on April 3, 2018, Gregorius finished with 4 hits, 2 home runs, and a career-high 8 RBIs as the Yankees won, 11–4.[43]

By May 1, 2018, Gregorius had 10 home runs, the most of any shortstop this early in the season since 1908.[44] He was named AL Player of the Week the same day, and on May 3 was awarded AL Player of the Month of April.[45]

Gregorius once again hit over 20 home runs and extended the New York Yankees record for consecutive seasons with over 20 home runs by a shortstop to three seasons in a row.[46] He had the highest fielding percentage among major league shortstops, at .987.[47]

2019

Gregorius began the 2019 season on the 10-day injured list due to still recovering from his previous Tommy John surgery.[48] On April 6, he was transferred to the 60-day injured list. On May 25, Gregorius went on a rehab assignment and returned to the Yankee lineup on June 7 against the Cleveland Indians, the Yankees losing, 5–2, despite Didi achieving two hits in four plate appearances. On July 23, Gregorius went 5-for-5 with a walk against the Minnesota Twins and seven runs batted in to help the Yankees win, 14–12. In the same game, Gregorius hit his 100th career home run.[49]

Gregorius hit a grand slam in Game 2 of the 2019 American League Division Series against the Minnesota Twins—the first grand slam ever by a Yankees shortstop in the postseason.[50]

Philadelphia Phillies
Gregorius celebrating a home run in 2020

On December 13, 2019, Gregorius signed a one-year contract worth $14 million with the Philadelphia Phillies.[51]

On July 24, 2020, Gregorius was the starting shortstop, making his Phillies debut on Opening Day.

International career

Gregorius played for the Dutch national baseball team in the 2011 Baseball World Cup. After beating Cuba in the final, the members of the team were awarded the Order of Orange-Nassau, 5th class (Knight) in lieu of prize money.[52][53] Gregorius uses the name Sir Didi Gregorius as his Twitter handle.[52]

Gregorius strained the ulnar collateral ligament in the elbow of his throwing arm while preparing for the 2013 World Baseball Classic, which prevented him from competing in that tournament.[12] He also played for Team Netherlands in the 2017 World Baseball Classic, but a shoulder injury forced him out of it.[54] The injury also kept him out of the Yankees' lineup for the first three weeks of the 2017 regular season.

References
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