Xavier Paul
Encyclopedia
Xavier Brooks Paul, Jr. (born February 25, 1985, in Slidell, Louisiana
) is an American professional baseball
outfielder
who is a free agent.
in 2003 he was selected to Baseball America
's second team High School All-American team after batting .391 with nine homers, 17 RBIs and 18 stolen bases. He then hit .444 for Team U.S.A.
at the 2003 Pan American Games
. He also played with the 2001 Junior National Team that won a gold medal at the World Championships.He was named the state of Louisiana 2003 Mr. Baseball.
by the Los Angeles Dodgers
. He made his professional debut with the Ogden Raptors
and was selected to the Rookie League All-Star team after hitting .307 for the Raptors.
In 2004 he was tagged by Baseball America
as having the best Outfield Arm in the Dodgers system and as the Dodgers seventh-best prospect. He hit .262 for the Columbus Catfish
that season.
He played for the Vero Beach Dodgers in 2005 and 2006, and was ranked by Baseball America
as the Best Defensive outfielder in the entire Single-A level.
In 2007 he played for the Double-A Jacksonville Suns
, hitting .291 with 11 homers and 17 stolen bases. Paul was selected to the Southern League
Mid-season All-Star Team. He played in the Arizona Fall League
after the season and was promoted to the Las Vegas 51s
and placed on the Dodgers 40 man roster for the 2008 season. He hit .316 with Las Vegas that season in 115 games.
He began the 2009 season with the AAA Albuquerque Isotopes
, and then on May 7, 2009, Paul was called up to the Los Angeles Dodgers
to replace Manny Ramirez
, who was suspended for testing positive for performance enhancing drugs. Paul made his Major League debut the same day, grounding into a double play
in his one at bat
as a pinch hitter
against the Washington Nationals
. His first major league hit was against the San Francisco Giants
three days later, and he hit his first home run against the Florida Marlins
on May 15.
Shortly afterwards he was sidelined by a staph infection and placed on the disabled list. While rehabbing at the Dodgers complex in Arizona, he then suffered an ankle injury and spent the rest of the year on the 60-day disabled list.
Paul appeared in 44 games with the Dodgers in 2010, thanks to a succession of injuries to Ramirez. He hit .231 over that period before he was returned to the minors. He appeared in 57 games with the Isotopes during the season, hitting .325 in 57 games but a late season injury made him unavailable for a September callup.
He began the season with the Dodgers in 2011 but was designated for assignment on April 18 after he appeared in 7 games and had 3 hits in 11 at-bats.
. With the Pirates, he appeared in 121 games, hitting .254 with 16 stolen bases. The Pirates designated him for assignment on November 18 and released him after he cleared waivers.
Slidell, Louisiana
Slidell is a city situated on the northeast shore of Lake Pontchartrain in St. Tammany Parish, Louisiana, United States. The population was 25,695 at the 2000 census. The Greater Slidell Community has a population of about 90,000...
) is an American professional baseball
Baseball
Baseball is a bat-and-ball sport played between two teams of nine players each. The aim is to score runs by hitting a thrown ball with a bat and touching a series of four bases arranged at the corners of a ninety-foot diamond...
outfielder
Outfielder
Outfielder is a generic term applied to each of the people playing in the three defensive positions in baseball farthest from the batter. These defenders are the left fielder, the center fielder, and the right fielder...
who is a free agent.
Early life
While at Slidell High SchoolSlidell High School
Slidell High School is a public school for grades nine through twelve located in Slidell, Louisiana. It is part of the St. Tammany Parish Public School District and serves portions of west and central Slidell.-Notable alumni:...
in 2003 he was selected to Baseball America
Baseball America
Baseball America is a magazine which covers baseball at every level, with a particular focus on up-and-coming players in high school, college, Japan, and the minor leagues. It is currently published in the form of a bi-weekly newspaper, five annual reference book titles, a weekly podcast, and a...
's second team High School All-American team after batting .391 with nine homers, 17 RBIs and 18 stolen bases. He then hit .444 for Team U.S.A.
USA Baseball
USA Baseball was founded in , and is the governing body for amateur baseball in the United States of America. It is a member of the United States Olympic Committee and organizes the United States national baseball team...
at the 2003 Pan American Games
2003 Pan American Games
The 14th Pan American Games were held in Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic, from 1 to 17 August 2003. The successful bid for the games was made in the mid-1990s, when this country had one of the highest growth rates in Latin America....
. He also played with the 2001 Junior National Team that won a gold medal at the World Championships.He was named the state of Louisiana 2003 Mr. Baseball.
Los Angeles Dodgers
Paul was drafted in the fourth round of the June 2003 MLB DraftMLB Draft
The First-Year Player Draft, also known as the Rule 4 Draft, is Major League Baseball's primary mechanism for assigning amateur baseball players, from high schools, colleges, and other amateur baseball clubs, to its teams. The draft order is determined based on the previous season's standings, with...
by the Los Angeles Dodgers
Los Angeles Dodgers
The Los Angeles Dodgers are a professional baseball team based in Los Angeles, California. The Dodgers are members of Major League Baseball's National League West Division. Established in 1883, the team originated in Brooklyn, New York, where it was known by a number of nicknames before becoming...
. He made his professional debut with the Ogden Raptors
Ogden Raptors
The Ogden Raptors are a minor league baseball team in the Pioneer League based in Ogden, Utah, United States. The club plays at Lindquist Field, whose view beyond the outfield fence was named the best in professional baseball by a staff writer for Grand Slam Enterprises, INC.The Raptors are one of...
and was selected to the Rookie League All-Star team after hitting .307 for the Raptors.
In 2004 he was tagged by Baseball America
Baseball America
Baseball America is a magazine which covers baseball at every level, with a particular focus on up-and-coming players in high school, college, Japan, and the minor leagues. It is currently published in the form of a bi-weekly newspaper, five annual reference book titles, a weekly podcast, and a...
as having the best Outfield Arm in the Dodgers system and as the Dodgers seventh-best prospect. He hit .262 for the Columbus Catfish
Columbus Catfish
The Columbus Catfish were a minor league baseball team in Columbus, Georgia. They were a Class A team in the South Atlantic League, and were an affiliate of the Tampa Bay Rays since September 29, 2006. The Catfish relocated to Bowling Green, Kentucky for the 2009 season.The Catfish played home...
that season.
He played for the Vero Beach Dodgers in 2005 and 2006, and was ranked by Baseball America
Baseball America
Baseball America is a magazine which covers baseball at every level, with a particular focus on up-and-coming players in high school, college, Japan, and the minor leagues. It is currently published in the form of a bi-weekly newspaper, five annual reference book titles, a weekly podcast, and a...
as the Best Defensive outfielder in the entire Single-A level.
In 2007 he played for the Double-A Jacksonville Suns
Jacksonville Suns
The Jacksonville Suns are a minor league baseball team based in Jacksonville, Florida. The team is currently a member of the Southern League and is the class Double-A affiliate of the Miami Marlins Major League Baseball team...
, hitting .291 with 11 homers and 17 stolen bases. Paul was selected to the Southern League
Southern League (baseball)
The Southern League is a minor league baseball league which operates in the Southern United States. It is classified a Double-A league. The original league was formed in , and shut down in . A new league, the Southern Association, was formed in , consisting of twelve teams...
Mid-season All-Star Team. He played in the Arizona Fall League
Arizona Fall League
The Arizona Fall League is an off-season league owned and operated by Major League Baseball which operates during the fall in Arizona, United States at five spring training complexes...
after the season and was promoted to the Las Vegas 51s
Las Vegas 51s
The Las Vegas 51s, formerly known as the Las Vegas Stars, are a minor league baseball team. They are the Triple-A affiliate of the Toronto Blue Jays. They play at Cashman Field in Las Vegas, Nevada. The team competes in the Pacific Coast League...
and placed on the Dodgers 40 man roster for the 2008 season. He hit .316 with Las Vegas that season in 115 games.
He began the 2009 season with the AAA Albuquerque Isotopes
Albuquerque Isotopes
The Albuquerque Isotopes are a minor league baseball team based in Albuquerque, New Mexico. The team, which plays in the Pacific Coast League, is the Triple-A affiliate of the Los Angeles Dodgers...
, and then on May 7, 2009, Paul was called up to the Los Angeles Dodgers
Los Angeles Dodgers
The Los Angeles Dodgers are a professional baseball team based in Los Angeles, California. The Dodgers are members of Major League Baseball's National League West Division. Established in 1883, the team originated in Brooklyn, New York, where it was known by a number of nicknames before becoming...
to replace Manny Ramirez
Manny Ramírez
Manuel "Manny" Arístides Ramírez Onelcida is a retired Dominican-American professional baseball outfielder. He was recognized for great batting skill and power, a nine-time Silver Slugger and one of 25 players to hit 500 career home runs. Ramirez's 21 grand slams are third all-time, and his 28...
, who was suspended for testing positive for performance enhancing drugs. Paul made his Major League debut the same day, grounding into a double play
Double play
In baseball, a double play for a team or a fielder is the act of making two outs during the same continuous playing action. In baseball slang, making a double play is referred to as "turning two"....
in his one at bat
At bat
In baseball, an at bat or time at bat is used to calculate certain statistics, including batting average, on base percentage, and slugging percentage. It is a more restricted definition of a plate appearance...
as a pinch hitter
Pinch hitter
In baseball, a pinch hitter is a substitute batter. Batters can be substituted at any time while the ball is dead ; the manager may use any player that has not yet entered the game as a substitute...
against the Washington Nationals
Washington Nationals
The Washington Nationals are a professional baseball team based in Washington, D.C. The Nationals are a member of the Eastern Division of the National League of Major League Baseball . The team moved into the newly built Nationals Park in 2008, after playing their first three seasons in RFK Stadium...
. His first major league hit was against the San Francisco Giants
San Francisco Giants
The San Francisco Giants are a Major League Baseball team based in San Francisco, California, playing in the National League West Division....
three days later, and he hit his first home run against the Florida Marlins
Florida Marlins
The Miami Marlins are a professional baseball team based in Miami, Florida, United States. Established in 1993 as an expansion franchise called the Florida Marlins, the Marlins are a member of the Eastern Division of Major League Baseball's National League. The Marlins played their home games at...
on May 15.
Shortly afterwards he was sidelined by a staph infection and placed on the disabled list. While rehabbing at the Dodgers complex in Arizona, he then suffered an ankle injury and spent the rest of the year on the 60-day disabled list.
Paul appeared in 44 games with the Dodgers in 2010, thanks to a succession of injuries to Ramirez. He hit .231 over that period before he was returned to the minors. He appeared in 57 games with the Isotopes during the season, hitting .325 in 57 games but a late season injury made him unavailable for a September callup.
He began the season with the Dodgers in 2011 but was designated for assignment on April 18 after he appeared in 7 games and had 3 hits in 11 at-bats.
Pittsburgh Pirates
On April 26, 2011, he was claimed off waivers by the Pittsburgh PiratesPittsburgh Pirates
The Pittsburgh Pirates are a Major League Baseball club based in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. They play in the Central Division of the National League, and are five-time World Series Champions...
. With the Pirates, he appeared in 121 games, hitting .254 with 16 stolen bases. The Pirates designated him for assignment on November 18 and released him after he cleared waivers.