Nick Punto

Nicholas Paul Punto (born November 8, 1977) is an American former professional baseball infielder and current coach for the San Diego Padres of Major League Baseball (MLB). He played in MLB for the Philadelphia Phillies, Minnesota Twins, St. Louis Cardinals, Boston Red Sox, Los Angeles Dodgers, and Oakland Athletics. With the Cardinals, he won the 2011 World Series over the Texas Rangers. He has also played for the Italian national baseball team in the World Baseball Classic.

Punto attended Trabuco Hills High School in Mission Viejo, California. He was drafted by the Minnesota Twins in the 33rd round (993rd overall) of the 1997 Major League Baseball draft, but did not sign. He stayed in Mission Viejo to attend Saddleback College before being drafted in the 21st round (614th overall) of the 1998 Major League Baseball draft by the Philadelphia Phillies. Punto played in the Phillies system for the Single-A Clearwater Phillies, Single-A Batavia Muckdogs, Double-A Reading Phillies and Triple-A Scranton/Wilkes-Barre Red Barons before his promotion to the majors.

Punto made his major league debut with the Philadelphia Phillies on September 9, 2001. He singled to right field off Bob Scanlan of the Montreal Expos as a pinch hitter in the eighth inning. He had two hits in five at-bats (.400) in just four games with the Phillies that season. In 2002 with the Scranton/Wilkes-Barre Red Barons, Punto played in 115 games and hit .271 with a home run, 29 RBI and 42 stolen bases, earning a selection as an International League All-Star.

In three years with the Phillies, Punto played in a total of 77 games and hit .223. His first, and only, home run with the Phillies was hit off Steve Trachsel of the New York Mets on July 10, 2003.

After playing in 64 major-league games in 2003, Punto was acquired by the Minnesota Twins on December 3, 2003, along with Carlos Silva and Bobby Korecky for Eric Milton. He started the season with the team, but he was injured twice and spent the majority of his time in 2004 on the disabled list. In 2005, he competed for the starting job at second base, which he eventually won, and in 2006 became the starting third baseman.

Punto was one of four Twins players nicknamed "the Piranhas" by then Chicago White Sox manager, Ozzie Guillén. The other Piranhas were Jason Tyner, Jason Bartlett, and Luis Castillo.

In 2005, Punto batted .239 with a career-high four home runs and 26 RBI in 112 games.

Punto had his best full season in Minnesota during the 2006 season when he batted .290 with a home run, 45 RBI and 17 stolen bases in 135 games.