Grant Desme

Grant Desme

Center fielder
Born: April 4, 1986 (1986-04-04) (age 25)
Bakersfield, California[1]
Bats: Right Throws: Right

Gregory Grant Desme (born April 4, 1986, in Bakersfield, California) is a retired professional baseball center fielder. Desme was a junior right fielder at California Polytechnic State University, San Luis Obispo, when he was drafted in 2007 by the Oakland Athletics.[2] After a 30-30 2009 season in the minors and being named Arizona Fall League MVP, Desme retired to pursue Roman Catholic priesthood.[3][4]

Contents

Amateur career

High school

He attended Stockdale High School, Bakersfield, and was an all-area selection as a junior and senior. He was first-team selectee for the Southwest Yosemite League (SWYL). As a senior, he was co-Most Valuable Player of the SWYL.[5]

College

He started his college career at San Diego State University.[5] He transferred to California Polytechnic State University, San Luis Obispo, where he was named Big West Conference Player of the Year.[6]

Professional career

Oakland Athletics

Desme began his professional baseball career with the Short-Season Vancouver Canadians of the Northwest League in 2007. Desme was selected in the second round of the 2007 Major League Baseball Draft before being assigned to the Canadians.[7] He batted .261 with three doubles, one home run, six RBIs and two stolen bases in 12 games. The next season, 2008, he only played two games after he injured his wrist in 2007 and his shoulder the next year.[8] In 2009, Desme had an extraordinary season. He hit a combined .288 with 31 doubles, six triples, 31 home runs, 89 RBIs and 40 stolen bases in 131 games with the Class-A Kane County Cougars and the Class-A Advanced Stockton Ports. He received the 2009 Arizona Fall League's Joe Black Most Valuable Player Award[4] and ranked eighth in Oakland's farm system going into the 2010 season.

On January 22, 2010, it was reported that Desme planned to retire from professional baseball and study to become a priest. He said this about his situation:

“ I was doing well at baseball. But I really had to get down to the bottom of things - I love the game, but I aspire to higher things. I wasn't at peace where I was at. I have no regrets. ”

—Grant Desme, BBC News: January 22, 2010.[9]

References

  1. ^ Grant Desme - Player Bio from the cstv.com website for SDSU athletics
  2. ^ 2007 Draft by Oakland from the Major League Baseball website
  3. ^ Grant Desme - Statistics from the Minor League Baseball website
  4. ^ a b First presented in 2002 and named for Joe Black of the Brooklyn Dodgers, the award honors the 1952 National League Rookie of the Year. "Desme Wins AFL MVP Award". CBS Sports. November 23, 2009. http://www.cbssports.com/mcc/messages/chrono/18505780. Retrieved January 30, 2010. 
  5. ^ a b "Baseball: Grant Desme: Profile". CBS Interactive (San Diego State Aztec Athletics official website). http://goaztecs.cstv.com/sports/m-basebl/mtt/desme_grant00.html. Retrieved January 30, 2010. 
  6. ^ Walker, Ben (January 23, 2010). "Highly touted Athletics prospect Grant Desme retires from baseball to enter priesthood". Associated Press (at Star Tribune, Minneapolis, MN). http://www.startribune.com/sports/twins/82431862.html?elr=KArksLckD8EQDUUUUsZ. Retrieved January 30, 2010. 
  7. ^ "Cal Poly's Grant Desme picked by Oakland A's in second round". sanluisobispo.com. June 7, 2007. http://www.sanluisobispo.com/breakingnews/story/61711.html. Retrieved January 24, 2010. 
  8. ^ Mychael Urban (March 15, 2008). "Minor League Report: New arrivals". Major League Baseball. mlb.mlb.com. http://mlb.mlb.com/news/article.jsp?ymd=20080315&content_id=2429448&vkey=spt2008news&fext=.jsp&c_id=oak. Retrieved January 24, 2010. 
  9. ^ Oakland baseball prospect quits to join priesthood, a January 22, 2010 BBC News article

External links