Justin Upton

Infobox MLB player
name = Justin Upton


width = 250
caption =
team = Arizona Diamondbacks
number = 10
position = Right fielder
birthdate = birth date and age|1987|8|25
birthplace = city-state|Norfolk|Virginia
bats = Right
throws = Right
debutdate = August 2
debutyear = 2007
debutteam = Arizona Diamondbacks
statyear = September 2, 2008
stat1label = Batting average
stat1value = .236
stat2label = Home runs
stat2value = 15
stat3label = Runs batted in
stat3value = 44
teams =
*Arizona Diamondbacks (by|2007-present)

Justin Irvin Upton, a.k.a "J-Up" (born August 25 1987 in Norfolk, Virginia), is an American baseball right fielder for the Arizona Diamondbacks of the MLB. He was selected first overall by the Diamondbacks in the by|2005 major league draft. He was previously an all-district shortstop for Great Bridge High School in Chesapeake, Virginia, and was awarded the AFLAC National High School Player of the Year Award. He is also the brother of Tampa Bay Rays center fielder B.J. Upton, who was taken #2 in the 2002 draft. In his first pro season he played for single-A South Bend Silver Hawks. He began 2007 with the High Class-A Visalia Oaks, but was promoted to the AA Mobile BayBears after hitting .341 with 5 home runs for the Oaks in April.

On August 2, by|2007, Upton was called up to the big league team at the age of only 19, following an injury to everyday right fielder Carlos Quentin. He made his major league debut exactly three years after his brother B.J. made his for the Devil Rays.

Upton was originally drafted as a shortstop, but was later moved to center field because the Diamondbacks already had Stephen Drew at the position. When he was called up, the Diamondbacks had star rookie Chris Young at center field, so Upton shifted to right. He began the 2008 season as the Diamondbacks' starting right fielder.

Upton recorded his first career major league hit and run scored on August 4, 2007, in his third major league game. His first career RBI came the next day, and his first career home run two days after that. He almost became the youngest player ever to hit for the cycle on that day, falling just a single shy of the milestone.

In by|2008 Spring Training, Upton hit over .300 with three home runs, 12 RBI, and four stolen bases, earning the starting right field job over Jeff Salazar. Manager Bob Melvin stated that Upton has a "very high ceiling" and that it "wouldn't surprise him" if he had a great 2008 season. [ [http://www.azcentral.com/arizonarepublic/sports/articles/0330dbacksnotes0330.html Melvin: Team better in 2008] azcentral.com]

Scouts rave about Upton's talent, and he is often compared to current star Ken Griffey, Jr. Baseball Tonight's Peter Gammons recently stated during an episode that a Major League general manager recently told him that "Upton was the best 20-year-old he's ever seen".fact|date=May 2008

2008 season

Upton began the season and held the current title of being the youngest active major leaguer second to Clayton Kershaw as of July 31, 2008. Upton collected his first big hit of the 2008 major league season on April 3. In the sixth inning of a game against the Cincinnati Reds, he broke up a no-hitter in the major league debut of Johnny Cueto with a home run. It was Arizona's only hit of the contest. The next night (April 4), he went 3 for 5 against the Colorado Rockies in their home opener with his second home run of the season. For the third consecutive ballgame on April 5, Upton homered while collecting three hits in a 7-2 Arizona victory. On April 11, Upton homered off Jeff Francis of Colorado for his fourth home run of 2008 campaign. The home run was in an 8-2 victory that was the seventh straight for Arizona. The very next day (April 12), he and Arizona continued their streaks, with Upton going 3 for 3, hitting a three-run home run to dead center field at Chase Field and the Diamondbacks winning 10-3, marking their eighth straight win. Upton had a career-high four RBI on the day.

Upton went through a prolonged slump in the month of May that saw him go 0 for 24 with 17 K's during one point. Upton came out of his slump on May 30 with a home run off Barry Zito of the San Francisco Giants. In a 4-3 loss Upton also had an RBI Triple.

On July 6, 2008, Upton hit a 484-foot shot off San Diego Padres' pitcher Josh Banks. To date this is the second longest home run in the history Chase Field. The only longer home run was a 503ft shot off the bat of Richie Sexson.

Awards

*2007, USA Today Minor League Player of the Year Award

References

External links

* [http://www.minorleaguenews.com/premium/baseball/features/articles2007/07/15/05.html Justin Upton] - Minor League News