Paul DeJong

Batting .261 with 13 home runs and 36 RBIs, DeJong was selected to represent the Cardinals at the 2019 Major League Baseball All-Star Game. On July 24, while playing the Pittsburgh Pirates at PNC Park, DeJong hit three home runs, becoming the first St. Louis shortstop ever to accomplish that feat. On August 19, DeJong hit a home run that struck the 'M' letter of Big Mac Land, knocking the letter down.

DeJong finished the 2019 regular season slashing .233/.318/.762 with 30 home runs and 78 RBIs over 159 games. On defense, he had the best fielding percentage of all major league shortstops (.989). Following the season, he was nominated for his first ever Gold Glove.

On March 5, 2018, DeJong agreed to a six-year contract extension with St. Louis through the 2023 season worth a guaranteed total of $26 million. The deal also includes two option years for a maximum value of $51.5 million. It is the largest ever agreement with a player who had not yet completed at least one full year of major league service.

DeJong returned in 2018 as the Cardinals' starting shortstop. His first multi-home run game came on April 1, 2018, as he hit two home runs to help lead the Cardinals to a 5-1 victory over the New York Mets. He was placed on the disabled list for the first time in his career on May 18 with a fractured left hand caused from being hit in that hand the previous night that required surgery. Over 41 games prior to the injury, he slashed .260/.351/.473 with eight home runs and 19 RBIs. He was activated on July 6, and returned to the lineup that night. DeJong finished his 2018 campaign batting .241 with 19 home runs and 68 RBIs in 115 games.

To begin the 2017 season, the Cardinals assigned DeJong with the Memphis Redbirds of the Class AAA Pacific Coast League (PCL). In 46 games, he batted .294 with 11 home runs and 31 RBIs prior to his first major league promotion. On defense, had made 37 appearances at shortstop, four at second base and three at third base. The Cardinals promoted DeJong to the major leagues on May 28, 2017, as they moved second baseman Kolten Wong to the disabled list (DL).

DeJong made his major league debut on May 28, 2017, at Coors Field versus the Colorado Rockies. Facing Greg Holland in his first at bat, DeJong hit a home run on his first swing, becoming the ninth Cardinals player to homer in his first at bat in the major leagues. On July 8 versus the New York Mets, he set both a Cardinals shortstop and a number eight hitter record with four extra base hits in one game, including three doubles and one home run. The next day, DeJong set a rookie record for extra-base hits in a three-game series with seven. After batting .298/.347/.638 (.985 OPS) with eight home runs and 16 RBI in the month of July, DeJong was named the National League (NL) Rookie of the Month. He was the first Cardinals' player to win the award since Wong in May 2014. DeJong became the starting shortstop in June after Aledmys Diaz was optioned to Memphis.

After the 2017 season, DeJong participated in a scientific study as laboratory assistant with Lawrence Rocks exploring the effects of differing temperatures on the flight of the path of the baseball. DeJong and Rocks also appeared together on MLB Now at the 2017 winter meetings. Lawrence Rocks is the father of Burton Rocks, who negotiated DeJong's first major league contract.

DeJong signed with the Cardinals for $200,000, and made his professional debut with the Johnson City Cardinals of the Rookie-level Appalachian League. After ten games, he was promoted to the Peoria Chiefs of the Class A Midwest League. In 66 games between the two teams, he batted .316/.394/.516 with nine home runs and 41 RBIs. In 2016, he played for the Springfield Cardinals of the Class AA Texas League, and was selected as a Texas League All-Star. He finished the 2016 season batting .260 with 22 home runs and 73 RBIs in 132 games. After the season, the Cardinals assigned DeJong to the Glendale Desert Dogs of the Arizona Fall League (AFL).

A native of Orlando, Florida, the Cardinals selected DeJong in the fourth round of the 2015 MLB draft after he attended and played college baseball at Illinois State University (ISU). In 2017, his rookie season, he led National League (NL) shortstops in home runs with 25.

In 2015, DeJong batted .333 while leading the Redbirds in hits (70), runs scored (47), doubles, home runs (14), and RBIs (48). He played shortstop, second base, third base, and catcher, and also appeared at designated hitter. He was named All-Missouri Valley Conference first team as a utility player. He also earned Academic All-District honors for District 5.

In 2015, DeJong graduated from ISU with a degree in biochemistry with a pre-medical emphasis. He had a 3.74 GPA and a plan to attend medical school in case a career in professional baseball would not have worked out. He also still had one year of college baseball eligibility remaining.

Baseball America ranked him as the 108th-best prospect for the 2015 MLB draft. The St. Louis Cardinals selected him in the fourth round (131st overall).

After graduating high school, he then attended Illinois State University (ISU) where he played college baseball for the Redbirds. He was a preferred walk on. As a freshman in 2013, he batted .260 in 100 at bats with no home runs. DeJong has said that he increased his weight training between his freshman and sophomore years, gained about 20 pounds (9.1 kg) of muscle, improving his strength and speed. In 2014, he played second base, third base, and catcher, batting .349 with nine home runs and 48 runs batted in (RBIs). After the 2014 season, the Pittsburgh Pirates chose DeJong in the 38th round of the Major League Baseball (MLB) draft as a catcher. He did not sign with the Pirates and instead returned to Illinois State.

DeJong was born and raised in Orlando, Florida, before moving to Antioch, Illinois, at the age of 11. He grew up an Atlanta Braves fan. DeJong graduated from Antioch Community High School in 2011. As a senior, he batted .430 with four home runs and 30 RBIs, leading his team to a 21-10 record.

Paul Sterling DeJong (born August 2, 1993) is an American professional baseball shortstop for the St. Louis Cardinals of Major League Baseball (MLB). He made his major league debut on May 28, 2017.