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Giancarlo Stanton

Stanton with the New York Yankees in 2018

New York Yankees – No. 27

Designated hitter / Outfielder

Born: November 8, 1989 (age 35)
Los Angeles, California, U.S.

Bats: Right

Throws: Right

debut

June 8, 2010, for the Florida Marlins

Career statistics
(through July 18, 2025)

Batting average

.257

Hits

1,569

Home runs

433

Runs batted in

1,119

Teams

Florida / Miami Marlins (2010–2017)
New York Yankees (2018–present)

Career highlights and awards

5× All-Star (2012, 2014, 2015, 2017, 2022)
NL MVP (2017)
ALCS MVP (2024)
2× Silver Slugger Award (2014, 2017)
2× NL Hank Aaron Award (2014, 2017)
2× NL home run leader (2014, 2017)
NL RBI leader (2017)

Medals

Men's baseball

Representing United States
World Baseball Classic
Gold	2017 Los Angeles	Team

Giancarlo Cruz-Michael Stanton (born November 8, 1989) is an American professional baseball player. He is a designated hitter and outfielder for the New York Yankees in Major League Baseball (MLB). Before joining the Yankees, he played for the Florida/Miami Marlins.

Stanton is very tall, standing 6 feet 6 inches (1.98 meters) and weighing 245 pounds (111 kg). He bats and throws with his right hand. He is known for hitting many home runs and is the Marlins' all-time leader in home runs. He is also the only active player with over 400 career home runs. Giancarlo has also played for the United States in international competitions.

Stanton grew up in the Greater Los Angeles area. He was drafted by the Marlins in 2007 after high school. He made his MLB debut in 2010. In 2014, he led the National League in home runs. The Marlins signed him to a huge contract in November 2014. It was worth $325 million over 13 years.

In 2017, Stanton had an amazing season. He led MLB in home runs (59) and runs batted in (RBIs) (132). He won the National League Most Valuable Player (MVP) Award. After that season, he was traded to the Yankees. He has been an MLB All-Star five times. He has also won the Hank Aaron Award and Silver Slugger Award twice. In 2024, he was named the American League Championship Series (ALCS) MVP. This helped the Yankees reach the World Series for the first time since 2009.

Early Life and High School Sports

Giancarlo Cruz-Michael Stanton was born in Panorama City, California. His father is of Irish descent, and his mother is African-American. His great-great-great-grandmother was Puerto Rican. His parents divorced when he was eight years old. He has a brother, E.G. Gary, and a sister, Kyrice Stanton. He grew up in Tujunga, California. He was a fan of the Los Angeles Dodgers baseball team.

Stanton went to Verdugo Hills High School for two years. Then he transferred to Notre Dame High School in Sherman Oaks. There, he was a talented athlete in three sports. He played baseball, basketball, and football. In football, he played wide receiver and cornerback. He was offered scholarships to play baseball at Tulane University. He also had offers to play football at UCLA, UNLV, and USC.

Starting His Professional Baseball Career

Drafted and Playing in the Minor Leagues

Stanton at the 2009 All-Star Futures Game

The Florida Marlins chose Giancarlo Stanton in the second round of the 2007 MLB draft. He was the 76th player picked overall. Instead of going to college, Stanton signed with the Marlins. He received a $475,000 bonus.

Stanton started his professional career in the Rookie-level Gulf Coast League. He quickly moved up to the Jamestown Jammers in the Low-A league. After a few games, he was promoted to the Greensboro Grasshoppers in Single-A. With Greensboro, Stanton hit 39 home runs. He also had a .293 batting average and 97 RBIs.

In 2009, Stanton played for the Jupiter Hammerheads in High-A. He batted .294 with 12 home runs. He then moved up to the Jacksonville Suns in Double-A. He was chosen to play in the All-Star Futures Game. Experts called him one of the top young players in baseball.

In 2010, Stanton continued to play well for the Suns. He batted .311 with 21 home runs in 52 games. One of his home runs traveled an amazing 500 to 550 feet.

Playing for the Florida / Miami Marlins (2010–2017)

2010: His First MLB Season

Stanton with the Marlins in 2010

On June 6, 2010, the Florida Marlins announced that Stanton would join the MLB team. He made his debut on June 8. He was only 20 years old, making him one of the youngest players in Marlins history. In his first game, he got three hits and scored two runs.

Stanton's first MLB home run was a grand slam. This means he hit a home run with the bases loaded, scoring four runs. He was one of the youngest players ever to hit a grand slam before turning 21. On August 11, 2010, he had a great game with five hits and four RBIs.

Stanton finished his first season with strong numbers for a rookie. He was named to Baseball America's 2010 All-Rookie Team.

2011: Battling Injuries

In 2011, Stanton dealt with leg and eye injuries. He hit his first walk-off home run on July 6. This is a home run that wins the game in the final inning. He ended the season with 34 home runs and 87 RBIs. Stanton hit some of the longest home runs in MLB that year. His average home run distance was over 416 feet.

2012: Becoming an All-Star

Stanton with a fan in 2012

On May 21, 2012, Stanton hit another grand slam. This home run traveled 462 feet and was hit very hard. It even knocked out parts of a scoreboard!

Stanton was chosen for the 2012 MLB All-Star Game and the Home Run Derby. However, he had knee surgery and missed both events. On August 17, he hit a huge 494-foot home run at Coors Field. This was the longest home run in MLB since 2009.

Stanton finished 2012 with career highs. He hit 37 home runs and had a .290 batting average. His slugging percentage, which measures power, was the best in MLB.

2013: An Injury-Affected Season

Stanton started the 2013 season with high hopes. But on April 27, he suffered a hamstring injury. He missed about six weeks of the season. Despite the injury, he still hit 24 home runs in 116 games.

On June 17, 2013, Stanton hit his 99th and 100th career home runs. This made him one of the fastest players to reach 100 home runs.

2014: Another All-Star Season

Stanton with the Marlins in 2014

On April 18, Stanton hit a walk-off grand slam to win the game. He also hit what was thought to be the longest home run ever at Marlins Park. He tied the Marlins' franchise record for career home runs.

On September 11, Stanton was hit in the face by a pitch. This caused several facial fractures and dental damage. He had to miss the rest of the 2014 season. In 145 games, he batted .288 with 37 home runs and 105 RBIs. He finished second in the MVP voting.

In November 2014, the Marlins gave Stanton a huge 13-year, $325 million contract. This was the biggest contract in sports history at the time.

2015: All-Star, but Injured Again

On April 16, Stanton hit his 155th career home run. This made him the Marlins' all-time home run leader. He continued to hit very long home runs throughout the season. On June 26, he broke a bone in his left wrist. This injury ended his season early.

He had played only 74 games but hit 27 home runs. His batted balls had the highest average exit velocity in MLB. This means he hit the ball harder than anyone else.

2016: Home Run Derby Champion

Stanton makes a catch during a game against the St. Louis Cardinals in 2016.

On April 26, Stanton hit a three-run home run off star pitcher Clayton Kershaw. This was the first three-run homer Kershaw had allowed in many innings.

Even though he wasn't picked for the All-Star Game, Stanton competed in the Home Run Derby. He won the Derby by hitting 61 total home runs. This set a new record for the most home runs in a single Derby. He hit the 10 longest home runs in the competition. In 2016, he batted .240 with 27 home runs. He also hit the longest home run in MLB that season, a 504-foot blast.

2017: MVP Season

Stanton in 2017 sliding at home plate in the Father’s Day-themed MLB uniforms

In 2017, Stanton was selected for his fourth All-Star Game. He led the National League with 26 home runs at the time. He also took part in the Home Run Derby again.

On August 13, Stanton hit his 250th career home run. He then set a Marlins franchise record by hitting 43 home runs in a season. He also hit home runs in five games in a row.

On August 27, Stanton became the first player since 2013 to hit 50 home runs in one season. He was also the sixth player in MLB history to reach 50 home runs before the end of August. He finished the season with 59 home runs and 132 RBIs. He batted .281. He again hit the ball with the highest exit velocity in MLB.

Before Game 2 of the World Series, Stanton received the Hank Aaron Award. This award is for the best offensive player in the league. On November 16, Stanton was named the National League's Most Valuable Player. He held 10 Marlins records, including most career home runs (267).

After the 2017 season, the Marlins wanted to trade Stanton. He used his no-trade clause to reject deals with the Cardinals and Giants.

Playing for the New York Yankees (2018–present)

On December 11, 2017, the New York Yankees traded for Giancarlo Stanton. He was the second player in MLB history to be traded after hitting 50 home runs in a season.

2018: First Season with the Yankees

Stanton batting in April 2018, his first season with the Yankees

Stanton hit two home runs in his first game with the Yankees on Opening Day 2018. On May 15, he got his 1,000th career hit. On August 30, Stanton hit his 300th career home run. He was the 147th player in MLB history to do so.

In 2018, Stanton played 158 games. He finished with a .266 batting average, 38 home runs, and 100 RBIs. For the fourth year in a row, he hit the ball with the highest exit velocity in MLB.

The Yankees made the playoffs but were eliminated by the Boston Red Sox.

2019: Injuries Limit Play

Stanton with the Yankees in 2019

Stanton spent much of the 2019 season on the injured list. He had a left biceps strain and a knee injury. He only played in 18 games. In those games, he batted .288 with three home runs.

2020: Postseason Power

Stanton started the 2020 season, which was delayed by the COVID-19 pandemic, with the first home run in MLB for the year. He hit it in the Yankees' Opening Day game. He later suffered a hamstring injury and played in only 23 regular season games. He finished with four home runs.

In the playoffs, Stanton was amazing. In Game 1 of the 2020 American League Division Series, he hit a grand slam. He hit six home runs in seven postseason games. Despite his great hitting, the Yankees were eliminated by the Tampa Bay Rays.

2021: A Strong Comeback

Stanton was placed on the injured list in May with a strained quadriceps muscle. He missed 13 games. On July 30, he returned to play in the outfield.

Stanton had a great comeback season in 2021. He batted .273 with 35 home runs and 97 RBIs. In the 2021 American League Wild Card Game, he hit a home run.

2022: All-Star Game MVP

On June 17, Stanton hit his 361st home run. This tied Joe DiMaggio's career record. On July 8, Stanton was chosen to start the 2022 Major League Baseball All-Star Game. It was his fifth All-Star selection and his first with the Yankees. Stanton hit a two-run home run in the game. He was named the All-Star Game MVP.

On September 20, Stanton hit his third career walk-off grand slam. In 2022, he hit 31 home runs and had 78 RBIs. He helped the Yankees reach the ALCS by hitting a three-run home run in Game 5 of the ALDS.

2023: 400th Home Run

On July 15, 2023, Stanton recorded his 1,000th RBI. He hit a three-run home run to reach this milestone. He was the second-fastest player since 2009 to get 1,000 RBIs.

On September 5, Stanton hit his 400th career home run. It was a huge 451-foot blast. He became the 58th MLB player to hit 400 home runs. He was the fourth quickest player to reach this mark. He also became the tenth Yankees player to achieve this feat.

Stanton had a tough season in 2023, with career-low batting numbers.

2024: ALCS MVP

Before the 2024 season, Stanton worked on his hitting and fitness. He also started using a new type of bat. On June 4, 2024, Stanton hit his 150th home run as a Yankee. He injured his left hamstring in June and was placed on the injured list. He returned to play on July 29.

Stanton had a better season in 2024. He batted .233 with 27 home runs and 72 RBIs.

In the ALCS against the Cleveland Guardians, Stanton hit four home runs. He won the LCS MVP Award as the Yankees advanced to the 2024 World Series. Stanton hit two more home runs in the World Series, but the Yankees lost. His seven home runs in the 2024 Postseason tied for the third most all-time in a single postseason. He also became only the second player in MLB history to win an All-Star Game MVP, a League MVP, and a Championship Series MVP. His 18 career postseason home runs with the Yankees tied Mickey Mantle for third most in franchise history.

In 2024, Stanton became the last active player in MLB who had played for the Florida Marlins.

2025: Dealing with Injuries

Stanton started the 2025 season on the injured list. He had severe injuries in both of his elbows. He was activated on June 16 to make his season debut.

Playing for Team USA

Stanton has played for the United States in international competitions. He played in the World Baseball Classic in 2013 and 2017.

In an important game against the Dominican Republic in the 2017 World Baseball Classic, Stanton hit a go-ahead two-run home run. This helped Team USA win a crucial game. The ball was hit very hard and traveled 424 feet. Team USA went on to win the championship against Puerto Rico. This was their first World Baseball Classic title.

Awards and Special Honors

Stanton posing with the 2016 Home Run Derby trophy

Major League Baseball (MLB)

5-time All-Star (2012, 2014, 2015, 2017, 2022)
National League MVP (2017)
American League Championship Series MVP (2024)
All-Star Game MVP (2022)
Home Run Derby champion (2016)
2-time Silver Slugger Award (2014, 2017)
2-time NL Hank Aaron Award (2014, 2017)
2-time National League Home Run Leader (2014, 2017)
National League RBI Leader (2017)
Wilson Defensive Player of the Year Award (2012)
50 Home Run Club member (2017)
8-time National League Player of the Week
1-time American League Player of the Week
3-time National League Player of the Month

International

World Baseball Classic champion (2017)

About His Life Off the Field

Stanton's mother calls him "Cruz," which is one of his middle names. His father and other family members call him "Mike" or "Mikey." When he was a child, he was known as Giancarlo. But in sixth grade, he started using "Mike" because people often mispronounced his name. He was known as "Mike Stanton" through high school and his first two years in MLB.

After a trip to Europe in 2011–12, he decided he preferred to be called Giancarlo again. He made this known before the 2012 season.