Xavier Paul facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Xavier Paul |
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Paul with the Pittsburgh Pirates in 2011
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| Outfielder | |||
| Born: February 25, 1985 Slidell, Louisiana, U.S. |
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| debut | |||
| May 7, 2009, for the Los Angeles Dodgers | |||
| Last appearance | |||
| August 29, 2014, for the Arizona Diamondbacks | |||
| MLB statistics | |||
| Batting average | .250 | ||
| Home runs | 12 | ||
| Runs batted in | 71 | ||
| Teams | |||
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Xavier Brooks Paul Jr. (born February 25, 1985) is an American former professional baseball player. He was an outfielder who played in Major League Baseball (MLB) for several teams. These teams included the Los Angeles Dodgers, Pittsburgh Pirates, Cincinnati Reds, and Arizona Diamondbacks.
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Early Life and High School Baseball
Xavier Paul grew up in Slidell, Louisiana. He was a talented baseball player from a young age. In 2003, while attending Slidell High School, he was recognized as one of the best high school players in the country.
He had an impressive batting average of .391. He also hit nine home runs and stole 18 bases that year. Paul played for Team USA at the 2003 Pan American Games. He hit .444 during that tournament. He was also part of the 2001 Junior National Team that won a gold medal at the World Championships. In 2003, he was named "Mr. Baseball" for the state of Louisiana.
Xavier Paul's Professional Baseball Journey
Xavier Paul began his professional baseball career after high school. He was chosen by the Los Angeles Dodgers in the fourth round of the 2003 Major League Baseball draft. This was a big step towards playing in the major leagues.
Starting with the Los Angeles Dodgers
Paul started playing professionally with the Ogden Raptors. He quickly showed his skills, hitting .307 in his first 69 games. In 2004, baseball experts noted his strong outfield arm. They also saw him as one of the Dodgers' top young players. He played for the Single-A Columbus Catfish, hitting .262 with nine home runs.
From 2005 to 2006, Paul played for the High-A Vero Beach Dodgers. He was considered the best defensive outfielder at the Single-A level. In 2007, he moved up to the Double-A Jacksonville Suns. He continued to perform well, hitting .291 with 11 home runs. He was even selected for the Southern League All-Star Team.
Paul was promoted to the Triple-A Las Vegas 51s in 2008. He hit .316 with nine home runs and 17 stolen bases. This strong performance led to him being added to the Dodgers' 40 man roster.
Major League Debut with the Dodgers
Xavier Paul started the 2009 season with the Triple-A Albuquerque Isotopes. On May 7, 2009, he was called up to the Major League Baseball team, the Los Angeles Dodgers. He made his MLB debut that same day. His first major league hit came three days later against the San Francisco Giants. He hit his first home run on May 15 against the Florida Marlins.
Unfortunately, Paul faced some injuries that year. He had a staph infection and later an ankle injury. These injuries kept him from playing for most of the rest of the season.
In 2010, Paul played in 44 games for the Dodgers. He hit .231 during this time. He also played 57 games with the Isotopes, hitting .325. He started the 2011 season with the Dodgers but was later moved from the team on April 18, 2011.
Playing for the Pittsburgh Pirates
On April 26, 2011, the Pittsburgh Pirates picked up Xavier Paul. With the Pirates, he played in 121 games. He hit .254 and stole 16 bases. He was released by the Pirates organization in November 2011.
Time with the Washington Nationals
Paul signed a minor league contract with the Washington Nationals in December 2011. He played 60 games for the Triple-A Syracuse Chiefs. He had a strong batting average of .315 with eight home runs. The Nationals released him in July 2012.
Joining the Cincinnati Reds
On July 7, 2012, Paul signed with the Cincinnati Reds. He was assigned to their Triple-A team, the Louisville Bats. Just 11 days later, the Reds added him to their main roster. In 55 games for Cincinnati, he hit .314 with two home runs.
Paul played 97 games for the Reds in 2013. He hit .244 with seven home runs and 32 RBI. In December 2013, the Reds decided not to offer him a new contract, making him a free agent.
Brief Stays with Other Teams
Paul signed a minor league contract with the Baltimore Orioles in December 2013. He played 81 games for their Triple-A team, the Norfolk Tides. He hit .254 with 12 home runs. The Orioles released him in August 2014.
A few days later, on August 7, 2014, Paul signed with the Arizona Diamondbacks. He played for their Triple-A team, the Reno Aces, and then joined the Diamondbacks' main roster. He played 14 games for Arizona, getting two hits in 20 tries. He was released by the Diamondbacks on August 29.
Paul also signed minor league contracts with the Philadelphia Phillies in November 2014 and the Texas Rangers in July 2017. He played briefly for the Delfines del Carmen in the Mexican League in 2016 and the Southern Maryland Blue Crabs in the Atlantic League of Professional Baseball in 2018.
Coaching Career
After his playing career, Xavier Paul moved into coaching. On November 20, 2024, Xavier University of Louisiana hired Paul to be their head baseball coach.
