Career Timeline of Matt Carpenter (baseball): Major Achievements and Milestones

From career breakthroughs to professional milestones, explore how Matt Carpenter (baseball) made an impact.

Matt Carpenter is a former professional baseball infielder who played 14 seasons in MLB, predominantly with the St. Louis Cardinals. A left-handed hitter and right-handed thrower, he is known for his versatility and ability to play multiple infield positions. Carpenter stands 6'3" and weighs 205 pounds.

Sections (4)

Full Timeline Early Life & Education Career & Achievements Success & Recognition

2009: Drafted by St. Louis Cardinals

In 2009, Matt Carpenter was selected by the St. Louis Cardinals in the 13th round of the Major League Baseball draft and settled for a $1,000 bonus due to his advanced age.

2010: Garnering Attention

After his performance in 2010, Matt Carpenter started to garner attention and was expected to compete for one of the MLB Cardinals final roster openings the next spring training.

2010: Returns to Palm Beach

In 2010, Matt Carpenter returned to Palm Beach and hit .283 over 28 games with 26 walks.

June 4, 2011: Major League Debut

On June 4, 2011, Matt Carpenter made his major league debut, starting at third base and batting seventh.

2011: Opportunity to Make the Major League Club

After the 2011 season, the departures of Albert Pujols and Nick Punto along with an injury to Allen Craig opened up an opportunity for Carpenter to make the major league club.

2011: Minor League Assignment with Memphis Redbirds

Despite a strong spring training, in 2011 Matt Carpenter started the season in the minor leagues with the Triple-A Memphis Redbirds of the Pacific Coast League (PCL).

October 17, 2012: First Postseason Home Run

On October 17, 2012, Matt Carpenter hit his first career postseason home run during Game 3 of the National League Championship Series (NLCS) against the San Francisco Giants. He hit a two-run home run with two outs in the bottom of the third inning.

2012: Backup and Spot Starter

In 2012, Matt Carpenter served as a backup and spot starter, working at first base and in the outfield to increase his versatility during spring training.

2012: Innings at Second Base

In 2012, Matt Carpenter totaled just 18 total innings at second base since the Cardinals drafted him after his major league call-up.

2013: Major League Leadoff Hitter

From 2013 through May 2016, Matt Carpenter led all major league leadoff hitters in hits, runs, home runs and RBI.

2013: Starting Second Baseman

Prior to 2013, The Cardinals advised Matt Carpenter to work out at second base in the off-season. After his tryout in spring training, he made the team as the starting second baseman.

2013: Became a Regular Player

Since 2013, Carpenter became a regular player for the Cardinals, playing considerable time at first base, second base, and third base.

March 6, 2014: Contract Extension

On March 6, 2014, Matt Carpenter signed a six-year, $52 million contract extension with the Cardinals, running through 2019, including an option for 2020.

2014: Move to Third Base

In 2014, Matt Carpenter moved back to third base due to Kolten Wong being viewed as major league-ready, and continued as the Cardinals' leadoff hitter.

2014: 2014 Season Performance

In the 2014 season, Matt Carpenter batted .271 with a .375 OBP, .375 SLG, 33 doubles, eight home runs, 59 RBIs, 99 runs scored and 95 walks in 158 games. He finished third in the NL in runs scored and eighth in OBP, and led the league in walks.

2015: Game-Winning Home Run

In 2015, Matt Carpenter's first home run of the season was a game-winner, occurring in the 11th inning of the April 12 contest against Cincinnati, deciding a 7–5 margin.

May 7, 2016: First Career Walk-Off Home Run

On May 7, 2016, Matt Carpenter hit his first career walk-off home run in a 6–4 win over Pittsburgh.

May 2016: Career-High Six RBI Game

In May 2016, Matt Carpenter established a new career-high with six RBI in a game at Busch Stadium against the Colorado Rockies, with two doubles and his ninth home run of the season.

2017: 2017 Season Performance

During the 2017 season, Matt Carpenter walked a career-high 109 times, ranking second in the NL, and had the lowest ground ball percentage among major league hitters (26.9%). Over 145 games in 2017, he batted .241/.384/.451 with 23 home runs and 69 RBIs.

2017: Hurricane Harvey Donation Pledge

In 2017, following Hurricane Harvey, Matt Carpenter pledged to donate $10,000 to the flooding victims for every home run he hit the remainder of the season.

2017: Cardinals' Primary First Baseman

In 2017, the Cardinals designated Carpenter as their primary first baseman.

2017: Leadoff Hitter Performance

In 2017, while batting leadoff, Carpenter had a .418 OBP. Through 2017, with 2,191 career plate appearances as a leadoff hitter, he slashed .291/.391/.487 with a WRC+ of 142. However, his performance declined when used in other batting order positions.

July 31, 2018: Breaking Leadoff Home Run Record and Player of the Month

On July 31, 2018, Matt Carpenter hit his 22nd career leadoff home run, breaking Lou Brock's franchise record for most career leadoff home runs. Carpenter also won his first career Player of the Month Award for July.

2018: Home Run Milestone and All-Star Nomination

In 2018, Matt Carpenter experienced a slump early in the season, but hit a walk-off home run on April 10. He also hit his 100th career home run on May 1. Carpenter was nominated as a finalist for the NL Final Vote to play in the All-Star Game.

2018: 2018 Season Statistics

Matt Carpenter finished the 2018 season batting .257 with 36 home runs and 81 RBI in 156 games. In 2018 he had the highest percentage of hard-hit batted balls in the majors (49.0%), and he did not ground into a double play throughout the entire season.

April 10, 2019: Contract Extension with the Cardinals

On April 10, 2019, Matt Carpenter signed a two-year, $39 million contract extension to remain with the Cardinals, including a vesting option for 2022.

2019: Contract Extension Through 2019

On March 6, 2014, Matt Carpenter signed a six-year, $52 million contract extension with the Cardinals, running through 2019.

2020: Option for 2020

On March 6, 2014, Matt Carpenter signed a six-year, $52 million contract extension with the Cardinals, including an option for 2020 worth $18.5 million.

May 15, 2021: First Pitching Appearance

On May 15, 2021, Matt Carpenter made his first career pitching appearance in the bottom of the 7th inning against the San Diego Padres. He allowed an RBI single to Austin Nola before ending the inning.

March 18, 2022: Signs with Texas Rangers

On March 18, 2022, Matt Carpenter signed a minor-league contract with the Texas Rangers with an invitation to major-league spring training.

May 19, 2022: Release from the Rangers

On May 19, 2022, the Texas Rangers released Matt Carpenter after he batted .275 with six home runs over 21 games.

May 26, 2022: Signed by the New York Yankees

On May 26, 2022, Matt Carpenter signed a major-league contract with the New York Yankees.

December 20, 2022: Signs with San Diego Padres

On December 20, 2022, Matt Carpenter signed a one-year, $6.5 million contract with the San Diego Padres that included a $5 million player option for a second year.

2022: Free Agency

Following the 2021 season's end, the Cardinals declined Matt Carpenter's option for the 2022 season, making him a free agent for the first time in his career.

2022: Vesting Option for 2022

Matt Carpenter's two-year contract extension signed in April 2019 included a vesting option for 2022 worth $18.5 million if he reached 1,100 plate appearances in 2019-20.

December 15, 2023: Traded to Atlanta Braves

On December 15, 2023, the San Diego Padres traded Matt Carpenter and Ray Kerr with cash considerations to the Atlanta Braves in exchange for Drew Campbell.