Full name is Daniel Bennett Palka. Graduated in 2010 from Greer High School (SC). Attended Georgia Tech, where he was a first-team All-American in 2013 as a junior...Participated in the Home Run Derby at the 2012 College World Series. Played in the Cape Cod League in 2012...Was named MVP of the league’s All-Star Game.
2022
In his Mets organization debut, spent the entire season with Triple-A Syracuse and led the team in HR (26), RBI (79), games (109), runs (68), walks (48) and total bases (200). Among Mets Minor Leaguers, ranked among the top five in HR (T-2nd, 26), RBI (second, 79), SLG (fourth, .506), OPS (fourth, .850), and XBH (T-5th, 44). Made 43 starts at 1B, 37 at DH, 19 in RF and 8 in LF. Had an OPS above .800 against both LHP (.825, eight HR) and RHP (.860, 18 HR). Named International League Player of the Week for 6/12-18 (6 G, .423 AVG, 11-for-26, three HR, four 2B, three BB). Homered in three consecutive games from 4/20-22 and 8/21-24. Reached base in 20 consecutive games from 5/29- 6/19...Hit safely in 19 of those games, including in 12 straight from 6/8-19.
2021
Spent the year in Washington's system...After the season, played for Santurce in the Puerto Rican Winter League and batted .163 (7-43) with five RBI in 11 games.
2020
Was released by the White Sox shortly after the pandemic-shortened season began...Played 51 games in the KBO for Samsung, hitting eight homers and driving in 23 runs.
2019
Spent most of the season with Class AAA Charlotte but also played in 30 games with the White Sox...Made his first career Opening Day roster and started in right field in the season opener on 3/28 at Kansas City...Opened the season on an 0-32 streak from 3/28-4/16, the longest season-opening hitless stretch by a White Sox nonpitcher since at least 1913 (STATS)...Entered on 4/17 vs. Kansas City as a pinch hitter and singled in the seventh inning off Ian Kennedy, his first hit of the season...was optioned to Charlotte following the game...Was recalled from the Knights on 6/28 and appeared in four games before being optioned back to Charlotte on 7/7...Was recalled from Charlotte on 9/3 for the remainder of the season...went 1-3 on 9/12 vs. Kansas City, his second hit of the season...recorded his first multihit effort of the season on 9/20 at Detroit (3-5)...also registered back-to-back multihit games on 9/25-26 vs. Cleveland...hit a pair of home runs on 9/26 vs. Cleveland, his fourth career multihomer effort...Ranked among the Knights leaders in home runs (1st, 27), RBI (2nd, 72), total bases (2nd, 208) and doubles (T3rd, 23)...his 27 homers ranked ninth in the International League...Hit a season-high nine home runs in May...recorded 19 RBI in May and June...homered with five RBI on 5/4 at Norfolk...recorded multihomer games on 5/18 vs. Lehigh Valley and 6/3 vs. Gwinnett...Hit safely in nine consecutive games from 7/24-8/1, going 16-38 (.421) with four doubles, four home runs and 10 RBI.
2018
American League Rookie Leaders: T1st-HR (27); 3rd-RBI (67); 3rd-SLG (.484); 4th-TB (202); T4th-XBH (45) ... Palka Power: His 27 home runs led the White Sox, tied for the major-league lead among rookies and tied Zeke Bonura (1934) for the third-highest total by a rookie in franchise history (most by left-hander) ... Statcast Leaders: Ranked among the MLB statcast leaders in maximum EV (4th, 118.4), hard hit percentage (15th, 49.2), fly ball/line drive EV (12th, 97.4) and average EV (16th, 92.3) … ranked second in the majors behind Aaron Judge with 12 balls hit with an exit velocity of 115-plus mph … his 11 homers with an exit velocity of 111.0-plus mph tied Nelson Cruz for third-most in the majors behind Joey Gallo and Giancarlo Stanton (17 each) ... Coming Through in a Pinch: Led the major leagues with four pinch-hit home runs and tied for the lead with 11 RBI as a pinch-hitter … his four pinch homers set a franchise record, while his 11 RBI tied Lamar Johnson (1977) for the second-highest total by a Sox pinch-hitter since 1974 ... Saving Best for Last: Tied for the major-league lead with six home runs in the ninth inning … the six homers tied Paul Konerko (2005) and Harold Baines (1986) for the most by a Sox player since at least 1974 (STATS LLC) ... Royal Pain: Batted .405/.457/.810 (17-42) with four home runs and 14 RBI in 14 games vs. Kansas City … collected a career-high four hits on 4/28-1 at Kauffman Stadium … matched his career high with three RBI on 4/28-1 and 8/2 in Chicago ... Was recalled by the Sox on 4/24 … made his major-league debut as the designated hitter on 4/25 vs. Seattle, recording his first career RBI on a groundout in the third off Félix Hernández ... Recorded his first major-league hit and home run as part of a four-hit effort on 4/28-1 at Kansas City … singled off Trevor Oaks in the second inning and homered off Burch Smith in the eighth … became just the fifth Sox player to record a four-hit game within his first three career games (last Jim Busby in 1950) ... Went 3-3 with a home run and two RBI on 5/9 vs. Pittsburgh … gave the Sox a 4-3 lead with a two-run triple in the third on 5/19 vs. Texas ... Connected on a game-winning, two-run home run in the sixth as a pinch hitter on 6/3 vs. Milwaukee … it marked the White Sox first pinch homer of the season … extended the White Sox lead with a two-run double in the ninth on 6/10 at Boston ... Recorded his first career multihomer game on 7/3 at Cincinnati … the home runs traveled an estimated 428 and 448 feet per MLB Statcast … his three RBI matched a career high ... Homered in his second straight game on 7/4 at the Reds … collected three hits on 7/13 and 7/15 vs. Kansas City … posted his second multihomer game on 7/26 at the Angels ... Hit a game-winning, pinch-hit, three-run home run in the eighth on 8/3 vs. Toronto … marked his third pinch homer of the season, tying Oscar Gamble (1977), John Romano (1959) and Ron Northey (1956) for the most in a season in club history ... Snapped a 6-6 tie with a game-winning, two-run home run in the top of the ninth on 8/5 at Tampa Bay … marked his first career game-winning homer in the ninth or later … the home run had a 112.4 mph exit velocity and traveled an estimated 439 ft ... Walkoff Wonder: Led off the ninth with a game-ending home run off Neil Ramírez in a 1-0 victory on 8/10 vs. Cleveland … it marked the White Sox first ever walkoff homer in a 1-0 victory, and the second in franchise history in a scoreless game … Don Buford was the first to accomplish the feat when he hit a grand slam off Cleveland's Orlando Peña on 9/14/67 ... Capped the White Sox comeback effort with a game-winning, RBI single in the eighth on 8/24 at Detroit … the Sox trailed 3-0 entering the frame before scoring six times ... Hit his 20th home run on 9/2 vs. Boston … recorded his third multihomer game on 9/16 at Baltimore, including his 23rd of the season to break Pete Ward's franchise rookie record by a left-hander ... Homered in consecutive games on 9/18-19 at Cleveland … connected on his fourth pinch-hit homer on 9/21, setting the franchise single-season record … hit a game-ending, two-run single off Carlos Carrasco on 9/25 vs. Cleveland.
2017
Spent most of the season with Class AAA Rochester but also appeared in six games with the Gulf Coast League Twins ... Combined to hit .274 (96-350) with 13 doubles, three triples, 12 homers, 44 RBI and a .330 on-base percentage in 90 games ... Batted .343/.384/.495 vs. lefties … eight of his 11 home runs came against right-handers … hit a season-high .291 (37-127) with three home runs and 17 RBI over 31 August games ... Recorded multihomer efforts with four RBI on 4/9-2 at Syracuse and 4/16 vs. Syracuse ... Compiled hitting streaks of 12 games (5/16-7/24), 11 games (8/5-16) and 10 games (8/26-9/4) ... Was on the disabled list from 5/29-7/3 (left hand fracture) ... Entered the season rated by Baseball America as the No. 9 Prospect in the Twins system.
2016
Spent first season in Twins organization after being acquired November 10, 2015, in exchange for catcher/outfielder Chris Herrmann...split season between Double-A Chattanooga and Triple-A Rochester...Named Twins minor league Player of the Month for April while at Chattanooga, hitting .338 (27-for-80) with seven doubles, three home runs and 15 RBI...named again in June for Chattanooga, hitting .302 (29-for-96) with 13 home runs and 30 RBI...Named both Southern League Player of the Week and Twins minor league Player of the Week June 12, hitting .345 (10-for-29) with four home runs and 10 RBI...Named MiLB.com Southern League Player of the Month in June, hitting .302 (29-for-96) with three doubles, three triples, 13 home runs, 30 RBI and 13 walks in 26 games...Named Southern League Midseason All-Star and Southern League Postseason All-Star...Ranked fourth in all of minor league baseball in home runs (34) and second in the entire Twins organization (Dozier - 42)...also ranked second in Twins organization in RBI (90)...Combined to hit .254 (128-for-503) with 24 doubles, 34 home runs and 90 RBI in 133 games between Chattanooga and Rochester...Added to Twins 40-man roster November 18...Played 22 games for Leones del Escogido in the Dominican Winter League following the season...Named ninth best prospect in Twins system by Baseball America entering 2017.
2015
Was named a California League All-Star and to Arizona's MiLB.com organizational All-Star team with Class A Visalia ... Was named to the Arizona Fall League All-Prospect team after appearing in 22 games with Salt River.
2014
Spent the entire season with Class A South Bend and was named a Midwest League midseason All-Star ... Was named MWL Player of the Week for 7/21-27, hitting .450 (9-20) with two doubles, two homers and four RBI in six games.
2013
Combined to hit .310 (78-252) with 21 doubles, two triples, nine home runs, 48 RBI and a .908 OPS in his professional debut season between Rookie Missoula and Class A Hillsboro ... Was named a Pioneer League All-Star with Missoula ... Named PL POW for 7/22-28 after hitting .579 (11-19) with three homers and seven RBI in five games.
