Elijah Dukes #34

Elijah David Dukes...graduated from Hillsborough (FL) High in Tampa, FL, the same school attended by major leaguers Carl Everett, Gary Sheffield, Mike Heath, Jason Romano, Vance Lovelace, Floyd Youmans, Dwight Gooden and Nationals prospect Michael Burgess...tossed a no-hitter while attending Jefferson (FL) High prior to transferring to Hillsborough... in 2002, was cited by USA Today as the nation's best 2-sport athlete...offered a scholarship to play linebacker at North Carolina State University...also played basketball while in high school...is double-jointed.

2009

In 3rd big league campaign, registered career highs with 91 hits, 20 doubles, 4 triples, 58 RBI and 107 games played... finished strong, batting .292 with 5 doubles, 2 triples, one homer, 12 RBI, a .432 on-base percentage and a .406 slugging percentage in 32 games beginning August 26...launched first career grand slam off Aaron Heilman, August 25 at CHI...12 outfield assists ranked 4th in NL, 7th in MLB...went on DL with left hamstring injury, May 18-June 2...from August 6-7, posted at least one RBI in 6 consecutive plate appearances...became the first big leaguer to do this since ATL's Jeff Francoeur turned the trick, April 23-24, 2007.
Game-By-Game Highlights: Hit just the 2nd homer in Nationals history ('05-present) to come on a 3-0 count (first hit by Jose Guillen, July 3, 2006 vs. FLA) in an 8-2 win on April 16 vs. PHI...broke 1-1 tie with game-winning RBI single in 6th inning of 4-1 win on April 29 at PHI...helped Washington overcome an early 6-0 deficit with 3 hits, including a game-tying 7th-inning solo blast, and 4 RBI in a 12-8 come-from-behind win, August 6 vs. FLA...en route to careerbest 5-RBI effort in 15-6 win on August 25 at CHI, blasted first career grand slam off Aaron Heilman in the 5th inning... reached base safely in 22 straight games, Aug. 25-Sept. 22.
In Minor Leagues: Played in 20 games with Triple-A Syracuse from July 1-Aug. 1...made 2-game rehab stint with Double-A Harrisburg, May 30-31, while on big-league DL with left hamstring injury (May 18-June 2).

2008

Became force in the Nationals' lineup with flare for late-inning dramatics, matching Jesus Flores for club lead with 7 game-winning RBI, five of which came in Washington's final at-bat...established career highs across the board despite missing 72 games to injuries...endured 3 stints on the DL (right hamstring, right knee, right calf)...had right knee scoped by Dr. Koko Eaton in Tampa, FL on July 9...led Nationals regulars with .386 OBP and .478 slugging percentage...hit .293 with 13 homers and 42 RBI in 59 games beginning June 5...at .959, ranked 4th in NL in OPS (OBP+SLG) from June 5 through season's end among those with at least 265 plate appearances (trailed only STL's Albert Pujols-1.109, PIT's Adam LaRoche-.974 and FLA's Hanley Ramirez-.968)...tied Willie Harris for club lead with 50 walks despite playing in 59 fewer games...team-best 6.7 plate appearances-per-walk ratio ranked 6th in the NL (min. 300 PA)...12 of 13 homers came in 44-game stretch from June 20 through season's end...team-best 9 outfield assists ranked 11th in the NL.

Game-By-Game Highlights: Erased 9-8 deficit with game-ending two-run shot off Ryan Franklin in bottom of 10th in nightcap of June 5 twinbill vs. STL...became just 2nd Washington National to record 5 hits in a game in 14-inning, 4-3 win vs. TEX, June 20...after tying game with solo shot in the 8th, sent Nationals Park faithful home happy in the 14th with an RBI single...became the first player in the nearly 40-year history of the franchise to notch five safeties, including the game-ending hit, in the same contest...hit 2 homers, including game-winning 3-run shot, in an 11-2 win, August 28 vs. LAD...took game-ending walk to force in winning run in 10-inning 9-8 victory, August 30 vs. ATL...went 4-for-5 with 2 homers and 3 RBI in 10-inning 8-5 win, September 6 at ATL...hit 2 homers-a game-tying two-run shot and a 3-run blast-in a single game for the first time and tallied 5 RBI in a 13-10 setback, September 10 at NYM.

In minor leagues: Played in 25 minor league games during 3 rehab assignments, batting a combined .203 with 4 doubles, a triple, a home run, 7 RBI and 2 stolen bases.

2007

In MLB debut season, joined KCR slugger Alex Gordon (23) as one of just two AL true rookies to hit 10 or more home runs in 2007...hit .190 with 10 homers and 21 RBI in 52 games...started 47 games (37 in CF, one in LF, 9 as DH)...was optioned to minor leagues on June 22 and was placed on the temporary inactive list...at the time, was tied with CIN's Josh Hamilton for most home runs among big league rookies (was also pacing all rookies with 33 walks)...blasted club-rookie record 7 home runs in May...led MLB rookies with 9 extra-base hits and 15 RBI in May...hit 2 first-inning lead-off homers: May 16 vs. TEX (at Disney) and May 19 vs. FLA...was member of TBR's Opening Day lineup...as starting CF, went 1-for-3 with a homer and one RBI...initial big league long ball came in 2nd plate appearance, first at-bat, off Carl Pavano...was TBR's 2nd player to homer in a first big league at-bat (Esteban Yan in 2000) and the 3rd Devil Ray to do so in an MLB debut (Brent Abernathy in 2001 and Delmon Young in 2006)...upon going deep on April 5 at NYY, became the 14th player to homer in each of first 2 big league games (the first at the expense of NYY).

2006

Batted .293 with 15 doubles, 10 home runs and 50 RBI in 80 games for the Durham Bulls, his first action at the Triple-A level...Over a third of total hits (83) went for extra bases (30 - 15 doubles, 5 triples and 10 home runs)...Was suspended by the Rays organization for the final 30 games of the season for several on-and off-the-field incidents occurring over the year...Leading the Bulls in triples (5) and on-base percentage (.401) at the time of his suspension...Named the organization's best athlete, rated the sixth-best prospect in the Rays system and the 11th-best prospect in the International League by Baseball America...Appeared in eight games with the Phoenix Desert Dogs of the Arizona Fall League...batted .313 with four doubles, two home runs and eight RBI...both home runs were game-winning shots that came in extra-innings...ranked by Baseball America as the sixth best prospect in the AFL...His AFL season was cut short due to irritation in his left knee...he underwent surgery performed by Rays orthopedic surgeon Dr. Koco Eaton to "clean up" the knee...Named the 2006 Al Lopez Award recipient as the Rays top rookie in Major League Spring Training...in his first big-league camp, he batted .400 (8-for-20) in 14 games with a double, triple, home run, six RBI and two stolen bases.

2005

Batted .287 with a career-high 128 hits, five triples, 18 home runs and 73 RBI at Double-A Montgomery in 2005...had 18 career HR entering the season...Started hot earning Rays minor league player of the month honors for April...batted .342 with six doubles, a pair of triples, 4 home runs, 15 RBI and six stolen bases...Connected for a grand slam June 19 at Jacksonville (LAD) off Chad Billingsley...was Montgomery's first of two grand slams in the frame (also Delmon Young)...Biscuits would score a franchise-high 20 runs in the contest...Homered July 17 against Jacksonville starter and now current teammate Edwin Jackson...Biscuits would lose 9-4...Drew a club-record 4 walks Aug 12 at Mobile (SD)...also had two hits reaching base a total of 6 times in the game, tying a Biscuits record...Played in a career-high 120 games appearing in CF (80), LF (25), RF (1) and DH (14)...Lowered his strikeout total for the third straight season...Named the Rays' 5th best prospect by Baseball America.

2004

Opened the 2004 season with single-A Charleston by hitting safely in his first 9 games...Promoted to Single-A Bakersfield of the California League on July 1...Batted .332 with the Blaze hitting safely in 48 of 58 games played and reaching base in all but 5 contests...Scored 44 runs and drove in 34 including a streak of seven straight games with a RBI Aug 8-Sept 4...Collected a combined 30 stolen bases, tied for 3rd most in the organization...Named the sixth-best prospect in the organization by Baseball America.

2003

Opened his professional career in 2003 with the Charleston RiverDogs...Stole a team-high 33 bases, third-most in the organization...Connected for his first professional home run May 31 against Savannah, a 2-run, 'walk-off' homer...Collected his first career multi-homer game July 16 with a pair of HR against Hickory...Was one of only eight SAL players with 130-plus strikeouts on the year...Named Best Defensive Outfielder in the organization by Baseball America.