Graduated from Patriot High School in Riverside, CA, where as a senior he was named Gatorade National Player of the Year (30g, .543, 13hr, 43rbi)...while playing for Team USA earned a gold medal with the 16-under team in 2006 and a bronze medal with the 18-under team in 2008.
2015
Spent most of the season at Class AA Pensacola, where he helped the Blue Wahoos to the Southern League playoffs...was on the Reds' roster twice but did not play (4/13-4/16, 7/27-7/29)...from 4/13-4/16 was on the roster in Chicago while C Devin Mesoraco remained in Cincinnati for treatment on his left hip, but he did not appear in a game for the Reds before he was optioned to Class AAA Louisville when C Tucker Barnhart was recalled...made 9 apps for the Bats before he returned to Pensacola on 5/7...on 7/27 was recalled to take the roster spot vacated by RHP Johnny Cueto, who was traded to the Royals for LHP Brandon Finnegan, LHP John Lamb and LHP Cody Reed...on 7/30, when LHP David Holmberg was promoted to take Cueto's spot in the rotation, returned to Pensacola without playing for the Reds...from 5/31-6/24 was on Pensacola's disabled list with a sprained left ankle...from 7/10-7/16 homered in 5 consecutive games (5hr, 8rbi), 1 shy of Derrek Lee's Pensacola club record, and from 7/10-7/19 homered in 6 of his 7 apps...went to Major League spring training camp as a non-roster invitee and made 19 exhibition apps, including 1 start (.240, 1hr, 5rbi).
2013
Was called up from Triple-A New Orleans on April 5 and made Major League debut as a pinch hitter on April 10 vs. Atlanta (0x1)...Appeared in three games (0x2, BB) before being sent back to NOLA on April 16; recalled again on May 5 and struck out as pinch hitter on May 11 in only appearance before being sent back to Zephyrs on May 12 for remainder of season...All four appearances for Marlins were as a pinch hitter...For NOLA, was 3x5 as a pinch hitter, with two doubles, a home run and four RBI...Best month of season was August, when he batted .261 (12x46) in 17 games, with three doubles, a triple, three home runs and six RBI...Was highest monthly average of season...Ten of his 11 home runs came off of right-handed pitchers...Had two-homer game on July 26 at Albuquerque (2x4, 2 RBI)...Was 2x6 with bases loaded, with a home run and seven RBI; grand slam came on June 19 vs. Oklahoma City, setting season high with four RBI.
2012
Earned Southern League midseason All-Star honors for Double-A Jacksonville, batting .221 (44-for-199) with six home runs and 29 RBI in 56 games in first half...In 60 second half games, batted .213 (47-for-221) but hit 15 home runs and drove in 34 runs...Homered in three straight games from July 16-19, including a two-homer game on July 17 at Pensacola; batted .462 (6-for-13) over that span, with seven RBI...Three straight games with homers were on back end of a six-game hitting streak, from July 12-19; batted .409 (9-for-22) during streak. Tied for longest hitting streak of season (also, April 14-20).
2011
Had pair of seven-game hitting streaks for Jacksonville, his high mark for season. First
was from June 6-13, during which he batted .393 (11x28) and had three multi-hit
games, a home run and seven RBI. Second was from July 5-14, when he batted .276
(8x29) with a home run and an RBI...Closed out season with a six-game hitting streak, batting .292 (7x24)...Had season-high four RBI on August 20 vs. Mobile, including a three-run homer...Batted .283 (15x53) with two doubles, two home runs and eight RBI in 16 games for Surprise in Arizona Fall League.
2010
Spent his third professional season at single-A Greensboro, setting career highs in every category
and earning South Atlantic League All-Star honors. At the conclusion of the single-A season
was promoted to double-A Jacksonville where he saw action in two games. Went hitless in seven at-bats with the Suns ... Among Marlins' minor leaguers, led the organization in strikeouts with 135 ... Ranked second on the team in RBI (59), third in hits (99), tied for third in home runs (17), fourth in games (107) and tied for fifth in
runs scored (55) ... Hit first home run of the year on April 15 vs. Delmarva, ending the day 1x4 with two RBI ... Homered in back-to-back games on April 21 and April 22 at Delmarva. Again homered in consecutive games on July 15 and July
16 vs. Asheville ... Posted a season-long 14-game hit streak from May 5-22. Hit .415 (22x53) with four doubles, one triple, four home runs and 13 RBI
over the streak. Seven of his 14 games with a hit were multi-hit efforts, while driving in two runs four times ... Had best offensive month in May, posting a .298 average (28x94) withfive doubles, one triple, six home runs and 21 RBI ... Missed 18 days due to right hand contusion. Placed on the Disabled List on July 29 and was reinstated on August 16 ... When the bases were empty, had a batting average of .201 (42x209). With runners on, his average jumped to .303 (57x188). Even
more, held a .317 average (32x101) with runners in scoring position ... Following the season, played with the Phoenix Desert Dogs in the Arizona Fall League. Hit .267 (16x60) with four doubles, three home
runs and 12 RBI in 15 games.
2009
Appeared in only 70 games for Greensboro in 2009, missing considerable time with several injuries. First placed on DL on June 30
with a chest contusion and was reinstated on July 9. Saw DL time again from August 7-September 25 with a right elbow strain.