First name is pronounced X-Zavier…In 2007 was a Southern League Mid-Season All-Star…From 2004-2007 his throwing arm was rated the best in the Dodgers' organization…In 2000 and 2001 helped lead Team USA's 16-under team to a 15-0 record in the Pan-American Championships…His teammates included James Loney, Jarrod Saltalamacchia and Delmon Young…Played shortstop at Slidell (LA) High School…As a senior in 2003 was named to Baseball America's High School All-America Second Team (.391, 9HR, 17RBI, 18SB)…Signed a letter of intent to play for Tulane before he was drafted by the Dodgers…His older brother, Matt, played for 2 seasons (2004-2005) in the Dodgers' minor league system…Matt then went on to become the Dodgers' amateur scout in the Louisiana, Mississippi and Alabama regions.
2013
Made 49 starts in LF and led CIN with 4 starts at DH...Had three outfield assists...Led Reds PH in hits (9, tied with Jack Hannahan & Derrick Robinson), HR (3) and RBI (9)...On April 5 vs. WAS (off Henry Rodriguez) became the first Red to hit a PH grand slam since Drew Sutton (May 28, 2010 vs. HOU)...In the 1-0 loss on April 26 @WAS, produced the Reds' only hit, a single off Jordan Zimmermann leading off the third inning...Hit his other PH HR, May 12 vs. MIL (solo off Mike Fiers) and August 11 vs. SD (2-run off Ian Kennedy, game-tying)...Was on the Wild Card playoff roster but did not appear in the 6-2 loss @PIT...On December 2 was non-tendered by CIN, becoming a free agent.
2012
Joined the Reds on 7/18, after RHP Todd Redmond returned to Louisville following a 1-day
stint in which he started the nightcap of a day/night doubleheader ... spent the rest of the season in Cin...made
55 apps and 13 starts ... in his last 23 apps of the season hit .350 (14-40, 3 2b, 1hr, 2rbi) ... as a pinch hitter
went 12-for-36 (.333, 1hr, 2rbi) ... pinch hit in the ninth inning of the dramatic 4-3 win on 9/30 at Pit and tied the
game at 3-3 with a solo HR off Joel Hanrahan...was his second career pinch-hit HR ... in the 5-4 walkoff win on
8/19 vs Chi, led off the ninth inning with a pinch-hit triple and scored on Hanigan's single ... was recalled from
Louisville on 7/18 ... went to spring training as a non-roster invitee with the Nationals and began the season
at Syracuse ... on 7/3 was released by Wsh and on 7/12 was signed by the Reds to a contract at Louisville ...
hit safely in all 6g for the Bats and in his last appearance there produced 4 hits ... in 66 apps at Syracuse and
Louisville combined to hit .332 ... during the Division Series vs SF pinch hit in Games 1, 3 and 5.
2011
Began the season with the Dodgers...was designated for assignment (April 18) by LAD and subsequently claimed off waivers by PIT on April 26...hit
.282 in 39 starts with the Pirates (20 in RF, 15 in FL, 4 in CF)...struggled in the pinch (4-for-43)...batted .206 at PNC Park and .294 anywhere else...
hit leadoff with PIT for the first time on June 2 at NYM and finished 4-for-5 with a triple, one RBI, 2 stolen bases and 3 runs scored...on Aug. 15 vs.
STL, hit first career first-inning leadoff homer off Jake Westbrook.
2010
Began season with Triple-A Albuquerque...Also had three separate stints with the Dodgers, where he had three outfield
assists (tied for second on the club)...Hit .331 (51-for-154) against righthanders and .311 (23-for-74) against southpaws while playing
with the Isotopes...Was recalled for the first time on 4/23...Went hitless in five at bats while making season debut with Dodgers
on 4/24 at Washington, but then hit safely in each of his next four games...Recorded first career stolen base on 4/30 vs. Pittsburgh.
...Was optioned back to Albuquerque on 5/7 before being recalled a second time on 5/18...Hit .310 (13-for-42) in 16 games for the
Dodgers during the month of May...Was optioned to Albuquerque again on 5/31...Was recalled a third time on 7/3...Went 2-for-17
in his first six games after being recalled before hitting safely in five straight games from 7/9-17...Recorded a career-high three hits
on 7/20 vs. San Francisco before going 1-for-20 from 7/24 to 8/2...Was optioned back to Albuquerque on 8/4...Was placed on the
disabled list on 8/23 (retro to 8/22) with a neck strain and missed remainder of the season.
2009
Began season with Albuquerque...Hit .408 (31-for-76) with eight doubles, two home runs and 14 RBI in 20 games during
the month of April...Was recalled by the Dodgers on 5/7 after Manny Ramirez was placed on the suspended list...Made Major
League debut on 5/7 vs. Washington; grounded into a double play as a pinch hitter...Recorded first career hit with a pinch-hit single
off San Francisco's Jeremy Affeldt on 5/10 vs. San Francisco...Connected off Chris Volstad in Miami on 5/15 for first big league home
run; a pinch-hit solo shot....Was placed on the disabled list on 5/22 (retro to 5/21) with a skin infection...Injured his left ankle during
rehab and was transferred to the 60-day disabled list on 7/27 for the remainder of the season.
2008
Spent entire season with Triple-A Las Vegas...Ranked second on the team in stolen bases and third in runs scored and
hits...Hit .336 (43-for-128) with runners in scoring position and .347 (52-for-150) following the All-Star break...Hit .370 (37-for-100)
in 27 games during the months of August and September...Played for Aguilas de Mexicali in the Mexican Winter League and hit .293
(48-for-164) with seven home runs, 18 RBI, a .397 on-base percentage and a .482 slugging percentage.
2007
Was named to the Southern League mid-season All-Star team while spending entire season with Double-A Jacksonville...Hit
.386 (17-for-44) with three home runs, 10 runs scored and 12 RBI during 11-game hitting streak from 4/20 to 5/1...Batted .439
(25-for-57) during a 13-game hitting streak from 6/25 to 7/12...Played in 27 games for the Peoria Saguaros of the Arizona Fall
League and hit .248 with eight RBI and eight runs scored.
2006
Spent entire season with Single-A Vero Beach...Was ranked by Baseball America as the 26th-best prospect in the Dodgers
minor league system...Batted .442 (19-for-43) during a 10-game hitting streak from 6/14-26...Hit at a .324 clip (35-for-108) with
four home runs and 14 RBI in 25 games during the month of May...Recorded 12 outfield assists.
2005
Was rated by Baseball America as having the "Best Outfield Arm" among Dodgers farmhands...Spent entire season with
Single-A Vero Beach...Recorded eight outfield assists in 56 games in the outfield.
2004
Was rated by Baseball America as having the "Best Outfield Arm" in the Dodgers minor league system in just his second
professional season...Was named the Dodgers' Minor League Player-of-the-Month for April after batting .361 with three home
runs, two triples, four doubles, 13 runs scored and 20 RBI in 21 games...Closed out the month of April with a 15-game hitting streak;
hit .448 (26-for-58) during the streak.
2003
Spent first professional season with Ogden after being selected by the Dodgers in the fourth round of the 2003 First-Year
Player Draft...Ranked first among all Dodgers short season minor leaguers in hits, home runs and runs scored...Was named the
Dodgers' Minor League Player-of-the-Month in August after hitting .337 (33-for-98) with six doubles, two triples, four homers, 17 RBI
and 28 runs scored in 27 games.