Paul DeJong Stats
- Height / Weight
- 6' 0" / 205 lbs.
- Date of Birth (Age)
- 8/2/1993 (30)
- Experience
- 7
- College
- Illinois State
Paul DeJong Season Stats
Last 10 Games
Paul DeJong News
Chicago White Sox shortstop Paul DeJong slugged his third homer of the spring as part of a 3-2 win over the Chicago Cubs in Cactus League action on Friday. Signed to a one-year deal by the White Sox this offseason, DeJong is up to a .297 average with 13 RBI and a stolen base to go along with his three homers, producing a .928 OPS in the process. While the strong spring numbers are encouraging, DeJong has fallen off a cliff at the plate in recent seasons. Last season, he hit just .207 with 14 home runs and four stolen bases across 112 games between the Cardinals, Blue Jays, and Giants a season ago. He should begin the season as the club's everyday shortstop but prospect Colson Montgomery should take over at some point this season.
Free-agent infielder Paul DeJong agreed to an undisclosed one-year deal with the Chicago White Sox on Tuesday, pending a physical, according to a source. The rebuilding White Sox are taking a cheap flier on a former All-Star. The 30-year-old right-handed-hitting DeJong made the National League All-Star team in 2019 with the St. Louis Cardinals, when he hit .233/.318/.444 with a career-high 30 home runs, 78 RBI and nine stolen bases in 159 games. He hasn't even reached the 20-homer mark since then. In 112 contests with the St. Louis Cardinals, Toronto Blue Jays and San Francisco Giants in 2023, he went 77-for-372 (.207) with 14 homers, 38 RBI, 13 doubles, four stolen bases and 41 runs scored in 400 plate appearances. DeJong can provide a bit of pop but will certainly be a batting-average drain as a middle infield platoon option in deep-mixed and AL-only fantasy leagues.
The San Francisco Giants placed shortstop Paul DeJong on unconditional release waivers on Thursday and recalled infielders Marco Luciano and Tyler Fitzgerald from Triple-A Sacramento in corresponding moves. Brandon Crawford (hamstring) also went on the 10-day injured list and won't return this year, so expect Luciano and Fitzgerald to split time at the 6 for the Gigantes the rest of the way. The 30-year-old DeJong spent time with the Giants, St. Louis Cardinals and Toronto Blue Jays in 2023, but he wasn't good in any of those stops, hitting a combined .226 (74-for-328) with 14 home runs, 37 RBI, four steals and 41 runs scored in 112 games. In just 18 games in San Francisco, he went 9-for-49 (.184) with a homer, five RBI and two runs scored.
Batting Order
1 | Nicky Lopez |
2 | Tommy Pham |
3 | Robbie Grossman |
4 | Eloy Jiménez |
5 | Andrew Vaughn |
6 | Andrew Benintendi |
7 | Danny Mendick |
8 | Paul DeJong |
9 | Martín Maldonado |
Paul DeJong Stats
Last 10 Games
Batting Order
1 | Nicky Lopez |
2 | Tommy Pham |
3 | Robbie Grossman |
4 | Eloy Jiménez |
5 | Andrew Vaughn |
6 | Andrew Benintendi |
7 | Danny Mendick |
8 | Paul DeJong |
9 | Martín Maldonado |
The shortstop position in fantasy is more stacked than ever, but if you don't draft one of the top options early, St. Louis Cardinals shortstopPaul DeJong could be a great target in the later rounds. DeJong only played in 45 games in 2020 after missing time due to a positive COVID-19 diagnosis and managed to hit just three homers. DeJong's .250 batting average in 2020 was an improvement over the previous two seasons -- .241 in 2018 and .233 in 2019 -- but it was inflated by a .340 BABIP. While DeJong had a career-high strikeout rate (28.7%), he also had a career-high walk rate (9.8%) last year. DeJong's 30 homers in 2019 over 159 games came on the back of 44 homers in 223 games across the previous two seasons, so he's established himself a solid floor in terms of power. While it's unlikely he'll be able to top last year's .250 batting average, DeJong's power is enough to offset the negative impact that could have on your fantasy roster. In 2019, DeJong also chipped in with nine steals and scored 97 runs while driving in 78 runs, so he contributes well to the counting stats as well. DeJong currently has an ADP of around 214 and is the 22nd shortstop being drafted, yet he's projected to be in the top 10 in homers and RBI at his position. If you wait on shortstop in drafts or just need some power in the later rounds, DeJong is a perfect fit.