| Brett Wallace | |||||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
 Wallace with the Padres in 2016 | |||||||||||||||
| California Golden Bears | |||||||||||||||
| Hitting coach | |||||||||||||||
| Born: (1986-08-26)August 26, 1986 (age 38) Sonoma, California, U.S. | |||||||||||||||
Batted: Left Threw: Right | |||||||||||||||
| MLB debut | |||||||||||||||
| July 31, 2010, for the Houston Astros | |||||||||||||||
| Last MLB appearance | |||||||||||||||
| September 28, 2016, for the San Diego Padres | |||||||||||||||
| MLB statistics | |||||||||||||||
| Batting average | .238 | ||||||||||||||
| Home runs | 40 | ||||||||||||||
| Runs batted in | 138 | ||||||||||||||
Stats atBaseball Reference  | |||||||||||||||
| Teams | |||||||||||||||
Medals
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Brett Alexander Wallace (born August 26, 1986) is an American former professionalbaseballinfielder. He played inMajor League Baseball (MLB) for theHouston Astros andSan Diego Padres. He is currently the hitting coach for theCalifornia Golden Bears baseball team, competing in theAtlantic Coast Conference.[1]
A 2005 graduate ofJustin-Siena High School inNapa, California, Wallace earned four varsity baseball letters for head coach Allen Rossi. He helped lead Justin-Siena to a 97–9 record during his prep career, including a perfect 27–0 senior season. He broke nine school records during his prep career and holds single-season school records for walks, runs, hits, RBI, home runs and slugging percentage. Among his numerous accolades, Wallace was named a Collegiate Baseball/Louisville Slugger All-American and 2005 first-team All-State (CalHiSports.com) and 2005 California Small Schools Player of the Year. He was also a four-time All-Marin County Athletic League selection, 2004 and 2005 All-Napa County Offensive Player of the Year.[2]
Wallace was a two-timePac-10 Player of the Year (2007 & 2008) and a two-time Triple Crown Winner atArizona State University. He was the 12th Sun Devil to win the Pac-10 Player of the Year award, and the first sinceDustin Pedroia shared the award in 2003.[2]
Wallace played 3B for the Sun Devils, teaming with nowLos Angeles Dodgers first basemanIke Davis at 1B and nowCleveland Indians second basemanJason Kipnis in center field.[3] The 2008 ASU squad also featured formerSt. Louis Cardinals pitcherMike Leake and formerSan Diego Padres pitcherJosh Spence. In 2006, he playedcollegiate summer baseball with theFalmouth Commodores of theCape Cod Baseball League and was named a league all-star.[4][5][6]
TheToronto Blue Jays selected Wallace in the 42nd round of the2005 MLB Draft, but he did not sign with the team. After his collegiate career, he was picked by theSt. Louis Cardinals as their first round (13th overall) selection of the2008 MLB draft out of Arizona State University. After his performance at Single-AQuad Cities, Wallace skippedHigh-A Palm Beach and was promoted immediately to the Double-ASpringfield Cardinals. He began 2009 playing for Springfield before being promoted to the Triple-AMemphis Redbirds. During his career in the minor leagues, Wallace split time betweenfirst base andthird base.
On July 24, 2009, Wallace was traded to theOakland Athletics as part of a package foroutfielderMatt Holliday.[7]
On December 15, 2009, Wallace was dealt to the Toronto Blue Jays forMichael Taylor, who was obtained by the Blue Jays from thePhiladelphia Phillies as part ofa trade for Roy Halladay.[8]
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On July 29, 2010, the Blue Jays traded Wallace to theHouston Astros, in exchange for minor league outfielderAnthony Gose, who had just been obtained by the Astros from the Phillies as part of a trade forRoy Oswalt.[9] Wallace was sent to the Triple-A affiliate, theRound Rock Express,[10] for one day and did not appear in a game before being called up by the Astros on July 31, 2010 afterLance Berkman was traded to theNew York Yankees.[11]Wallace made his MLB debut against theMilwaukee Brewers the same day, and went 0–4. On August 1, he got his first MLB career hit, a single, against Brewers' pitcherRandy Wolf. On September 7 Wallace hit his first MLB career home run offChicago Cubs pitcherCarlos Silva, tying the game.
On August 1, 2011, Wallace was sent back to the Triple-AOklahoma City RedHawks club.
Wallace started the 2012 season with the RedHawks, and was recalled by Houston on June 3 whenCarlos Lee was placed on the disabled list. He returned to Oklahoma City on June 17 when Lee was re-activated. Wallace was recalled again on July 30 whenBrian Bixler was optioned to Oklahoma City.
Wallace began the 2013 season with the Astros. However, due to a slow start in which he batted .042 in 17 games, he was optioned to Oklahoma City on April 18.[12] On June 25, he was called back up to start against theSt. Louis Cardinals.
On February 6, 2014, the Astros designated Wallace for assignment to make room forJerome Williams.[13] He was released on March 12.[14]
Wallace signed a minor league contract with theBaltimore Orioles on March 23, 2014.[15]
He played for the Triple-ANorfolk Tides before being traded to the Blue Jays on July 14 for cash considerations. He was assigned to the Triple-ABuffalo Bisons of theInternational League.[16]
On August 24, 2014, Wallace clubbed awalk-offgrand slam in the 12th inning to cap a three home run, six RBI game, as the Bisons rallied for a 10–6 victory over visitingPawtucket Red Sox. Wallace joinedFernando Martínez (2012) andMarco Scutaro (1999) as the only Bisons to hit walk-off grand slams atCoca-Cola Field. It was also the sixth three-homer game in franchise history and the first since May 19, 2012, whenVinny Rottino achieved the feat against theIndianapolis Indians.[17]
On December 13, 2014, Wallace signed a minor-league contract including an invitation to major-league spring training with theSan Diego Padres.[18]
On June 19, 2015, the Padres called Wallace up. He finished the season with a .302/.374/.521 slash line in 107 plate appearances for the Padres.[19] The following off season, the Padres and Wallace avoided arbitration by agreeing to a $1 million contract for 2016.[20] Wallace was given the starting third base job whenYangervis Solarte was placed on the disabled list with a hamstring injury.[21] Wallace failed to repeat his 2015 production in 2016, finishing the season with a .189/.309/.318 slash line in 256 plate appearances. On November 18, 2016, Wallace was removed from the 40–man roster and sent outright to the Triple–AEl Paso Chihuahuas after multiple prospects were added to the roster. He subsequently rejected the assignment and elected free agency.[22]
On December 24, 2016, Wallace signed a new minor league contract with the Padres.[23] On April 2, 2017, he was released.[24]
Wallace ended his career following the 2017 season.
