Cody Decker Earns Call-Up From Padres
Former UCLA first baseman Cody Decker has been called-up from Triple-A El Paso to join the San Diego Padres, it was announced by the organization on Monday.
Decker, 28, will replace Tommy Medica on the 40-man active roster after Medica was claimed off waivers by the Miami Marlins on September 8. Decker will wear the number 28 and is set to join the club today in Arizona.
This marks the first major league assignment of Decker’s career. The 5-foot-11 product from Santa Monica, Calif. hit .252 with a team-high 21 homeruns and team-high 75 RBI over 120 games for Triple-A El Paso this season. A Pacific Coast League All-Star, Decker helped lead El Paso to the regular season southern division title before falling to the Fresno Grizzlies in the postseason. Originally a 22nd round selection of the Padres in 2009, Decker has amassed 2,566 at-bats in 761 games over seven minor league seasons. Overall, Decker has belted 154 homeruns while driving in 504 runs. His 154 homeruns are the most ever by a Padres minor leaguer and are the most by any Major League-affiliated minor league player since 2009 when he was drafted.
One of UCLA’s most prolific power hitters, Decker finished his career with the Bruins ranking seventh all-time in career homeruns (47). Playing from 2006 to 2009, the Santa Monica High School alum was twice named to the All-Pac-10 team and earned three Pac-10 Player of the Week awards. A career .288 hitter, Decker helped the Bruins reach the postseason in three of his four seasons in Westwood, including a super regionals appearance in 2007. Decker’s best season came as a senior in 2009 when he broke out for a career-best .322 average with a Pac-10 leading 21 homeruns and 53 RBI in 56 games.
Decker joins six teammates from his four year career at UCLA that are currently playing in the Major Leagues – Trevor Bauer, Gerrit Cole, Brandon Crawford, Erik Goeddel, Matt Grace and Rob Rasmussen.
Overall, UCLA has nine former players currently competing at the big league level - Bauer (Cleveland), Cole (Pittsburgh), Crawford (San Francisco), Decker (San Diego), Goeddel (N.Y. Mets), Grace (Washington), Casey Janssen (Washington), Rasmussen (Seattle) and Chase Utley (L.A. Dodgers).