Neil Walker (baseball)
| Neil Walker | |||
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Walker batting for the New York Mets in 2016
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| New York Mets – No. 20 | |||
| Second baseman | |||
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Born: September 10, 1985 Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania |
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| MLB debut | |||
| September 1, 2009, for the Pittsburgh Pirates | |||
| MLB statistics (through 2016 season) |
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| Batting average | .273 | ||
| Hits | 949 | ||
| Home runs | 116 | ||
| Runs batted in | 473 | ||
| Teams | |||
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| Career highlights and awards | |||
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Neil Martin Andrew Walker (born September 10, 1985) is an American professional baseball second baseman for the New York Mets of Major League Baseball (MLB). He was drafted by his hometown Pittsburgh Pirates in the first round of the 2004 Major League Baseball draft, and made his MLB debut with them in 2009. He played with the Pirates through 2015 and played in 2016 with the Mets.
Walker, the son of former major league pitcher Tom Walker (1972–77), was born in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, he grew up outside of Pittsburgh in the nearby North Hills suburbs and attended Pine-Richland High School. He graduated in 2004. He played catcher on the baseball team and a wide receiver for the football team. Walker, who also played on the Rams' basketball team until his senior year, was a two-time Pittsburgh Post-Gazette Male Athlete of the Year. His baseball jersey, #24, was retired from Pine-Richland during a pre-game ceremony before the Pittsburgh Pirates' July 22, 2010 game.
Neil grew up as a fan of the Pittsburgh Pirates, and attended many of the team's games while sitting in the "Peanut Heaven" section of Three Rivers Stadium. In 1994, he attended the All-Star Game, where he obtained the signatures of Ken Griffey, Jr. and Frank Thomas. To this day, those signed baseballs are among his most prized baseball possessions. Prior to being drafted by the Pirates, Walker approached the University of Pittsburgh and Penn State about doubling in baseball and football; however, he passed on those options out of concern that Penn State wanted him to add 60 pounds and become a tight end.
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