Cody Decker

Decker was the first hitter since Eric Byrnes to hit at least five homers in each of his four college seasons, and ended his college career tied with Ryan McGuire for 7th on UCLA's all-time home run list with 47.

Cody Marshall Decker (born January 17, 1987) is an American former professional baseball player who played for the San Diego Padres of Major League Baseball (MLB).

A right-handed power hitter, he played first base, third base, left field, and could catch.

Playing for Santa Monica High School in California, Decker batted .490 and was Ocean League MVP his senior year.

In 2005, Decker was Ocean League MVP, Division IV Southern Section All-CIF first-team, and named to the Los Angeles Times All-South Bay/Westside Region team.

Decker then attended the University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA) on a baseball scholarship, where he majored in History, minored in Film, and was a designated hitter, first baseman, and left fielder for the UCLA Bruins baseball team.

In his sophomore year in 2007, he was 3rd in the Pac-10 in home runs with 14.

He was a two-time All-Pac-10 selection, in 2007 and 2009.

Playing college baseball for UCLA, he led the Pac-10 in home runs with 21 during his senior year in 2009, was a two-time All-Pac-10 selection, and ended his college career tied for 7th on UCLA's all-time home run list with 47.

Decker was drafted by the San Diego Padres in the 22nd round of the 2009 Major League Baseball Draft.

That summer he batted .354 and led the Arizona League (AZL) in home runs, RBIs (63-an AZL record), total bases (142-an AZL record), and slugging percentage (.717), and had the best fielding percentage for a first baseman.

He was named the AZL Most Valuable Player and a Topps Post-Season All Star.

At the time, his 154 home runs in the minors were the most by any MLB-affiliated minor league player since he was drafted in 2009.

He led the Pac-10 in home runs with 21 during his senior year in 2009, and was 3rd in walks (46), 5th in runs (55), and 6th in RBIs (53).

The San Diego Padres selected Decker in the 22nd round of the 2009 Major League Baseball draft.

He said his after-tax signing bonus was $638.

In 2009, Decker batted .354 (3rd in the league) and led the Arizona League in home runs (15), RBIs (63-an Arizona League record), doubles (21), extra-base hits (39), total bases (142-an Arizona League record), slugging percentage (.717), and OPS (1.138), was 2nd in hits (70), 4th in runs (46) and on base percentage (.421), and had the best fielding percentage for a first baseman, while playing for the Arizona League Padres.

Decker was named the AZL Most Valuable Player (beating out Mike Trout), a Topps Short-Season/Rookie All Star, and Topps Post-Season All Star.

In 2010, he was fourth in the California League in home runs (28) and seventh in RBIs (90).

He was named an MiLB.com San Diego Organization All Star and MiLB.com Short-Season Best Hitter of the Year.

In 2010, Decker was fourth in the California League in home runs (28; tied for the lead among Padres minor leaguers), sixth in doubles (35), seventh in RBIs (90; second-best among Padres minor leaguers), and ninth in walks (60), with the High-A Lake Elsinore Storm.

He then was named an MiLB.com San Diego Organization All Star and MiLB.com Short-Season Best Hitter of the Year with the Arizona League Padres, and voted California League Player of the Week on August 30, 2010, with the Storm.

Decker missed nearly three months of the 2011 season with a severe third-degree right ankle sprain, though he hit 15 home runs in 59 games, 13 of them in AA.

In 2012, he was second in the Texas League in home runs (25) and third in slugging percentage (.540).

In 2012, Decker finished second in the Texas League in home runs (25), third in slugging percentage (.540), and tenth in RBIs (68) with the AA San Antonio Missions.

In addition, he was twice named Texas League Player of the Week, on May 7 and May 14.

That fall he played for the Israel national baseball team in the qualifying rounds of the 2013 World Baseball Classic.

Decker split the 2013 season between San Antonio and Tucson, hitting 19 home runs (second among Padres minor leaguers) with 70 RBIs.

He was third in the Pacific Coast League in slugging percentage (.534).

In 2014, Decker tied for fourth in the Pacific Coast League (PCL) in home runs (27), led all Padres minor leaguers in homers, and tied for third among Padres minor leaguers in RBIs (79).

He was named a 2014 MiLB.com San Diego Organization All Star.

In 2014, Decker tied for fourth in the Pacific Coast League (PCL) in home runs with 27 for the AAA El Paso Chihuahuas, and led all Padres minor leaguers in homers.

He also tied for third among Padres minor leaguers in RBIs, with 79.

In 2015, he was a PCL mid-season All Star, and an MiLB.com San Diego Organization All Star.

Decker made his Major League debut on September 14, 2015, after 2,566 at bats in 761 games over seven seasons in the minor leagues.

He played for Team Israel at the 2017 World Baseball Classic.

Decker was born in Santa Monica, California, and is Jewish.

His parents are Jay and Terri Decker, and he has an older brother (Jesse) and an older sister (Jenifer).

He attended Santa Monica High School in Santa Monica, California.

There, playing first base, third base, and catcher he batted .490 over three seasons, and was a three-time All Bay League pick.