Matthew Martin Lee Carpenter
Matthew Martin Lee Carpenter (born November 26, 1985) is an American professional baseball infielder for the St. Louis Cardinals of Major League Baseball (MLB). He made his MLB debut with the Cardinals on June 4, 2011.[1] He has been their primary leadoff hitter since early in the 2013 season. A left-handed batter and right-handed thrower, Carpenter stands 6 feet 3 inches (1.91 m) and weighs 205 pounds (93 kg). Since becoming a regular player for the Cardinals in 2013, Carpenter has spent considerable time at first base, second base and third base. The Cardinals selected him in the 13th round of the 2009 MLB draft from Texas Christian University (TCU). A three-time second-team All Mountain West Conference selectee, he broke TCU’s school record for games played and at bats and is second in hits, doubles and walks. He was the Cardinals’ organization Player of the Year in 2010. A three-time MLB All-Star Game selection, he became the first Silver Slugger Award winner at second base in Cardinals franchise history after leading the major leagues in hits, runs scored and doubles in 2013. He is signed through 2019 with an option for 2020.
Carpenter was born in Galveston, Texas, on November 26, 1985, the son to Rick and Tammie Carpenter. The elder Carpenter is a former college baseball player turned high school coach. His mother played softball in her youth. The Carpenter family spent seven years in La Marque, Texas, where Rick Carpenter taught and coached at La Marque High School before moving to Lawrence E. Elkins High School. There, Rick coached for another fifteen years. That baseball team won numerous championships, including nine at the district level, six regional, three state, and one national. He also coached three other major leaguers: James Loney, Kip Wells and Chad Huffman. The elder Carpenter now coaches at Prosper High School near Dallas. Carpenter’s brother, Tyler, was a minor league baseball player in the New York Mets organization. At Elkins High School, Carpenter was a three-year first-team all-district performer and two-time all-state tournament team selection. He helped lead the team to a 35–1 record and the USA Today National Prep Championship in 2002, and was named the District Sophomore of the Year that year. Rick Carpenter was honored as the USA Today High School Baseball Coach of the Year.
Matt Carpenter was named a 2004 TPX second-team High School All-American. He holds the Elkins High School record for most career hits. One of his high school teammates was Loney. Carpenter attended Texas Christian University (TCU) and majored in communications. One of Carpenter’s teammates at TCU was pitcher and fellow future major leaguer Jake Arrieta—who, after Carpenter became a St. Louis Cardinal, would later join the Chicago Cubs on the opposite end of the storied Cardinals–Cubs rivalry. In his freshman year as an athlete, Carpenter played 50 games and batted .289, 27 runs batted in (RBI), eight doubles (2B) and one home run (HR) with 11 multi-hit games and eight multiple-RBI games. The next season, he finished second on the team with a .349 average, one home run and 36 RBIs in 62 games. He also hit safely in 47 games and reached base in 56.
However, Carpenter’s junior season was cut short after eight games due to a tearing a ligament in his elbow while throwing from first base. The repair required Tommy John surgery, making him the first TCU position player to undergo the procedure much more common for pitchers. As a result, he was granted a two-year medical redshirt (RS). Because his weight increased to 240 pounds (110 kg) and he was rehabilitating elbow at an age more advanced than most players who are drafted, doubt lingered about Carpenter’s future as a professional baseball player. While he was very disciplined as a player, his discipline off the field was poor, including his grades and physical conditioning, which contributed to his high weight. Carpenter attributed a speech – as well as personal motivation – from head coach Jim Schlossnagle that induced him to change his habits off the field. Thus, he applied the same dedication off the field as he did on the field. As a result, Carpenter lost 40 pounds (18 kg). While Carpenter was still rehabilitating during his junior year, major league outfielder Torii Hunter moved to Prosper, Texas, the same high school district where Rick Carpenter coached baseball. Hunter introduced himself to Carpenter because his son, Torii, Jr., would attend and play baseball there. The elder Hunter also met Matt Carpenter, who he eventually invited to train at the same gymnasium where he trained. 
It was an expensive facility, and, at this point, Carpenter was still in the minor leagues and could not afford to pay for a membership. However, Hunter covered the fees because he believed that Carpenter would take full advantage of the opportunity to train. In Carpenter’s RS-junior season, he played in all 63 games and was named second-team all-conference at third base. He finished with a .283 batting average, team-high 11 HR and 46 RBI and ranked third on the team with 48 runs scored. His fifth-year senior season included a .333 batting average, .472 on-base percentage (OBP) and .
662 SLG with 11 HR. Along with Carpenter’s increased performance, TCU’s overall strong effort nearly led to a College World Series appearance. During his collegiate career, Carpenter broke school career records for games played (241) and at-bats (843), and finished second in hits (263), doubles (57) and walks (BB, with 150). He was named second-team All Mountain West Conference in 2006, 2008 and 2009. When he was in high school, Matt Carpenter was given a framed poster of Lance Berkman, his childhood hero and teammate from 2011–12. The poster was a gift from his now-wife, Mackenzie (Detmore) Carpenter. The couple were married on December 10, 2011, in Missouri City, Texas. Arrieta served as a groomsman. The Carpenters’ first child, a daughter, was born May 25, 2016, and named Kinley Rae. Mackenzie gave birth to their second child, a boy named Kannon Lee, on November 20, 2017. Known for being one of the few major leaguers to not wear batting gloves during games, Carpenter has stated that he has not worn them in organized baseball. Just one game stood out as an exception. While playing for TCU, the team traveled to Colorado for a game against Air Force. Carpenter stated that he was colder than usual. His right palm has shown the effects of not wearing them, with many cuts and calluses.[98] Lawyer Brian Cahill of SSG Baseball serves as Carpenter’s agent. In the aftermath of Hurricane Harvey flooding the Greater Houston area in the summer of 2017, Carpenter pledged to donate $10,000 to the flooding victims for every home run he hit the remainder of the season.
