Nick Punto

Punto attended Trabuco Hills High School in Mission Viejo, California and stayed in Mission Viejo to attend Saddleback College before being drafted in the 1998 MLB Draft by the Philadelphia Phillies. Punto played in the Phillies system for the Class A Clearwater Phillies, Class A Batavia Muckdogs, Class AA Reading Phillies and Class AAA Scranton/Wilkes-Barre Red Barons before his promotion to the majors. \n', ' Drafted in the 21st round of the 1998 MLB draft, Punto made his major league debut with the Philadelphia Phillies on September 9, 2001. He singled to right field off Bob Scanlan of the Montreal Expos as a pinch hitter in the 8th inning. He had 2 hits in 5 at-bats in just 4 games with the Phillies that season. In 2002 with the Scranton/Wilkes-Barre Red Barons, he played in 115 games and hit .271, earning a selection as an International League All-Star.\n', ' In 3 years with the Phillies he played in a total of 77 games and hit .223. His first, and only, home run with the Phillies was hit off Steve Trachsel of the New York Mets on July 10, 2003.\n', '