Drafted out of Ball State University in the fourth round of the 2009 MLB Draft by the Boston Red Sox, Jeremy Hazelbaker has traveled a long road to get to the big leagues. Spending six and a half years in the minor leagues with the Red Sox and Los Angeles Dodgers, he never hit above .272.
Hazelbaker was released by the Dodgers on May 1, 2015. Twelve days later, the St. Louis Cardinals took a chance and signed him. That’s when something clicked.
Heading into spring training, Hazelbaker had Cardinals’ fans asking “Hazel-who?