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Card: 2019 Topps Stadium #240
Position: OF/1B/3B
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Player Bio:
"I don't think he's going to stop amazing us with the length of his home runs. Not only are they far, they're high, they're impressive. He's an incredible talent who has big-time power. It's fun to see him when he gets the barrel to it and they fly like that." - Texas Rangers Manager (2015-2018) Jeff Banister on MLB.com (T.R. Sullivan, Gallo slugs 490-foot HR, 2017's 3rd longest, 09/17/2017)
Joseph Nicholas Gallo (born November 19, 1993 in Henderson, NV) is an outfielder for the Los Angeles Dodgers. Joey grew up in Las Vegas and played on youth baseball teams with future major league stars Bryce Harper and Kris Bryant. Mike Bryant, Kris' father, was one of Gallo's coaches growing up. Joey's father, Antonio (Tony), the son of Italian immigrants from Sciacca, Sicily, was born and raised in the Bensonhurst neighborhood of Brooklyn, New York, graduating from New Utrecht High School in 1972. He appeared in three games for the GCL Expos in 1974.
During the delay of the 2020 Major League Baseball season due to the COVID-19 pandemic, Gallo stayed in his Dallas apartment and set up a batting cage in his living room.[59
A little league teammate of Bryce Harper, Gallo set a Nevada record with 67 home runs while batting .466. He hit .275/.403/.412 with 10 runs and 10 RBI as junior Team USA's first baseman in the summer of 2011. He fielded .992 and led the team with 15 whiffs in 51 at-bats but also tied for the lead with 10 walks. The US won the junior Pan American Games. As a high school senior the next year, he batted .509 with 21 home runs, 66 runs and 80 RBI. He set a Nevada single-season RBI record and also set the Nevada high school career home run mark (65).
He was selected by the Texas Rangers in the supplemental first round of the 2012 amateur draft with the 39th overall pick. He made his pro debut with the AZL Rangers on June 20th. Not missing a beat in turning pro, he was hitting .292/.485/.771 with 6 home runs, 18 walks, 20 runs and 14 RBI after 15 games. In 2013, he led all minor leaguers in home runs with 40, earning the Joe Bauman Award.
He was again leading the minor leagues in home runs, with 31, when he was selected to play in the 2014 Futures Game at Target Field on July 13th. Starting at DH for the U.S. team, he struck out twice, as is his wont, but also connected for a two-run homer off Michael Feliz in the 6th inning that put the U.S. ahead, 3-2, which would turn out to be the game's final score. He was named winner of the Larry Doby Award as the game's Most Valuable Player in recognition of his performance. He finished second in the minor leagues in 2014 in home runs, one behind fellow third baseman Kris Bryant of the Chicago Cubs organization.
Gallo began the 2015 season back in the minors with Frisco, although it was clear that a call-up was likely sometime during the season. He got the call on June 1st. Facing the Chicago White Sox, he singled off Jeff Samardzija in the 1st inning, driving in two runs, then followed that with a two-run shot to the upper deck off Samardzija in the 3rd and ended his night with a double off the top of the wall in the 5th inning. The Rangers won the game handily, 15-2. he went deep again in his second game, connecting off Zach Duke to lead off the 9th in a 9-2 loss.
Joey was selected as an American League reserve outfielder for the 2019 Major League Baseball All-Star Game, and hit a home run off of Will Smith in his lone at-bat. He was also awarded an AL Gold Glove for his defensive work in the outfield in 2020.
He was traded to the New York Yankees in July 2021, where he struggled, leading to a 2022 trade to the Dodgers.
Interestingly, he has known big league slugger Jason Giambi since he was 10 years old. He considers him a mentor as he has regularly talked to him about on and off-field matters, helping him to grow as a hitter and as a person. Joey is on Twitter @JoeyGallo24
(excerpted from Baseball Almanac, BR Bullpen & Wikipedia)
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Joey is part of the MLB Current Players Tour – Go To The Next Stop
Joey is part of the All-Star Player Tour – Go to the Next Stop
Joey is also part of the New York Yankee Players Tour – Go To the Next Stop
See all of Gallo’s baseball cards at TCDB
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