Matt Carpenter is a former professional baseball player who spent his entire career with the St. Louis Cardinals. He was primarily a third baseman, but also played first base and second base throughout his career. Carpenter was known for his ability to get on base, as well as his power at the plate.
Carpenter was born on November 26, 1985 in Galveston, Texas. He attended TCU, where he played college baseball for the Horned Frogs. In 2009, he was drafted by the Cardinals in the 13th round of the MLB draft.
Carpenter made his MLB debut in 2011, playing in 7 games for the Cardinals. He spent most of the 2012 season in the minor leagues, but was called up in August and played a key role in the Cardinals' playoff run. In the NLDS against the Washington Nationals, Carpenter hit a game-tying two-run home run in the 8th inning of Game 5, which the Cardinals went on to win.
In 2013, Carpenter became the Cardinals' starting third baseman and had a breakout season. He led the National League in hits (199), doubles (55), and runs scored (126), and finished fourth in MVP voting. He was also named to the All-Star team for the first time in his career.
Carpenter continued to be a productive player for the Cardinals over the next several seasons. In 2018, he hit a career-high 36 home runs and was named to his third All-Star team. He also won a Silver Slugger award for the second time in his career.
However, Carpenter's production began to decline in 2019 and 2020. He struggled at the plate and lost his starting job at third base. In 2021, he played in just 40 games and hit .169 with 3 home runs.
On November 4, 2021, the Cardinals announced that they had declined Carpenter's option for the 2022 season, making him a free agent. On November 12, Carpenter announced his retirement from baseball.
Throughout his career, Carpenter was known for his work ethic and leadership on and off the field. He was also active in the community, supporting various charitable causes.
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