For nearly a decade, "Goldy" served as the quiet, relentless heartbeat of the Diamondbacks, transforming from an unheralded 8th-round draft pick into the greatest position player in franchise history.
Bursting onto the scene in late 2011, he famously announced his arrival with a massive postseason grand slam that ignited the desert. By 2013, he had evolved into a full-blown supernova. That season remains a masterclass in offensive and defensive dominance: That season, he won the Hank Aaron Award, along with his first Gold Glove and Silver Slugger, while leading the NL in Home Runs (36), RBIs (125), and Slugging (.551), and was second in MVP voting. Goldy had arrived, and he was ready to dominate the rest of the decade.
Over eight seasons in Arizona, he became a fixture at the All-Star game and a perennial MVP candidate, finishing in the top three of voting three different times. In 2016, he led the NL in walks (110) while remarkably stealing 32 bases—an unheard-of feat for a powerhouse first baseman. As the D-Back’s fortunes fell, Goldschmidt left Arizona with 209 home runs, over 1,100 hits, and a staggering career slash line of .297/.398/.532.
He later won the 2022 NL MVP as a St. Louis Cardinal, and Paul Goldschmidt remains the benchmark by which all future Diamondback position players are measured.
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