Joey Gallo

Joey Gallo's Biography

Joseph Nicholas Gallo, a professional baseball player of Italian descent, was born in Las Vegas, Nevada on November 19, 1993. Gallo is an American outfielder, third baseman, and first baseman, known for his tenure with the Washington Nationals of Major League Baseball (MLB). Over his career, he has also played for several other notable teams including the Texas Rangers, the New York Yankees, the Los Angeles Dodgers, and the Minnesota Twins.

Gallo’s journey into professional baseball began when he was selected by the Texas Rangers in the first round of the 2012 MLB draft. This was after a remarkable stint in high school where he excelled at Bishop Gorman High School, smashing a Nevada high school record 67 career home runs in 446 at bats, with a .509 batting average during his senior year. While he had signed a National Letter of Intent to play college baseball for the LSU Tigers, the pull from the MLB was too strong.

Gallo started his professional career with the Arizona League Rangers, promptly impressing with 18 home runs, 52 runs batted in across 43 games, and a batting average of .293. He was honored with several awards in acknowledgement of his outstanding performance, allowing him to quickly ascend amongst the ranks.

By the time the 2014 season rolled around, Gallo managed an impressive run with the Myrtle Beach Pelicans, displaying his prowess by leading the league with 21 home runs. More notable recognition followed, with him even earning the title of MVP of the All-Star Futures Game due to his sixth-inning go-ahead home run.

In June 2015, Gallo achieved a career milestone when he was promoted to the major leagues. He rapidly made a name for himself by achieving four RBIs in his first major league game, an unprecedented accomplishment for a Ranger.

While his journey has not been without its challenges, with a significant portion of 2016 spent in the minors, Gallo not only persevered but emerged stronger. The subsequent years saw him recognized for his batting prowess, even earning the title of AL Player of the Week in April 2019.

Challenges, however, have been a consistent theme in Gallo’s narrative. His 2020 season was marred by a positive COVID-19 diagnosis, and his time with the New York Yankees in 2022 was fraught with adversity – so much so that it resulted in a blow to his confidence and a career low in performance.

August 2022 saw Gallo traded to the Los Angeles Dodgers, followed by a move to the Minnesota Twins in December of the same year. In January 2024, after a year with the Twins, Gallo signed a one-year contract with the Washington Nationals.

Throughout his thrilling and rollercoaster career, Gallo has guarded his personal life carefully. He hails from a proud Italian family, with his father Antonio (Tony), being raised in Bensonhurst, Brooklyn by Sicilian immigrants. Similarly, in the face of the 2020 Major League Baseball season delay due to the COVID-19 pandemic, Gallo equipped his Dallas apartment with a batting cage to stay in shape – a testament to his dedication to the sport.

Today, with an already eventful career, Gallo continues to strive, demonstrating resilience, strength, and an undeterred dedication to the sport he loves so deeply. With a tally of 203 career home runs and still counting, Gallo has firmly solidified his position as one of baseball’s significant players.