1. Early Life and Education
Panik's early life in New York and his collegiate baseball career at St. John's University laid the foundation for his professional path, marked by strong academic and athletic achievements.
1.1. Early Life and High School
Joseph Matthew Panik was born on October 30, 1990, in Yonkers, New York, to Paul and Natalie Panik. During his formative years, his family resided in East Fishkill, New York. He attended John Jay High School in Hopewell Junction, New York.
1.2. College Career
Panik attended St. John's University, where he played college baseball for the St. John's Red Storm team, competing in the Big East Conference. Following his sophomore season in 2010, Panik participated in collegiate summer baseball for the Yarmouth-Dennis Red Sox of the Cape Cod Baseball League. During his time there, he maintained a .297 batting average over 50 games and was recognized as the starting shortstop for the East Division All-Star team. He also received the league's sportsmanship award.
In his junior season, Panik achieved an impressive .398 batting average, along with 19 doubles, 10 home runs, and 57 runs batted in (RBI). His .509 on-base percentage (OBP) ranked him tenth among college baseball players. Notably, Panik played in the first-ever game at Citi Field during a pre-season match between St. John's University and Georgetown on March 29, 2009. His collegiate performance earned him All-America honors from the American Baseball Coaches Association (ABCA), Baseball America, and Louisville Slugger. Panik was also a finalist for the Brooks Wallace Award, an honor presented to the nation's top shortstop. Additionally, he was named a first-team ABCA All-Northeast Region honoree, a first-team All-Big East selection, and the Red Storm's Most Valuable Player.
2. Professional Career
Joe Panik's professional career spanned from his selection in the 2011 MLB draft through his retirement in 2022, primarily spent with the San Francisco Giants, where he achieved significant milestones including a World Series championship, an All-Star selection, and a Gold Glove Award.
2.1. Draft and Minor Leagues
Out of St. John's, the San Francisco Giants selected Panik in the first round as the 29th overall pick in the 2011 Major League Baseball draft on June 6, and he signed his contract on June 11. He made his professional debut with the Salem-Keizer Volcanoes of the Class A-Short Season Northwest League. In this league, he led in batting average (.341), runs scored (49), RBI (54), and on-base percentage (.401), and recorded 13 stolen bases, earning him the Northwest League Most Valuable Player Award. Prior to the 2012 season, he was ranked as the tenth-best second base prospect and received an invitation to Spring Training.
Panik spent the 2012 season with the San Jose Giants of the Class A-Advanced California League, where he batted .297 with 27 doubles, seven home runs, and 76 RBI in 130 games. In 2013, he was promoted to the Richmond Flying Squirrels of the Class AA Eastern League. During this period, he transitioned to playing second base and recorded a .333 on-base percentage, along with 27 doubles, four triples, and four homers. In 2014, Panik began the season with the Fresno Grizzlies of the Class AAA Pacific Coast League, hitting .321 with five home runs, 45 RBI, and 50 runs scored in 74 games.
2.2. San Francisco Giants
Panik's most significant tenure in MLB was with the San Francisco Giants, where he played a pivotal role in their 2014 World Series victory and established himself as a prominent second baseman.
2.2.1. 2014-2015 Seasons
Panik made his MLB debut on June 21, 2014, entering as a pinch-hitter for the pitcher in the eighth inning and drawing a walk against Arizona Diamondbacks relief pitcher Matt Stites in a game the Giants won 6-4. His first Major League start occurred the following day, playing second base and batting seventh. In his second at-bat of that game, he recorded his first MLB hit. On August 22, he hit his first career home run against Doug Fister of the Washington Nationals; it was a three-run homer that secured the lead for the Giants in a 10-3 victory. Due to the resumption of a suspended game from May 22, Panik's MLB debut is formally recognized as May 22, 2014, per MLB record-keeping policy.
Panik's five hits in his first two career postseason games set a franchise record for the Giants. On October 16, during Game 5 of the 2014 National League Championship Series, he hit a crucial two-run home home run that helped the Giants to a 6-3 win over the St. Louis Cardinals, advancing them to the 2014 World Series against the Kansas City Royals. In Game 7 of the World Series on October 29, Panik made a remarkable play in the bottom of the third inning. With a runner on first, he executed a diving stop on a ball up the middle, flipping it with his glove to shortstop Brandon Crawford to retire the lead runner. Crawford then threw to first to attempt to get a sliding Eric Hosmer out. Although initially called safe, a three-minute replay review overturned the call, resulting in a 4-6-3 double play. This marked the first-ever overturned call in the World Series since the replay review system was implemented, and the double play was widely acclaimed by sportswriters as one of the most spectacular plays in World Series history. For the 2014 regular season, Panik played in 73 games, recording 269 at-bats, 31 runs, 82 hits, 10 doubles, two triples, one home run, and 18 RBI. He walked 16 times and struck out 33 times, finishing with a .305 average and a .343 on-base percentage.
Panik was included on the Giants' 2015 Opening Day 25-man roster. On April 22, 2015, he hit a walk-off sacrifice fly in the bottom of the ninth inning to secure a 3-2 victory over the Los Angeles Dodgers. Nine days later, on May 1, he hit another walk-off, a pinch-hit, bases-loaded single against the Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim. On May 3, in a 5-0 win against the Angels, Panik batted second and homered off Jered Weaver immediately after Nori Aoki hit a leadoff home run. This marked the first time the Giants had started a game with consecutive home runs since 1964. On July 6, Panik was selected as a reserve player for the 2015 Major League Baseball All-Star Game. On August 3, Panik was placed on the 15-day disabled list due to lower back inflammation. He returned for three games in September before being shut down for the remainder of the season, and was eventually placed on the 60-day disabled list. For the 2015 season, Panik batted .312, with 8 home run s, 37 RBI, and 59 runs scored. Following the season, Panik revealed that his "back inflammation" was, in fact, a stress fracture of the L5 vertebra, which had fully healed by December.
2.2.2. 2016-2019 Seasons
In 2016, Panik played a career-high 127 games, hitting 10 home runs and 62 RBI, though his batting average decreased to .239. He missed most of July with concussion symptoms after being hit in the head by a pitch from (future teammate) Matt Moore on June 18. After the season, Panik was honored with a Gold Glove, making him the first Giants second baseman to win the award since Robby Thompson in 1993.
In 2017, Panik set a Giants franchise record and tied an MLB record with 12 hits in a three-game series against the Colorado Rockies from September 4-6. He was the first major league player to achieve this feat since Jerry Remy in 1981. For the season, he batted .288/.347/.421.
On Opening Day in 2018 against the Los Angeles Dodgers, Panik hit a solo home run off Clayton Kershaw, contributing to the Giants' 1-0 victory. The following evening, he hit another solo home run off Kenley Jansen in the top of the ninth inning, again lifting the Giants to a 1-0 win. This made him the first player in MLB history to homer for his team in back-to-back 1-0 victories. He also hit a solo shot in the Giants' home opener against the Seattle Mariners, becoming the first MLB player to score his team's first three runs of a season via solo home runs. On July 7, he was placed on the disabled list and was reactivated on July 30, 2018. For the season, he batted .254/.307/.332 with 4 home run s in 358 at-bats.
On August 6, 2019, Panik was designated for assignment by the Giants. At the time, he was hitting .235/.310/.317, with an OPS of .627 and 3 home run s. He was placed on release waivers on August 7.
2.3. New York Mets
On August 9, 2019, Panik signed with the New York Mets. He recorded his first hit as a Met during a ninth-inning rally on August 9 and his first RBI with the team two days later. During his brief tenure with the Mets, he batted .277/.333/.404, with 2 home run s and 12 RBI. Panik became a free agent following the 2019 season.
2.4. Toronto Blue Jays
On January 18, 2020, Panik signed a minor league deal with the Toronto Blue Jays and was invited to Spring Training. He impressed the team and was added to the 40-man roster on March 15. Overall, with the 2020 Blue Jays, Panik batted .225 with one home run and 7 RBI in 41 games. In the AL Wild Card Series against the Tampa Bay Rays, he went 1 for 6, making the final out in both games as the Blue Jays were swept in the best-of-three series.
On February 12, 2021, Panik re-signed with the Blue Jays organization on a minor league contract, which included an invitation to Spring Training. On April 1, 2021, he was selected to the 40-man roster. On May 7, he was placed on the disabled list due to left calf tightness. In 42 games for Toronto, Panik batted .246/.293/.351 with 2 home run s and 11 RBI.
2.5. Miami Marlins
On June 29, 2021, Panik was traded to the Miami Marlins along with minor league pitcher Andrew McInvale, in exchange for Adam Cimber and Corey Dickerson. Panik played in 53 games for the Marlins, hitting .172 with 1 home run and 7 RBI. He was designated for assignment by Miami on October 1 and elected free agency on October 4.
2.6. Retirement
Panik officially announced his retirement from professional baseball on May 19, 2022.
3. Player Profile
Joe Panik was known for his distinctive playing style, particularly his excellent contact skills at the plate. He was a batter with a notably low strikeout rate, leading both leagues in 2016 (9.9 at-bats per strikeout) and 2017 (9.5 at-bats per strikeout). Throughout his career, his at-bats per strikeout ratio consistently remained above 9, highlighting his ability to make contact and avoid strikeouts. Defensively, Panik was a reliable second baseman, earning a Gold Glove Award in 2016 for his exceptional fielding.
4. Post-playing Career
On March 26, 2023, Panik rejoined the San Francisco Giants organization in a new capacity, serving as a special assistant.
5. Personal Life
Panik is married to Brittany (née Pinto), whom he has known since childhood. They married in December 2016. The couple resides in Hopewell Junction, New York. In 2021, they welcomed their first child, a daughter. Panik has also been involved in community initiatives, including participating in a baseball clinic hosted by Matt Barnes at a Newtown, Connecticut, Youth Academy for elementary school students following the Sandy Hook Elementary School shooting. His brother, Paul Panik, is a college baseball coach.
6. Awards and Honors
- Northwest League Most Valuable Player Award (2011)
- MLB All-Star (2015)
- Gold Glove Award (2016)
7. Career Statistics
7.1. Batting Statistics
| Year | Team | G | PA | AB | R | H | 2B | 3B | HR | TB | RBI | SB | CS | BB | SO | BA | OBP | SLG | OPS |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2014 | SF | 73 | 287 | 269 | 31 | 82 | 10 | 2 | 1 | 99 | 18 | 0 | 0 | 16 | 33 | .305 | .343 | .368 | .711 |
| 2015 | SF | 100 | 432 | 382 | 59 | 119 | 27 | 2 | 8 | 174 | 37 | 3 | 2 | 38 | 42 | .312 | .378 | .455 | .833 |
| 2016 | SF | 127 | 526 | 464 | 67 | 111 | 21 | 7 | 10 | 176 | 62 | 5 | 0 | 50 | 47 | .239 | .315 | .379 | .695 |
| 2017 | SF | 138 | 573 | 511 | 60 | 147 | 28 | 5 | 10 | 215 | 53 | 4 | 1 | 46 | 54 | .288 | .347 | .421 | .768 |
| 2018 | SF | 102 | 392 | 358 | 38 | 91 | 14 | 1 | 4 | 119 | 24 | 4 | 2 | 26 | 30 | .254 | .307 | .332 | .639 |
| 2019 | SF | 103 | 388 | 344 | 33 | 81 | 17 | 1 | 3 | 109 | 27 | 4 | 2 | 36 | 38 | .235 | .310 | .317 | .627 |
| 2019 (cont.) | NYM | 39 | 103 | 94 | 17 | 26 | 4 | 1 | 2 | 38 | 12 | 0 | 0 | 7 | 9 | .277 | .333 | .404 | .738 |
| 2019 Total | 142 | 491 | 438 | 50 | 107 | 21 | 2 | 5 | 147 | 39 | 4 | 2 | 43 | 47 | .244 | .315 | .336 | .651 | |
| 2020 | TOR | 41 | 141 | 120 | 18 | 27 | 6 | 0 | 1 | 36 | 7 | 0 | 0 | 20 | 27 | .225 | .340 | .300 | .640 |
| 2021 | TOR | 42 | 123 | 114 | 9 | 28 | 6 | 0 | 2 | 40 | 11 | 0 | 0 | 8 | 14 | .246 | .293 | .351 | .644 |
| 2021 (cont.) | MIA | 53 | 134 | 122 | 8 | 21 | 3 | 0 | 1 | 27 | 7 | 2 | 0 | 9 | 20 | .172 | .241 | .221 | .462 |
| 2021 Total | 95 | 257 | 236 | 17 | 49 | 9 | 0 | 3 | 67 | 18 | 2 | 0 | 17 | 34 | .208 | .266 | .284 | .550 | |
| MLB Career | 818 | 3099 | 2778 | 340 | 733 | 136 | 19 | 42 | 1033 | 258 | 22 | 7 | 256 | 314 | .264 | .328 | .372 | .700 |
7.2. Fielding Statistics
| Year | Team | First Base (1B) | Second Base (2B) | Third Base (3B) | Shortstop (SS) | ||||||||||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| G | PO | A | E | DP | FPCT | G | PO | A | E | DP | FPCT | G | PO | A | E | DP | FPCT | G | PO | A | E | DP | FPCT | ||
| 2014 | SF | - | 70 | 131 | 185 | 8 | 53 | .975 | - | - | |||||||||||||||
| 2015 | SF | - | 99 | 191 | 268 | 2 | 64 | .996 | - | - | |||||||||||||||
| 2016 | SF | - | 126 | 233 | 363 | 5 | 82 | 0.992 | - | - | |||||||||||||||
| 2017 | SF | - | 137 | 249 | 332 | 9 | 86 | .985 | - | - | |||||||||||||||
| 2018 | SF | 1 | 10 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 1.000 | 94 | 153 | 237 | 6 | 65 | .985 | - | - | ||||||||||
| 2019 | SF | - | 90 | 155 | 217 | 3 | 48 | .992 | - | - | |||||||||||||||
| 2019 (cont.) | NYM | - | 28 | 24 | 44 | 2 | 11 | .971 | - | - | |||||||||||||||
| 2019 Total | - | 118 | 179 | 261 | 5 | 59 | .989 | - | - | ||||||||||||||||
| 2020 | TOR | - | 18 | 28 | 20 | 1 | 6 | .980 | 12 | 4 | 9 | 0 | 0 | 1.000 | 14 | 13 | 29 | 0 | 5 | 1.000 | |||||
| 2021 | TOR | 3 | 15 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1.000 | 10 | 13 | 26 | 0 | 4 | 1.000 | 21 | 10 | 35 | 5 | 4 | .900 | - | |||||
| 2021 (cont.) | MIA | 6 | 42 | 2 | 1 | 3 | .978 | 17 | 26 | 28 | 0 | 9 | 1.000 | 11 | 4 | 11 | 2 | 1 | .882 | - | |||||
| 2021 Total | 9 | 57 | 2 | 1 | 3 | .983 | 27 | 39 | 54 | 0 | 13 | 1.000 | 32 | 14 | 46 | 7 | 5 | .896 | - | ||||||
| MLB Career | 10 | 67 | 2 | 1 | 4 | .986 | 689 | 1203 | 1720 | 36 | 428 | .988 | 44 | 18 | 55 | 7 | 5 | .913 | 14 | 13 | 29 | 0 | 5 | 1.000 | |