ST. LOUIS — Less than a week into his major league career, Paul DeJong has already done something only one other former Illinois State baseball player has accomplished.
In his first major league plate appearance last Sunday, DeJong joined Dave Bergman as the only ex-Redbirds to hit a big league home run.
DeJong also is the first former ISU performer to appear in the majors as a position player since Bergman's career ended in 1992. Bergman had 54 career home runs.
Of the 14 ex-Redbirds to play in the majors, 11 have been primarily pitchers. DeJong is the ninth ISU product to record a big league hit.