Amateur career

Born in West Hills, California, Plouffe attended Crespi Carmelite High School in Encino, California, the alma matter of former major leaguers, Jeff Suppan and Rick Dempsey. At Crespi High, Plouffe was named a 2004 Collegiate Baseball News High School All-American as a senior. As a star shortstop and right-handed pitcher, Plouffe led Crespi to their first section baseball championship in 2003 as a junior and also held a 3.8 GPA.

Professional career

Minor leagues

Plouffe was drafted by the Minnesota Twins out of high school as a shortstop with the 20th overall pick in the 2004 Major League Baseball Draft, and turned down a scholarship to the University of Southern California to play major league baseball. After signing for $1.5 million, Plouffe spent the 2004 season with the Rookie-level Elizabethton Twins. He batted .283 and was named the league's sixth best prospect by Baseball America. Plouffe spent 2005 with the Midwest League's Beloit Snappers, where he was again recognized as one of the league's top prospects, this time ranking 12th overall.

In 2006, Plouffe played for the Fort Myers Miracle of the Florida State League. During the season, he played third base in 25 games, the first time he had played a position other than shortstop as a professional.

In 2007, Plouffe was promoted to the Double-A New Britain Rock Cats. He was chosen as the Twins' Minor League Player of the Week (April 27-May 3), Eastern League Player of the Week (May 28-June 3) and an Arizona Fall League Rising Star.

Plouffe split the 2008 season between the Rock Cats and Triple-A Rochester Red Wings, where he hit a combined .262 with nine home runs and sixty RBIs. With the Red Wings, he was used at second base as well as third base and shortstop. After the season, on November 20, Plouffe was added to the Twins' 40-man roster.

In 2009, Plouffe spent the entire year in Rochester. He also returned to playing shortstop full-time while batting .260 in 118 games.

Major league debut

After starting the 2010 season with Rochester, he was called up to the Twins on May 20, replacing pitcher Jeff Manship on the 25-man roster. He started his first major league game for the Twins on May 21 against the Milwaukee Brewers, singling and driving in a run in his first big league at bat. Plouffe remained with the club through June 19, batting .130 in seven games over his time with the club. Plouffe was recalled again on July 30, after an injury to Twins infielder Nick Punto. Plouffe finished the season playing a total of 22 games while hitting just .146 in 41 at bats.

2011

Plouffe returned to the Red Wings at the start of the 2011 season. After a fast start in which he batted .282 with 6 home runs in 21 games, Plouffe was called up on May 6. That day, he started at shortstop against the Boston Red Sox, and in his first at bat hit a home run over the Green Monster off of Tim Wakefield. In 81 games, Plouffe hit 8 home runs while hitting .238 for the Twins.

2012

After starting the season poorly, Plouffe embarked on a power surge at mid-season, hitting 11 home runs in the month of June. He became the Twins' everyday third baseman after Danny Valencia was demoted to Triple-A Rochester in early May. Plouffe hit a career high 24 home runs in 119 games.

2013

Plouffe was the starting third baseman for most of the season and played 129 games. He was somewhat inconsistent in both hitting and fielding despite hitting a career high .254 for the Twins.

2014

Plouffe established career highs in several offensive categories, as well as improving his defense tremendously. He hit .258/14/80 with 40 doubles, leading the team in both latter categories.

Personal

Plouffe and his wife Olivia were married at Pepperdine University's Stauffer Chapel. Plouffe and his wife Olivia, welcomed their first child, Teddy, on July 31, 2015. His walkup song is Thuggish Ruggish Bone by Bone Thugs n Harmony, though many fans have taken to chanting "Plouffe There it is!" in reference to the 90's ubiquitous hook, "Whoomp! (There It Is)".

[ Source: Wikipedia ]