Arizona Diamondbacks Call Up Heavy-Hitting Prospect Paul Goldschmit

Picture this: you're 23-years old and have just got the phone call so many minor league prospects long to hear—"You're going to the show," the caller says on the other line.

What the caller on the other line doesn't mention is that your first game puts you right in the middle of a division race against the defending World Champion San Francisco Giants, and on top of that, you're facing the Giants two biggest guns, Matt Cain and Tim Lincecum.

That's exactly what the Arizona Diamondbacks did to their top prospect Monday, when they called up Paul Goldschmidt to start at first base.

In his first professional at-bat, Goldschmidt took a 92-mph fastball from Matt Cain and sent it into right field for a single. He finished his first career game one-for-four.

Goldschmidt, an eighth round pick back in 2009, gives the Dbacks the kind of raw offensive power they've been lacking. In 241 games in Single and Double-A baseball, Goldschmidt has hit 65 home runs and driven in 202 runs.

While at Texas State University in San Marcos, Texas, Goldschmidt was named the 2009 Southland Conference Player of the Year while setting team records in homers, runs batted in, and doubles. Goldschmidt was also named to the American Baseball Coaches All-American third team after helping lead the Bocats to the 2009 Southland Conference Title.

At the trade deadline, Arizona sent first baseman Brandon Allen to the Oakland Athletics, in part, to free roster space for Goldschmidt, who now looks to be the long term answer to the D-backs first baseman woes.