David Adams (baseball)
A gritty infielder whose journey to the majors with the New York Yankees was a testament to perseverance after a severe college injury.
Born 1987 (age 39)·American baseball player·Birthday: May 15·Millennials
Biography
David Adams's baseball narrative is defined by a single play in college and the determination that followed. A standout at the University of Virginia, his path to the pros seemed clear until a devastating ankle injury suffered while sliding into home plate raised serious doubts. The New York Yankees drafted him anyway, valuing his potent bat and defensive versatility at third and second base. He climbed the minor league ladder, his progress measured against the shadow of that injury. In 2013, he finally got the call. Adams made his major league debut for the Yankees, providing a spark with a hit in his first game and showing flashes of the player he was projected to be. While his time in the big leagues was brief, spanning just 43 games that season, it represented the hard-won culmination of a years-long battle to prove he belonged on the sport's biggest stage.
Millennials
1981–1996
The first digital natives. Grew up with the internet, came of age during 9/11 and the 2008 crash. Highly educated, deeply indebted, slower to marry and buy houses. Redefined work, identity, and what it means to be an adult.
David was born in 1987, placing them squarely in the Millennials. The events that shaped this generation — the internet revolution, 9/11, and the 2008 financial crisis — shaped the world they entered and the choices available to them.
#1 When David Was Born
The biggest hits of 1987
#1 Movie
Three Men and a Baby
Best Picture
The Last Emperor
#1 TV Show
The Cosby Show
David's Life & Times
The world at every milestone
1987Born
Black Monday stock market crash
Gas: $0.90/galHome: $72,400Min wage: $3.35/hrPresident: Ronald Reagan"Walk Like an Egyptian" — The BanglesBest Picture: The Last Emperor
1992Started school
LA riots after Rodney King verdict
Gas: $1.13/galHome: $84,300Min wage: $4.25/hrPresident: George H.W. Bush"End of the Road" — Boyz II MenBest Picture: Unforgiven
2000Became a teenager
Y2K passes without incident; contested Bush-Gore election
Gas: $1.51/galHome: $119,600Min wage: $5.15/hrPresident: Bill Clinton"Breathe" — Faith HillBest Picture: Gladiator
2003Could drive
US invades Iraq; Human Genome Project completed
Gas: $1.59/galHome: $146,000Min wage: $5.15/hrPresident: George W. Bush"In Da Club" — 50 CentBest Picture: The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King
2005Could vote
Hurricane Katrina devastates New Orleans; YouTube launches
Gas: $2.30/galHome: $167,500Min wage: $5.15/hrPresident: George W. Bush"We Belong Together" — Mariah CareyBest Picture: Crash
2008Turned 21
Barack Obama elected first Black US president; financial crisis
Gas: $3.27/galHome: $153,100Min wage: $6.55/hrPresident: George W. Bush"Low" — Flo RidaBest Picture: Slumdog Millionaire
2017Turned 30
#MeToo movement; solar eclipse crosses the US
Gas: $2.42/galHome: $195,000Min wage: $7.25/hrPresident: Donald Trump"Shape of You" — Ed SheeranBest Picture: The Shape of Water
2026Age 39 today
Gas: $3.91/galPresident: Donald Trump
Key Achievements
- Made his MLB debut for the New York Yankees in 2013 after overcoming a significant ankle injury from college.
- Was a key part of the trade discussion that nearly sent him to the Cleveland Indians for pitcher Cliff Lee in 2010.
- Recorded a hit in his first major league at-bat against the Boston Red Sox at Yankee Stadium.
- Was a standout performer at the University of Virginia, earning All-ACC honors before being drafted.
Did You Know?
The ankle injury he suffered in college was so severe it required surgery and a long rehabilitation that delayed his professional start.
He was drafted by the New York Yankees in the third round of the 2008 MLB Draft.
In his final minor league season, he played for the independent Sugar Land Skeeters.
He hit his first and only major league home run off pitcher Esmil Rogers of the Toronto Blue Jays.
“You play the game in front of you, not the one you planned in your head.”
