Josh Barfield
A second-generation major leaguer whose powerful bat briefly electrified San Diego, later transitioning into a key front-office role for his original club.
Born 1982 (age 44)·American baseball player·Birthday: December 17·Millennials
Biography
Josh Barfield carried baseball in his blood as the son of slugger Jesse Barfield, and he carved his own path to the big leagues with a standout rookie season for the San Diego Padres in 2006. The second baseman announced his arrival by racking up doubles and home runs, finishing third in National League Rookie of the Year voting. His swing, reminiscent of his father's potent style, promised a long career in the middle of the diamond. However, after a trade to Cleveland, his offensive production dipped, and his time as an everyday player concluded sooner than many anticipated. Barfield's deeper impact on the game may well be in his second act: returning to the Padres organization as a scout and executive, where his baseball intellect and experience now shape the franchise's future from the front office.
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.
Josh was born in 1982, 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 Josh Was Born
The biggest hits of 1982
#1 Movie
E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial
Best Picture
Gandhi
#1 TV Show
Dallas
Josh's Life & Times
The world at every milestone
1982Born
Michael Jackson releases Thriller
Gas: $1.22/galHome: $55,200Min wage: $3.35/hrPresident: Ronald Reagan"Physical" — Olivia Newton-JohnBest Picture: Gandhi
1987Started school
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
1995Became a teenager
Oklahoma City bombing; Windows 95 released
Gas: $1.15/galHome: $96,500Min wage: $4.25/hrPresident: Bill Clinton"Gangsta's Paradise" — CoolioBest Picture: Braveheart
1998Could drive
Google founded; Clinton impeachment
Gas: $1.06/galHome: $107,300Min wage: $5.15/hrPresident: Bill Clinton"Too Close" — NextBest Picture: Shakespeare in Love
2000Could vote
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
2003Turned 21
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
2012Turned 30
Curiosity rover lands on Mars; Sandy Hook shooting
Gas: $3.64/galHome: $143,200Min wage: $7.25/hrPresident: Barack Obama"Somebody That I Used to Know" — GotyeBest Picture: Argo
2022Turned 40
Russia invades Ukraine; Queen Elizabeth II dies
Gas: $3.97/galHome: $348,700Min wage: $7.25/hrPresident: Joe Biden"As It Was" — Harry StylesBest Picture: Everything Everywhere All at Once
2026Age 44 today
Gas: $3.91/galPresident: Donald Trump
Key Achievements
- Finished third in National League Rookie of the Year voting in 2006 after hitting .280 with 32 doubles and 13 home runs for San Diego.
- Set a District 15-5A single-season high school home run record in Texas.
- Served as the Director of Player Development for the San Diego Padres, overseeing the farm system.
Did You Know?
He was born in Venezuela while his father, Jesse Barfield, was playing winter ball there.
He and his father, Jesse, are one of the few father-son duos to have both hit for the cycle in professional baseball.
He was traded from the Padres to the Cleveland Indians in exchange for third baseman Kevin Kouzmanoff.
“You don't get hits by thinking about your father's swing, only your own.”
