Matt Davidson (baseball)
A power-hitting infielder whose career took him from MLB ballparks to starring roles in the Korean and Japanese leagues.
Born 1991 (age 35)·American baseball player·Birthday: March 26·Millennials
Biography
Matt Davidson hit three home runs on Opening Day for the Chicago White Sox in 2018. Drafted straight out of high school by the Arizona Diamondbacks, the California native made his major league debut at 21, flashing the prodigious power that defined his game. His time in the majors saw him shuttle between teams, but that 2018 outburst remains a career highlight. Unwilling to let his career plateau, Davidson moved to Japan's Hiroshima Toyo Carp in 2020, embracing a new culture and competition. He then signed with the NC Dinos in the KBO League, playing as a globetrotting slugger who reinvented his path to keep playing at the game's highest levels.
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.
Matt was born in 1991, 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 Matt Was Born
The biggest hits of 1991
#1 Movie
Terminator 2: Judgment Day
Best Picture
The Silence of the Lambs
#1 TV Show
Cheers
Matt's Life & Times
The world at every milestone
1991Born
Soviet Union dissolves; World Wide Web goes public
Gas: $1.14/galHome: $82,400Min wage: $4.25/hrPresident: George H.W. Bush"(Everything I Do) I Do It for You" — Bryan AdamsBest Picture: The Silence of the Lambs
1996Started school
Dolly the sheep cloned
Gas: $1.23/galHome: $99,700Min wage: $4.75/hrPresident: Bill Clinton"Macarena" — Los del RioBest Picture: The English Patient
2004Became a teenager
Indian Ocean tsunami kills over 230,000
Gas: $1.88/galHome: $157,300Min wage: $5.15/hrPresident: George W. Bush"Yeah!" — UsherBest Picture: Million Dollar Baby
2007Could drive
iPhone released; Great Recession begins
Gas: $2.80/galHome: $172,600Min wage: $5.85/hrPresident: George W. Bush"Irreplaceable" — BeyonceBest Picture: No Country for Old Men
2009Could vote
Michael Jackson dies; Bitcoin created
Gas: $2.35/galHome: $148,500Min wage: $7.25/hrPresident: Barack Obama"Boom Boom Pow" — The Black Eyed PeasBest Picture: The Hurt Locker
2012Turned 21
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
2021Turned 30
January 6 Capitol breach; COVID vaccines roll out globally
Gas: $3.01/galHome: $298,900Min wage: $7.25/hrPresident: Joe Biden"Levitating" — Dua LipaBest Picture: CODA
2026Age 35 today
Gas: $3.91/galPresident: Donald Trump
Key Achievements
- Hit three home runs in the 2018 Opening Day game for the Chicago White Sox, a historic feat.
- Played in Major League Baseball for four different teams over parts of seven seasons.
- Successfully transitioned to international play, competing in both Japan's NPB and South Korea's KBO.
- Was a first-round draft pick (35th overall) by the Arizona Diamondbacks in the 2009 MLB Draft.
Did You Know?
He was a standout high school quarterback in addition to being a baseball star.
Davidson pitched in two major league games for the Chicago White Sox in 2018, throwing a scoreless inning.
He and his wife, former professional soccer player Janelle Cordia, are both accomplished athletes.
“I just try to hit the ball hard somewhere.”
