The Cal 100: No. 54 -- Marcus Semien

His career took time to blossom, but his 45 home runs in 2021 are the most-ever by a former Golden Bear.

We count down the top 100 individuals associated with Cal athletics, based on their impact in sports or in the world at large – a wide-open category. See if you agree.

.

No. 54: Marcus Semien

Cal Sports Connection: Semien played baseball at Cal for three seasons before being chosen in the sixth round of the 2011 Major League draft.

Claim to Fame: Twice the third-place finisher in the American League's MVP race, Semien hit 45 home runs for the Toronto Blue Jays in 2021, the most ever by a former Cal player.

.

As a freshman on the Cal baseball team in the spring of 2009, Marcus Semien batted .197, including .172 in Pac-12 games. His debut college season didn’t exactly scream future Major League star.

Chosen in the 34th round of the 2008 draft after his high school senior year, Semien improved enough to go in the sixth round three years later. The White Sox, who drafted him, traded him to the A’s in December 2014 and still the arc of Semien’s career moved at a methodical pace.

At 32, he is a star player these days, helping the Texas Rangers to the best start in franchise history and likely inserting himself into the conversation for the American League MVP award for the third time in five seasons..

Marcus Semien / Photo by Jay Biggerstaff, USA Today

After six seasons as the A’s regular shortstop, Semien signed a free-agent contract in 2021 with the Toronto Blue Jays. Although he was being moved to second base, Semien trusted himself enough to take a one-year deal, betting that he’d have a big season and be in line for a rich, long-term contract.

Semien won that bet, delivering the season of his career for Toronto. He hit a career-high 45 home runs — the most ever by a full-time second baseman and the most by a Cal alum.

He also drove in 102 runs, scored 115, hit 39 doubles and led the AL with 86 extra-base hits in 2021. He played in the All-Star Game for the first time, won a Gold Glove, a Silver Slugger Award and landed on the postseason All-MLB first team.

Two years after finishing third in the 2019 AL MVP voting after hitting 33 home runs, scoring 123 times and collecting 83 extra-base hits for the A’s, Semien was again third in the balloting for the league’s top player.

And he was rewarded with a seven-year contract from the Rangers worth $175 million. His gamble paid off, big-time.

Semien delivered a solid first season with Texas last season, hitting 26 home runs, stealing 25 bases and scoring 101 runs while forging a high-profile double-play tandem with superstar shortstop Corey Seager.

It’s the odd-numbered years recently that seem to bring out the best in Semien, and he’s back at it this season. After hitting a two-run homer Wednesday night in the Rangers’ 6-3 win over the Los Angeles Angels — his 10th of the season — he is batting .286, has an AL-leading 58 runs scored, is fourth with 53 RBIs and is third in wins above replacement (WAR) at 3.0.

Semien’s path to the big leagues began in Berkeley, where his parents, Damien and Tracy, were both students at Cal. Damien played wide receiver on the Bears’ football team and caught four passes for 97 yards vs. Washington State five days after his son was born in 1990.

.

-- No. 55: Lindsay Gottlieb

Cover photo of Marcus Semien by Rick Osentoski, USA Today

Follow Jeff Faraudo of Cal Sports Report on Twitter: @jefffaraudo