St. Louis Cardinals shortstop Paul DeJong built his game in the state of Illinois. He will return this winter, serving as the keynote speaker at the University of Illinois at Springfield's First-Pitch Banquet. 

The event will be held on January 26th at 7 p.m. at the Boondocks Pub. Individual tickets are $60 and table sponsorship packages are $600. 

There will be a meet and greet held two hours prior to the banquet. A similar event will take place during the day at Cafe Mosco and the first 50 people can purchase tickets for $40. 

DeJong is one of the most promising young shortstops in the National League. He was called up to the major leagues in May completed a rookie season by hitting .285 with 25 home runs and 65 RBI. 

In July, DeJong was named National League Rookie of the Month after hitting .298 with six homers and 16 RBI. The Cardinals originally selected him in the fourth round of the 2015 MLB Draft. 

DeJong was named a Texas League All-Star during his first season as a professional. He played college baseball for three seasons at Illinois State. 

To inquire about Paul DeJong's speaking fee and appearance cost, contact the agents at Athlete Speakers by calling us at 800-916-6008 or by Starting Your Booking Request Now.

Feature on Paul DeJong: