ASU's 50 Best Professional Athletes: No. 26 Eric Sogard

Standing just 5-foot-9, Eric Sogard follows in the footsteps of another undersized ASU infielder to make a name for himself in the major leagues (but we will get to him later).

Sogard grew up in the Valley, attended Thunderbird High School in Phoenix and spent three seasons at ASU from 2005-2007, earning All-American honors as a sophomore in 2006.

Sogard was drafted in the second of the 2007 MLB Draft by the San Diego Padres and was traded to the Oakland Athletics in January of 2010 in a deal surrounding Scott Hairston. However, he played in just four games in 2010, 27 games in 2011 and 37 games in 2012 for the Athletics.

His breakout campaign came in 2013 when he played in 130 games, hitting .266 with 35 runs batted in and 24 doubles. In 2014, Sogard hit .223 with in 117 games with 38 runs and 65 hits. The following season Sogard hit .247 in 120 games with a career-high 37 runs batted in.

In early April of 2016, Sogard suffered a knee injury which required surgery. He has not played in a game thus far in 2016, but is expected back in September.

Check back tomorrow to find out who cracks the top-25 in our countdown of the 50 best professional athletes to attend ASU.