Matt LaPorta  Matthew Vincent LaPorta (born January 8, 1985) is an American former professional baseball first baseman and left fielder. LaPorta played college baseball for the University of Florida. He was drafted 7th overall in the 2007 Major League Baseball Draft by the Milwaukee Brewers. LaPorta was born in Port Charlotte, Florida. He attended Charlotte High School after transferring from Port Charlotte High. He played fullback on his freshman football team for the PCHS Pirates. LaPorta was originally drafted by the Chicago Cubs in the 14th round of the 2003 MLB Draft, but instead accepted an athletic scholarship to attend the University of Florida in Gainesville, Florida, where he played for coach Pat McMahon's Florida Gators baseball team from 2004 to 2007. In 2004, he played collegiate summer baseball in the Cape Cod Baseball League for the Yarmouth-Dennis Red Sox, and returned to the league in 2006 to play for the Brewster Whitecaps. He led NCAA Division I baseball with 26 home runs, which garnered LaPorta All-American honors as he helped lead the team to the 2005 College World Series final. In , his batting average dipped from .328 to .259. In June, LaPorta was drafted in the fourteenth round of the 2006 Major League Baseball Draft by the Boston Red Sox, but he chose to stay at Florida for his senior year; during that season, he earned his second All-American selection. LaPorta batted .402 with twenty home runs his senior season with the Gators. Also, LaPorta was recognized as the SEC Player of the Year. He graduated from Florida with a bachelor's degree in health and human performance in 2009. LaPorta was drafted by the Milwaukee Brewers with the seventh overall pick of the 2007 MLB Draft. The Milwaukee Brewers agreed on June 25 to a contract with LaPorta, giving him a signing bonus of approximately $2 million. After rehabilitating his leg, LaPorta was sent to the Brewers Rookie League Affiliate, the Helena Brewers. In his first at-bat as a professional player, LaPorta hit a home run. He played 7 games with Helena in left field and as the designated hitter. Then in August, he was moved up to the Brewers Single-A affiliate, the West Virginia Power. Laporta had success playing Single-A ball, hitting 10 home runs in 23 games during the regular season. Like in Helena, he played mostly left field and designated hitter. The Power went on to make the South Atlantic League playoffs and advanced to the finale, but lost to the Columbus Catfish in a best of 5 series.