Pedroia never batted below.347 in three years at ASU and had a lifetime average of.384 while starting all 185 games. Pedroia also gave up the remaining two years of his sports scholarship to help ASU recruit stronger pitchers. In 2001, he led the Pac-10 with 176 hits and was named first team All-America by Baseball America. Dustin Pedroia broke into the major leagues as a second baseman for the Boston Red Sox in 2004. Over the next eight seasons, he became one of the best hitters in baseball, finishing among the top five vote getters each year for the National League Most Valuable Player Award. In 2016, he finished third behind Houston's Jose Altuve and Chicago's Paul Goldschmidt. Pedroia made his Arizona State debut on April 17, 2001. He went 3 for 4 with a home run and four RBIs in an 18-7 win over California-Bakersfield. The next day, Pedroia announced his intention to forgo his final two years of college to enter the 2001 draft. He was selected fourth by the Red Sox after playing only three seasons at ASU. In 801 games over eight seasons with the Red Sox, Kansas City Royals, and Los Angeles Dodgers, Pedroia has been among the top ten vote getters every year for the MVP Award.