Eric Bruntlett

Eric Kevin Bruntlett (born March 29, 1978) is a former American professional baseball player. He was a utility player who played seven seasons from 2003 to 2009 in Major League Baseball (MLB) for the Houston Astros and Philadelphia Phillies.

Born in Lafayette, Indiana, Bruntlett was a shortstop and second baseman for William Henry Harrison High School, where he won a state baseball championship in 1995. He played four seasons of college baseball with the Stanford Cardinal, becoming the team's starting shortstop in 1999. After two College World Series appearances, Bruntlett signed with the Astros, who had selected him in the ninth round of the 2000 MLB draft.

Bruntlett spent three seasons in the Astros farm system behind fellow infield prospect Adam Everett. He made his major league debut in 2003, filling in for an injured José Vizcaíno. A natural middle infielder, Bruntlett spent the next year practicing his outfield defense, allowing him to receive more playing time as a utility bench player. After the 2007 season, the Astros traded Bruntlett to the Phillies, with whom he was a 2008 World Series champion. He left the Phillies after the 2009 season and spent one year in Triple-A before retiring from professional baseball.