Ponce de Leon attended La Mirada High School in La Mirada, California. In 2010, his senior year, he went 6-3 with a 2.95 earned run average. The Tampa Bay Rays selected him in the 24th round of the 2010 MLB draft, but he did not sign and enrolled at the University of Arizona to play college baseball for the Arizona Wildcats. He pitched only three innings as a freshman, and then transferred to Cypress Junior College for the 2012 season. After that season, he was drafted by the Cincinnati Reds in the 38th round of the 2012 MLB draft, but once again did not sign. After the season, he transferred once again, this time to the University of Houston. In 15 starts for Houston for the 2013 season, he was 7–5 with a 4.47 earned run average. Following the season, Ponce de Leon was drafted by the Chicago Cubs in the 14th round of the 2013 MLB draft and the two parties had reached a deal. However, he failed his physical due to concerns about nerve placement in his elbow and did not sign. Ponce de Leon planned to return to Houston, but the NCAA ruled that he was ineligible to return. He then enrolled at Embry–Riddle Aeronautical University. In 14 starts, he was 9–2 with a 1.60 earned run average, holding batters to a.196 batting average.
St. Louis Cardinals
After the season, the St. Louis Cardinals drafted Ponce de Leon in the ninth round of the 2014 MLB draft, and he signed. After signing, Ponce de Leon made his professional debut that same season with the State College Spikes of the Class A-Short SeasonNew York-Penn League. In 12 games, he was 3–3 with a 2.44 earned run average. In 2015, he pitched for the Peoria Chiefs of the Class AMidwest League and the Palm Beach Cardinals of the Class A-AdvancedFlorida State League, compiling a combined 11–2 record with a 2.12 earned run average and a 1.10 walks plus hits divided by innings pitched in 20 games, and in 2016, he pitched for the Springfield Cardinals of the Class AATexas League, going 9–8 with a 2.53 earned run average in 27 starts. He began 2017 with the Memphis Redbirds of the Class AAAPacific Coast League. On May 9, 2017, while pitching against Victor Caratini of the Iowa Cubs, Caratini hit a line drive that struck Ponce de Leon in the head. He had emergency surgery and remained in the hospital for three weeks after the incident. He was cleared for baseball activities in August, but did not return to baseball until spring training 2018. He began 2018 with Memphis. On June 11, 2018, the Cardinals promoted Ponce de Leon to the major leagues. In 12 games prior to his callup, he was 5–2 with a Pacific Coast League-leading 2.41 earned run average. He did not make an appearance with St. Louis and was optioned to Memphis on June 15. He was recalled again on July 23. He was 9–3 with a 2.15 earned run average in 18 games with Memphis. He made his major league debut that night as St. Louis's starting pitcher at Great American Ball Park versus the Cincinnati Reds. In his debut, Ponce de Leon threw seven no-hit innings in which he struck out three and walked three on 116 pitches. He was optioned back to Memphis the next day, and recalled by St. Louis once again on July 27. In total in 2018 for St. Louis, Ponce de Leon made 11 appearances, with four being starts, posting a 0–2 record with a 2.73 earned run average in 33 innings pitched. Ponce de Leon began the 2019 season in Memphis, but was recalled to St. Louis multiple different times before he was called up for good on September 1. Over innings pitched with St. Louis during the regular season, he went 1-2 with a 3.70 earned run average, striking out 52.
Personal life
Daniel Ponce de Leon was born in La Mirada, California, on January 16, 1992, to Ramon and Mary Poncedeleon. He has three sisters. He married Jennifer Beatty in February 2018. The couple met while attending Embry-Riddle University. The couple's first child, son Casen, was born in November 2016. His surname was originally spelled as one word, Poncedeleon, but he legally changed the spelling to three words, Ponce de Leon, in 2018.
