Grudzielanek attended J. M. Hanks High School in El Paso, Texas, and was a letterman and an All-State selection in basketball and baseball.

He made his Major League debut on April 28, 1995, with the Expos against the Chicago Cubs, striking out as a pinch hitter against Mike Walker.

He made his first start (at second base) the following day but did not record his first major league hit (a double) until May 4 against New York Mets relief pitcher Mike Remlinger.

Grudzielanek was traded by the Expos to the Los Angeles Dodgers (along with Hiram Bocachica and Carlos Perez) for Jonathan Tucker, Peter Bergeron, Wilton Guerrero, and Ted Lilly on July 31, 1998.

From the April 27 game against the Milwaukee Brewers until July 1, 2022, he was the only Cardinals player to have hit for the cycle until Nolan Arenado achieved the feat on the latter date.

He became a free agent after the 2008 season but did not sign with a team until the Minnesota Twins offered him a minor league contract on July 19, 2009.

[5] Grudzielanek was named the manager of the Arizona Diamondbacks' Class A affiliate Kane County Cougars prior to the 2015 season.

[6] Following the 2015 season, where the Cougars won the Midwest League Western division with a 48–22 record (.686 winning percentage), Grudzielanek was promoted to the Diamondbacks Player Development staff, with a title of Assistant Coordinator.