Ozzie Albies

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Ozzie Albies
Runs batted in
455
Teams
Career highlights and awards

Ozhaino Jurdy Jiandro "Ozzie" Albies (born 7 January 1997) is a

Curaçaoan professional baseball second baseman for the Atlanta Braves of Major League Baseball (MLB). Albies signed with the Braves organization in 2013, and made his MLB debut with the team in 2017. During his first full season, Albies was named to the 2018 Major League Baseball All-Star Game. Albies was later named to the 2021 and 2023 All-Star games. He won the National League Silver Slugger Award for second basemen twice, in 2019 and 2021. In 2021 he won the Heart & Hustle Award
.

Career

Minor leagues

Albies started playing baseball at the age of six, and began switch-hitting in 2013.

Keith Law,[9][10] and fifth-best in Braves farm system by Baseball America.[11]

Albies began the 2015 season with the

All Star Futures Game.[13][14] He was the only Braves prospect to appear in the game that year, as well as the youngest player on the field.[15][16] Albies went 1-2 in the game, which the World Team lost to the U.S. 10–1.[17] He fractured his right thumb during the first week of August and missed the remainder of the season.[18] In 98 games, Albies hit .310/.368/.404, stole 29 bases, and committed 17 errors.[19][20] MLB.com placed him third on the list of top Braves prospects at the end of 2015, and 30th overall throughout the minors.[21]

Gwinnett Braves
in 2016

Albies was invited to spring training in 2016, and opened the season with the Double A

Southern League playoffs, but Albies injured his right elbow in the first postseason game and sat out the remainder of the season.[26]

Atlanta Braves

2017

Albies was again invited to spring training at the start of the 2017 season.[27] He was called up later that year on 1 August, and made his major league debut against the Los Angeles Dodgers.[28] On 3 August 2017, against the Dodgers, Albies hit his first career home run for his first Major League hit.[29]

2018

Albies was part of the Braves' Opening Day starting lineup to open the 2018 season.[30] On 12 June 2018, Albies hit a grand slam against the New York Mets en route to an 8–2 win.[31] Albies became the youngest player ever to have two grand slams.[32] On 25 June 2018, Albies hit his first career walk-off home run against the Cincinnati Reds.[33] On 8 July 2018, while owning a .281 batting average with 18 home runs and 50 RBIs,[34] Albies was named an All-Star via the player vote in his first full year in the major leagues.[35][36] On 11 July, against the Toronto Blue Jays, he had his first career multi-home run game.[37]

In 2018, he batted .261/.305/.452 with 24 home runs and 72 RBIs. On defense, he committed 10 errors, fourth-most of all NL second basemen.[38]

2019

On 11 April 2019, Albies signed a seven-year, $35 million extension to remain with the Braves.[39][40] The deal includes options for the 2026 and 2027 seasons. Both years are worth $7 million with a $4 million buyout.[41]

In 2019, he batted .295/.352/.500 with 102 runs, 24 home runs, 86 RBIs, and 112 strikeouts.[42] Albies and teammates Ronald Acuña Jr. and Freddie Freeman won the 2019 National League Silver Slugger Awards for second base, outfield, and first base, respectively.[43][44] On defense, in 2019 he had the best fielding percentage of all major league second basemen (.994).[45]

2020

In the 2020 COVID-19 pandemic-shortened season, he batted .271/.306/.466 with six home runs and 19 RBIs.[42]

2021

On 3 June 2021, Albies recorded his 500th career hit, an RBI double off of Washington Nationals reliever Sam Clay.[46] Albies was selected as a reserve for the 2021 All-Star Game.[47] When Albies hit his twenty-fifth home run of the season on 4 September, the 2021 Atlanta Braves became the second team in Major League Baseball history to have its starting infielders hit twenty-five home runs each.[48] On 22 September, Albies recorded his thirtieth home run and one hundredth RBI of the season, marking the first time in his career that he reached either milestone. He became the first second baseman in Braves franchise history to have hit thirty home runs and driven in one hundred runs in the same season.[49] While playing the Philadelphia Phillies on 29 September, Albies scored his 100th run of the season.[50]

In the 2021 season, he batted .259/.310/.488 in 629 at bats (2nd in the NL), with 103 runs (4th), 40 doubles (3rd), 7 triples (3rd), 30 home runs, 106 RBIs (3rd), and 128 strikeouts.

Heart and Hustle Award.[54]

2022

On 11 June 2022, Albies hit a grand slam off of St. Louis Cardinals pitcher Chris Stratton.[55] Albies fractured his left foot in a game against the Washington Nationals on 13 June 2022.[56][57] He was subsequently placed on the 60-day injured list and underwent a surgical procedure, performed by Robert Anderson.[58] Albies returned to the active roster on 16 September.[59][60] The next day, Albies fractured his right pinky while sliding into second base.[61][62]

2023

At the midseason of the 2023 season, Albies was once again nominated as a reserve infielder for the National League in the 2023 Major League Baseball All-Star Game.[63] Albies played in every game up until 14 August, and was placed on the 10-day injured list for the first time all season the next day.[64][65] He returned to the 25-man roster on 28 August.[66][67]

Personal life

Albies was born in Willemstad, Curaçao, to parents Osgarry and Judari.[3][68][69] His father died in 2013 of a heart attack at the age of 40.[68] Albies has a younger brother, Zhhihir, and sister, Jeanalyn.[70][71] Albies is married to Andreia.[72]

References

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  2. ^ Jackson, Josh (17 February 2016). "Prospect Q&A: Albies set to build on success". MILB.com. Retrieved 12 July 2018.
  3. ^ a b Waldstein, David (13 March 2016). "Braves Again Look to Curaçao and Find Another Top Prospect". New York Times. Retrieved 23 April 2016.
  4. ^ Walton, Carroll Rogers (19 June 2015). "Albies gives Braves another top prospect from Curacao". The Atlanta Journal-Constitution. Retrieved 23 April 2016.
  5. ^ McDaniel, Kiley (29 January 2015). "Evaluating the Prospects: Atlanta Braves". Fangraphs. Retrieved 26 June 2015.
  6. ^ Dillard, Zach (17 December 2015). "Touted Braves prospect Ozhaino Albies open to position change". Fox Sports. Retrieved 3 July 2016.
  7. ^ Johnson, Matthew (21 July 2014). "Danville Takes Second Game After Dropping First To Astros". MILB.com. Retrieved 6 July 2016.
  8. ^ O'Brien, David (19 January 2015). "Atlanta Braves prospects list shuffled by multiple trades". Albany Herald. Retrieved 1 April 2015.
  9. ^ O'Brien, David (29 January 2015). "Peraza leads 6 Braves prospects in ESPN's Top 100". The Atlanta Journal-Constitution. Retrieved 1 April 2015.
  10. Law, Keith (29 January 2015). "Top 100 prospects (Nos. 1-50)"
    . ESPN.com. Retrieved 12 April 2016.
  11. ^ O'Brien, David (25 June 2015). "Braves have another potential standout shortstop from Curacao". The Atlanta Journal-Constitution. Retrieved 23 April 2016.
  12. ^ Lee, David (18 April 2015). "Rome Braves teen Albies turns heads with shortstop play". Augusta Chronicle. Retrieved 12 April 2016.
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  16. ^ Cunningham, Michael (12 July 2015). "Braves prospect Albies shines with future stars". Atlanta Journal-Constitution. Retrieved 3 July 2016.
  17. ^ Bondy, Robert (July 2015). "Albies showcases talents at Futures Game". MLB.com. Retrieved 31 January 2016.
  18. ^ Collazo, Carlos (August 2015). "Braves top prospect Albies to miss rest of season". MLB.com. Retrieved 5 March 2016.
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  33. ^ Bowman, Mark (26 June 2018). "Albies seeing ya! Ozzie calls his shot". MLB.com. Retrieved 12 July 2018.
  34. ^ Hill, Jordan D. (9 July 2018). "The Braves have the most players on the NL All-Star team. See who made the squad". Ledger Enquirer. Retrieved 24 April 2019.
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  38. ^ a b c "Ozzie Albies Stats". Baseball-Reference.com.
  39. ^ Tucker, Tim (11 April 2019). "Braves agree to seven-year, $35 million deal with Ozzie Albies". The Atlanta Journal-Constitution. Retrieved 11 April 2019.
  40. ^ Bowman, Mark (11 April 2019). "Braves lock up Albies through 2025". MLB.com. Retrieved 11 April 2019.
  41. ^ "Braves, 2B Albies agree to 7-year, $35M deal". ESPN.com. Associated Press. 11 April 2019. Retrieved 11 April 2019.
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  45. ^ "Major League Leaderboards » 2019 » Second Basemen » Fielding Statistics". Fangraphs.com. 1 January 2019. Retrieved 8 October 2019.
  46. ^ Bright, Sterling (3 June 2021). "Keep it 500: Dansby swats HR for milestone". MLB.com. Retrieved 16 July 2021.
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  48. ^ Randhawa, Manny (4 September 2021). "Braves infield makes history on Albies' HR". MLB.com. Retrieved 6 September 2021.
  49. ^ Bowman, Mark (23 September 2021). "Albies rips homer to join 30-HR, 100-RBI club". MLB.com. Retrieved 24 September 2021.
  50. ^ "Fried, Riley power Braves past Phils; magic number down to 1". Associated Press. 30 September 2021. Retrieved 30 September 2021.
  51. ^ "Major League Leaderboards » 2021 » Batters » Plate Discipline Statistics | FanGraphs Baseball". www.fangraphs.com.
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  55. ^ "Ozzie Albies' grand slam | 06/11/2022". MLB.com.
  56. ^ Trezza, Joe (13 June 2022). "Albies exits game with fractured left foot". MLB.com. Retrieved 13 June 2022.
  57. ^ "Surging Atlanta Braves lose star second baseman Ozzie Albies with fractured left foot in fifth inning". ESPN.com. 13 June 2022. Retrieved 13 June 2022.
  58. ^ Toscano, Justin (15 June 2022). "Ozzie Albies of the Braves undergoes successful surgery for foot fracture". The Atlanta Journal-Constitution. Retrieved 16 June 2022.
  59. ^ Burns, Gabriel (16 September 2022). "Ozzie Albies returns for Braves months after foot fracture". Atlanta Journal Constitution. Retrieved 17 September 2022.
  60. ^ Torres, Maria (16 September 2022). "Braves enjoy Ozzie Albies' return, 'watching Ozzie's helmet fly off'". Retrieved 17 September 2022.
  61. ^ "Atlanta Braves' Ozzie Albies fractures right pinky finger day after coming off IL". ESPN.com. 17 September 2022. Retrieved 17 September 2022.
  62. ^ Bowman, Mark (18 September 2022). "Albies avoids surgery, out for regular season". Retrieved 18 September 2022.
  63. ^ Toscano, Justin. "Great Eight: Braves set franchise record with eight All-Stars". The Atlanta Journal-Constitution.
  64. ^ "Braves' Ozzie Albies headed to 10-day IL with hamstring strain". ESPN.com. Associated Press. 14 August 2023. Retrieved 16 August 2023.
  65. ^ "Braves recall INF Vaughn Grissom as Ozzie Albies hits IL". ESPN.com. Associated Press. 15 August 2023. Retrieved 16 August 2023.
  66. ^ "Braves reinstate All-Star 2B Ozzie Albies from injured list". ESPN.com. Associated Press. 28 August 2023. Retrieved 29 August 2023.
  67. ^ "Fans who made contact with Braves star Ronald Acuña Jr. charged with trespassing, disturbing peace". ESPN.com. Associated Press. 29 August 2023. Retrieved 30 August 2023.
  68. ^ a b McQuade, Alec (17 February 2017). "Tragedy and competition fuel Ozzie Albies' pursuit to the majors". WXIA-TV. Retrieved 11 July 2018.
  69. ^ Bowman, Mark (12 July 2018). "Albies' biggest fan there to see 19th, 20th HRs". MLB.com. Retrieved 12 July 2018.
  70. ^ Hummer, Steve (7 May 2016). "Albies one big step away from fulfilling Braves dream". The Atlanta Journal-Constitution. Retrieved 12 July 2018.
  71. ^ O'Brien, David (27 March 2018). "Braves' Albies: Small in stature, large in impact". The Atlanta Journal-Constitution. Retrieved 12 July 2018.
  72. ^ Monagan, Matt (15 August 2023). "The Braves star who lives in an aquarium". MLB.com. Retrieved 17 August 2023. Albies, his wife, Andreia, and his mother-in-law all help with the feeding and maintaining of the tanks.

External links