| Kurt Suzuki | |
|---|---|
_(cropped).jpg) Suzuki with the Washington Nationals in 2019 | |
| Catcher | |
| Born: (1983-10-04)October 4, 1983 (age 41) Wailuku, Hawaii, U.S. | |
Batted: Right Threw: Right | |
| MLB debut | |
| June 12, 2007, for the Oakland Athletics | |
| Last MLB appearance | |
| October 4, 2022, for the Los Angeles Angels | |
| MLB statistics | |
| Batting average | .255 |
| Home runs | 143 |
| Runs batted in | 730 |
Stats atBaseball Reference  | |
| Teams | |
| Career highlights and awards | |
| |
Kurtis Kiyoshi Suzuki (Japanese:鈴木 清, born October 4, 1983) is an American former professionalbaseballcatcher. He played inMajor League Baseball (MLB) for theOakland Athletics,Washington Nationals,Minnesota Twins,Atlanta Braves, andLos Angeles Angels.
Before playing professionally, Suzuki attendedCal State Fullerton, and in 2004, won theCollege World Series and theJohnny Bench andBrooks Wallace awards. That year, the Athletics selected him in the second round of theMLB draft, and Suzuki made his MLB debut in 2007. He was named anMLB All-Star in 2014 as a member of the Twins whilehitting a career-best .288. In 2019, Suzuki caught for the Nationals as they won theWorld Series, making him both a College World Series and MLB World Series champion.
Suzuki was born to Warren and Kathleen Suzuki inWailuku, Hawaii, and attendedHenry Perrine Baldwin High School from which he graduated in 2001.[1][2] Suzuki was mentored as a youth by Hawaiian MLB scout Walter Isamu Komatsubara.[3] He managed a .328batting average as a senior at Baldwin.[2]
Suzuki attendedCalifornia State University, Fullerton, where he playedcollege baseball for theCal State Fullerton Titans baseball team. CSUF appeared in the2003 College World Series[2] and captured the2004 College World Series championship, thanks to Suzuki's two-outRBIsingle in the bottom of the seventh inning, giving the Titans a 3–2 win over theTexas Longhorns.
That year, he won theJohnny Bench Award as the country's top collegiate catcher.[4] He was also selected All-American by two publications,Baseball America andCollegiate Baseball. He was also the recipient of the first-everBrooks Wallace Award.[5]
The Athletics drafted Suzuki in the second round of the2004 Major League Baseball draft and assigned him to the Single-A Short SeasonVancouver Canadians, where hebatted .297 and committed just oneerror in 46 games.
His first full season of professional baseball came in 2005, with Single-A team theStockton Ports. Playing in 114 games, Suzuki put up a .277 average, 12home runs, 65 RBIs and a .440slugging percentage.
Moving up to the Double-AMidland RockHounds in 2006, Suzuki batted .285 with a .392OBP.[6] He began the 2007 season with the Triple-ASacramento River Cats.
Suzuki joined the major league club on June 9, 2007, after rarely used catcherAdam Melhuse was traded to theTexas Rangers, and made his debut three days later as apinch hitter in a game against theHouston Astros.[7][8]
On September 10, 2007, Suzuki hit his firstgrand slam in the second inning against theSeattle Mariners.
For the 2008 season, Suzuki was the starting catcher whileRob Bowen served as backup. In the first 20 regular season games, Suzuki started 18. He ended the season with a .279 batting average in 148 games.[9]
During the 2009 season, Suzuki had a career-high 15 home runs and 88 RBIs, and batted .274 in 147 games. Suzuki led the A's in RBIs, and became only the second catcher in the franchise's history to do so. He also led the team in hits (156), doubles (37) and total bases (240), and was second in home runs and runs scored behind teammateJack Cust.
On July 23, 2010, Suzuki signed a four-year extension with theOakland Athletics, estimated to be worth $16.25 million.[10] At the end of the 2010 season, Suzuki ended with a .242 average with 13 home runs and 71 RBIs. The following season, he hit .237 with 14 home runs and 44 RBIs.
On August 3, 2012, Suzuki was traded to theWashington Nationals for minor league catcherDavid Freitas.[11]
During the 2013 season, Suzukiplatooned withWilson Ramos.[12] On May 12, 2013, Suzuki wasejected for the first time in his MLB career byumpireJohn Tumpane for arguing a strike-three call.[13]
On August 22, 2013, Suzuki was traded back to theOakland Athletics for minor leaguerDakota Bacus.[14] He played in 15 games for Oakland in 2013.
A free agent after the 2013 season, Suzuki signed with theMinnesota Twins on December 23, 2013.[15][16]
Suzuki was named to the2014 Major League Baseball All-Star Game, finishing up the game with his Twins battery-mate,Glen Perkins. He agreed to a two-year contract extension with the team on July 31, 2014.[17] In his first season with Minnesota, he hit a career-high .288 with 3 home runs and 61 RBIs. The following season he hit .240 with 5 home runs and 50 RBIs. In 2016, he hit .258 with 8 home runs but had his season shortened due to injury.
On January 30, 2017, Suzuki signed a one-year contract for $1.5 million with theAtlanta Braves.[18] He set a career high in home runs that season, hitting 19 in 276 at-bats while platooning withTyler Flowers.[19][20] On September 23, 2017, Suzuki and the Braves agreed to a one-year extension worth $3.5 million.[21] In 2018 he batted .271/.332/.444 with 12 home runs and 50 RBIs in 347 at bats.[22]
On November 20, 2018, theWashington Nationals announced that they had signed Suzuki to a two-year contract worth $10 million.[23] In 2019 he batted .264/.324/.486 with 17 home runs and 63 RBIs in 280 at bats.[22]
On October 23, 2019, Suzuki became the first Hawaii-born player to hit a home run in theWorld Series, doing so off ofJustin Verlander in Game 2.[24] Ahip flexor strain scratched him from the remaining games of the series but the Nationals won in seven games, notching their first championship and earning Suzuki his first World Series ring.[25]
In 2020, Suzuki allowed 28 stolen bases, tied for the NL lead.[26]
On January 15, 2021, Suzuki signed a one-year, $1.5 million contract with theLos Angeles Angels.[27] On April 20, Suzuki became the 16th catcher to record10,000 career putouts at the position.[28]
On March 16, 2022, Suzuki signed a one-year, $1.75 million contract to return to the Angels.[29] On September 20, Suzuki announced his plans to retire at season's end. His final appearance came on October 4, his 39th birthday, and was against his original MLB team, theOakland Athletics.
On March 5, 2023, Suzuki was hired by theLos Angeles Angels to serve as a special assistant to the general manager.[30]
Suzuki is afourth-generationJapanese American.[31] He was raised in Maui and graduated from Baldwin High School.[32]
He married his wife Renee Marie Suzuki (née Vignery) in January 2007. They met atCSUF, where she was a fellowTitan who played volleyball. They have three children, a daughter born in April 2011 and sons born in November 2013 and July 2016.[33] Suzuki took a brief paternity leave after his daughter's birth in 2011.[34][35]
In 2012, Suzuki and his wife Renee founded the Kurt Suzuki Family Foundation, a charitable nonprofit dedicated to supporting scientific research into chronic illnesses and kidney diseases. He and his wife (along withOrlando and Katie Cabrera) have also helped former Titan catcher Jon Wilhite, who was severely injured in the car crash that killedNick Adenhart.[36]
