Albies started playing baseball at the age of six, and began switch-hitting in 2013.[1][2] Discovered by the Curaçao-based scout Dargello Lodowica,[3] Albies was signed by theAtlanta Braves for $350,000 as an international free agent on July 2, 2013.[4][5] Influencing his decision to sign was the Braves' connection toAndruw Jones andAndrelton Simmons, both, like Albies, natives ofCuraçao.[6] He made his professional debut in 2014 with theGulf Coast Braves and joined theDanville Braves in July.[7] In 57 games, Albies hit .364/.446/.444 with ahome run.[8] After the season, he was ranked among the top 100 prospects in baseball byKeith Law,[9][10] and fifth-best in Braves farm system byBaseball America.[11]
Albies began the 2015 season with theRome Braves.[12] In July, he was named to theAll 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]
Albies was invited to spring training in 2016, and opened the season with the Double AMississippi Braves.[22] After 22 appearances with Mississippi, he hit .369/.442/.512 and was promoted to the Triple AGwinnett Braves on April 30.[23] In two months with Gwinnett, Albies hit .248/.307/.351. On June 30, he returned to Mississippi, playing second base alongside shortstopDansby Swanson.[24][25] Upon Swanson's promotion to the major leagues, Albies remained in Mississippi, having hit for a .292 batting average and a .778 OPS between the Double A and Triple A levels. Mississippi made theSouthern League playoffs, but Albies injured his right elbow in the first postseason game and sat out the remainder of the season.[26]
Albies was again invited to spring training at the start of the 2017 season.[27] He was called up later that year on August 1, 2017, and made his major league debut against theLos Angeles Dodgers.[28] On August 3 against the Dodgers, Albies hit his first career home run for his first Major League hit.[29]
Albies was part of the Braves' Opening Day starting lineup to open the 2018 season.[30] On June 12, 2018, Albies hit agrand slam against theNew York Mets en route to an 8–2 win.[31] Albies became the youngest player ever to have two grand slams.[32] On June 25, Albies hit his first careerwalk-off home run against theCincinnati Reds.[33] On July 8, while owning a .281 batting average with 18 home runs and 50 RBIs,[34] Albies was named anAll-Star via the player vote in his first full year in the major leagues.[35][36] On July 11, against theToronto 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.[38] On defense, he committed 10 errors, fourth-most of all NL second basemen.[39]
On April 11, 2019, Albies signed a seven-year, $35 million extension to remain with the Braves.[40][41] The deal includes options for the 2026 and 2027 seasons. Both years are worth $7 million with a $4 million buyout.[42]
In 2019, he batted .295/.352/.500 with 102 runs, 24 home runs, 86 RBIs, and 112 strikeouts.[39] Albies and teammatesRonald Acuña Jr. andFreddie Freeman won the 2019 National LeagueSilver Slugger Awards for second base, outfield, and first base, respectively.[43][44] On defense, in 2019 he had the bestfielding percentage of all major league second basemen (.994).[45]
On June 3, 2021, Albies recorded his 500th career hit, an RBI double off ofWashington Nationals relieverSam Clay.[47] Albies was selected as a reserve for the2021 All-Star Game.[48] When Albies hit his 25th home run of the season on September 4, the2021 Braves became the second team in Major League Baseball history to have its starting infielders hit twenty-five home runs each.[49] On September 22, Albies recorded his 30th home run and 100th 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.[50] While playing thePhiladelphia Phillies on September 29, Albies scored his 100th run of the season.[51]
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.[39] He swung at a higher percentage of pitches in thestrike zone than any other major leaguer, at 83.4%.[52] On defense, he led all second basemen with 389 assists and committed 8 errors, fourth-most of all NL second basemen.[39] The Braves finished with an 88–73 record, clinching theNL East, and eventually won the2021 World Series, giving the Braves their first title since 1995.[53] Following the 2021 season, Albies won a second Silver Slugger Award,[54] as well as theHeart & Hustle Award.[55]
On June 11, 2022, Albies hit a grand slam off ofSt. Louis Cardinals pitcherChris Stratton.[56] Albies fractured his left foot in a game against theWashington Nationals on June 13.[57][58] He was subsequently placed on the 60-dayinjured list and underwent a surgical procedure, performed by Robert Anderson.[59] Albies returned to the active roster on September 16.[60][61] The next day, Albies fractured his right pinky while sliding into second base.[62][63]
At the midseason of the 2023 season, Albies was once again nominated as a reserve infielder for the National League in the2023 MLB All-Star Game.[64] Albies played in every game up until August 14, 2023, and was placed on the 10-day injured list for the first time all season the next day.[65][66] He returned to the 25-man roster on August 28.[67][68]
Albies was hit by a pitch fromSpencer Arrighetti on April 15, 2024, fractured his toe, and subsequently placed on the 10-day injured list.[69] On July 21, Albies fractured his left wrist in a collision withSt. Louis Cardinals outfielderMichael Siani, and was expected to miss eight weeks of the season.[70][71] Ablies returned to action on September 20, batting exclusively right-handed.[72]
Albies was born inWillemstad,Curaçao, to parents Osgarry and Judari.[3][73][74] His father died in 2013 of a heart attack at the age of 40.[73] Albies has a younger brother, Zhhihir, and sister, Jeanalyn.[75][76] Albies is married to Andreia.[77]
^Monagan, Matt (15 August 2023)."The Braves star who lives in an aquarium".MLB.com. Retrieved17 August 2023.Albies, his wife, Andreia, and his mother-in-law all help with the feeding and maintaining of the tanks.
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