Ozzie Albies
Ozzie Albies | |||
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Albies in 2018 | |||
Atlanta Braves – No. 1 | |||
Second baseman / Shortstop | |||
Born: Willemstad, Curaçao | January 7, 1997|||
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MLB debut | |||
August 1, 2017, for the Atlanta Braves | |||
MLB statistics (through September 25, 2018) | |||
Batting average | .270 | ||
Home runs | 30 | ||
Runs batted in | 100 | ||
Teams | |||
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Career highlights and awards | |||
Ozhaino Jurdy Jiandro "Ozzie" Albies (born January 7, 1997) is a Curaçaoan professional baseball second baseman for the Atlanta Braves of Major League Baseball (MLB).
Early life
Albies was born in Willemstad, Curaçao,[1] to parents Osgarry and Judari.[2][3] His father died in 2013 of a heart attack, aged 40.[2] Albies has a younger brother, Zhhihir,[4] and sister, Jeanalyn.[5]
Career
Albies started playing baseball at the age of six, and began switch hitting in 2013.[6][7] Discovered by the Curaçao-based scout Dargello Lodowica,[1] Albies was signed by the Atlanta Braves for $350,000 as an international free agent on July 2, 2013.[8][9] Influencing his decision to sign was the Braves' connection to Andruw Jones and Andrelton Simmons, both, like Albies, natives of Curaçao.[10] He made his professional debut in 2014 with the Gulf Coast Braves and joined the Danville Braves in July.[11] In 57 games, Albies hit .364/.446/.444 with a home run.[12] After the season, he was ranked among the top 100 prospects in baseball by Keith Law,[13][14] and fifth-best in Braves farm system by Baseball America.[15] Albies started 2015 with the Rome Braves.[16] In July, he was named to the All Star Futures Game.[17][18] He was the only Braves prospect to appear in the game that year, as well as the youngest player on the field.[19][20] Albies went 1-2 in the game, which the World Team lost to the U.S. 10-1.[21] He fractured his right thumb during the first week of August and missed the remainder of the season.[22] In 98 games, Albies hit .310/.368/.404 and stole 29 bases.[23] MLB.com placed him third on the list of top Braves prospects at the end of 2015, and 30th overall throughout the minors.[24]
Albies was invited to spring training in 2016, and opened the season with the Double A Mississippi Braves.[25] After 22 appearances with Mississippi, he hit .369/.442/.512 and was promoted to the Triple A Gwinnett Braves on April 30.[26] In two months with Gwinnett, Albies hit .248/.307/.351. On June 30, he returned to Mississippi, playing second base alongside shortstop Dansby Swanson.[27][28] 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 the Southern League playoffs, but Albies injured his right elbow in the first postseason game and sat out the remainder of the season.[29]
Albies was again invited to spring training at the start of the 2017 season.[30] He was called up later that year on August 1, and made his major league debut against the Los Angeles Dodgers.[31] On August 3, 2017, against the Dodgers, Albies hit his first career home run for his first Major League hit.[32] Albies was part of the Braves' Opening Day starting lineup to open the 2018 season.[33] On June 12, 2018, Albies hit a grand slam against the New York Mets en route to a 8-2 win.[34] Albies became the youngest player ever to have two grand slams.[35] On June 25, 2018, Albies hit his first career walk-off home run against the Cincinnati Reds.[36]
On July 8, 2018, while owning a .281 batting average with 18 home runs and 50 RBIs,[37] Albies was named an All-Star after winning a spot from the player vote in his first full year in the major leagues.[38][39] On July 11, against the Toronto Blue Jays, he had his first career multi-home run game.[40]
References
- 1 2 Waldstein, David (March 13, 2016). "Braves Again Look to Curaçao and Find Another Top Prospect". New York Times. Retrieved April 23, 2016.
- 1 2 McQuade, Alec (February 17, 2017). "Tragedy and competition fuel Ozzie Albies' pursuit to the majors". WXIA-TV. Retrieved July 11, 2018.
- ↑ Bowman, Mark (July 12, 2018). "Albies' biggest fan there to see 19th, 20th HRs". MLB.com. Retrieved July 12, 2018.
- ↑ Hummer, Steve (May 7, 2016). "Albies one big step away from fulfilling Braves dream". Atlanta Journal Constitution. Retrieved July 12, 2018.
- ↑ O'Brien, David (March 27, 2018). "Braves' Albies: Small in stature, large in impact". Atlanta Journal Constitution. Retrieved July 12, 2018.
- ↑ O'Hara, Jim (May 15, 2015). "Feature on Ozzie Albies". MILB.com. Retrieved July 6, 2016.
- ↑ Jackson, Josh (February 17, 2016). "Prospect Q&A: Albies set to build on success". MILB.com. Retrieved July 12, 2018.
- ↑ Walton, Carroll Rogers (June 19, 2015). "Albies gives Braves another top prospect from Curacao". Atlanta Journal Constitution. Retrieved April 23, 2016.
- ↑ McDaniel, Kiley (January 29, 2015). "Evaluating the Prospects: Atlanta Braves". Fangraphs. Retrieved June 26, 2015.
- ↑ Dillard, Zach (December 17, 2015). "Touted Braves prospect Ozhaino Albies open to position change". Fox Sports. Retrieved July 3, 2016.
- ↑ Johnson, Matthew (July 21, 2014). "Danville Takes Second Game After Dropping First To Astros". MILB.com. Retrieved July 6, 2016.
- ↑ O'Brien, David. "Atlanta Braves prospects list shuffled by multiple trades". Albany Herald. Retrieved April 1, 2015.
- ↑ "Peraza leads 6 Braves prospects in ESPN's Top 100". Atlanta Journal Constitution. Retrieved April 1, 2015.
- ↑ Law, Keith (January 29, 2015). "Top 100 prospects (Nos. 1-50)". ESPN.com. Retrieved April 12, 2016.
- ↑ O'Brien, David (June 25, 2015). "Braves have another potential standout shortstop from Curacao". Atlanta Journal Constitution. Retrieved April 23, 2016.
- ↑ Lee, David (April 18, 2015). "Rome Braves teen Albies turns heads with shortstop play". Augusta Chronicle. Retrieved April 12, 2016.
- ↑ Bowman, Mark (June 25, 2015). "Prospect Albies headed to Futures Game". MLB.com. Retrieved June 26, 2015.
- ↑ "Braves prospect compared to Simmons, Ozhaino Albies, to play in Futures Game". Fox Sports. June 25, 2015. Retrieved April 12, 2016.
- ↑ Lee, David (July 11, 2015). "Albies to represent Braves in Futures Game". Augusta Chronicle. Retrieved April 23, 2016.
- ↑ Cunningham, Michael (July 12, 2015). "Braves prospect Albies shines with future stars". Atlanta Journal-Constitution. Retrieved July 3, 2016.
- ↑ Bondy, Robert (July 2015). "Albies showcases talents at Futures Game". MLB.com. Retrieved January 31, 2016.
- ↑ Collazo, Carlos (August 2015). "Braves top prospect Albies to miss rest of season". MLB.com. Retrieved March 5, 2016.
- ↑ Bowman, Mark (March 4, 2016). "Phenom Albies becoming 'the talk of the coaching staff'". MLB.com. Retrieved March 5, 2016.
- ↑ Bowman, Mark (December 17, 2015). "Albies next Braves star to hail from Curacao?". MLB.com. Retrieved April 23, 2016.
- ↑ Dykstra, Sam (April 4, 2016). "Braves Prospect Primer: Rebuild rolls on". MILB.com. Retrieved April 4, 2016.
- ↑ Bowman, Mark (April 30, 2016). "Braves' top prospects climbing through system". MLB.com. Retrieved April 30, 2016.
- ↑ Bowman, Mark (June 30, 2016). "Albies moved to Double-A to play next to Swanson". MLB.com. Retrieved June 30, 2016.
- ↑ O'Brien, David (July 1, 2016). "Swanson, Albies together now in Braves' Double-A infield". Atlanta Journal Constitution. Retrieved July 5, 2016.
- ↑ Bowman, Mark (September 8, 2016). "Braves prospect Albies injures right elbow". MLB.com. Retrieved September 9, 2016.
- ↑ Bowman, Mark (January 25, 2017). "Albies, Newcomb among Braves' NRIs to camp". MLB.com. Retrieved January 26, 2017.
- ↑ Bowman, Mark (August 2, 2017). "Prospect Albies makes MLB debut for Braves". MLB.com. Retrieved August 2, 2017.
- ↑ Burns, Gabriel (August 4, 2017). "Ozzie Albies collects first career hit and homer in one swing". Atlanta Journal Constitution. Retrieved July 12, 2018.
- ↑ "Braves announce 2018 Opening Day roster". FOX Sports. Retrieved 2018-08-08.
- ↑ Bowman, Mark (June 13, 2018). "Albies' grand slam caps 6-run sixth, lifts Braves". MLB.com. Retrieved July 12, 2018.
- ↑ O'Brien, David (June 13, 2018). "5 things about Ozzie Albies' grand slam". Atlanta Journal Constitution. Retrieved July 12, 2018.
- ↑ Bowman, Mark (June 26, 2018). "Albies seeing ya! Ozzie calls his shot". MLB.com. Retrieved July 12, 2018.
- ↑ https://www.ledger-enquirer.com/sports/mlb/atlanta-braves/article214550540.html
- ↑ Dillard, Zach (July 8, 2018). "Four Braves players make National League All-Star roster". Fox Sports. Retrieved July 12, 2018.
- ↑ Wilborn, Nubyjas (July 9, 2018). "4 Braves picked for All-Star Game". Marietta Daily Journal. Retrieved July 12, 2018.
- ↑ "Braves' Ozzie Albies: Blasts two homers in win over Jays". CBSSports.com. Retrieved 2018-08-08.
External links
Wikimedia Commons has media related to Ozzie Albies. |
- Career statistics and player information from MLB, or ESPN, or Baseball-Reference, or Fangraphs, or The Baseball Cube, or Baseball-Reference (Minors)
- Ozzie Albies on Twitter