Ozzie Albies

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 began the 2015 season 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 an 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 via 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]

On April 11, 2019, Albies signed a seven-year, $35 million extension to remain with the Braves.[41][42] The deal includes options for the 2026 and 2027 seasons. Both years are worth $7 million with a $4 million buyout.[43]

On defense, in 2019 he had the best fielding percentage of all major league second basemen (.994).[44] 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.[45][46]