Aaron Altherr facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Aaron Altherr |
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Altherr with the Phillies in 2017
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| Cleburne Railroaders – No. 34 | |||
| Outfielder | |||
| Born: January 14, 1991 Landstuhl, Germany |
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| Professional debut | |||
| MLB: June 16, 2014, for the Philadelphia Phillies | |||
| KBO: May 5, 2020, for the NC Dinos | |||
| MLB statistics (through 2019 season) |
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| Batting average | .219 | ||
| Home runs | 37 | ||
| Runs batted in | 150 | ||
| KBO statistics (through 2021 season) |
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| Batting average | .275 | ||
| Home runs | 63 | ||
| Runs batted in | 192 | ||
| Teams | |||
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| Career highlights and awards | |||
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Aaron Samuel Altherr (born January 14, 1991) is a German-American professional baseball outfielder. He currently plays for the Cleburne Railroaders in the American Association of Professional Baseball. Aaron was chosen by the Philadelphia Phillies in the 2009 Major League Baseball draft. He has played in Major League Baseball (MLB) for the Phillies, San Francisco Giants, and New York Mets. He also played in the KBO League for the NC Dinos.
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Aaron Altherr's Early Life
Aaron Altherr was born in Germany. His mother, Michelle, was in the United States Air Force and was stationed there. His father, Frank, is German and used to play professional soccer in Germany. Aaron moved around a lot when he was growing up. He lived in places like Kansas City and Arizona.
Aaron Altherr's Baseball Career
Starting with the Philadelphia Phillies
Drafted and Early Years (2009–2012)
The Philadelphia Phillies drafted Aaron in 2009. He was picked in the ninth round from Agua Fria High School in Arizona. Aaron was a great athlete in high school. He played many sports and even led his high school to a state championship in 2008. He also had offers to play college basketball.
He started his professional baseball journey with the GCL Phillies. In 2009, he played 28 games and hit one home run. In 2010, he played well for the GCL team. He then moved up to the Williamsport Crosscutters. After that season, he was seen as one of the Phillies' top young players.
In 2011, Aaron played for the Single-A Lakewood BlueClaws. He then went back to Williamsport, where he became an All-Star. He played 71 games, hitting 5 home runs and stealing 25 bases. In 2012, he got another chance with Lakewood. He played 110 games, hitting 8 home runs and stealing 25 bases. He mostly played center field. In 2013, he played for the High-A Clearwater Threshers. He hit 12 home runs and stole 23 bases in 123 games.
Making it to the Major Leagues (2013–2015)
Aaron played for the Germany national baseball team in 2013. This was during the qualifying games for the 2013 World Baseball Classic. He was added to the Phillies' main roster in November 2013.
In 2014, Aaron was supposed to start with the Double-A Reading Fightin Phils. But he was sent to Clearwater for a short time. After playing well, he quickly moved back to Reading. He was hitting well, which led to his promotion to Philadelphia.
On June 16, 2014, Aaron Altherr made his Major League Baseball debut. He played as a pinch-hitter for the Philadelphia Phillies. He was sent back to Reading a few days later.
In 2015, Aaron was called up to Philadelphia again in August. He got his first Major League hit, an RBI double, on August 19. In the same game, he hit his first Major League home run. On September 25, Aaron hit an amazing inside-the-park grand slam. This means he hit the ball and ran all the way around the bases for a home run. It was a very rare play in baseball history! He hit another home run in the same game, making it a multi-home run game.
Later Years with the Phillies (2016–2019)
In 2016, Aaron had surgery on his left wrist. This caused him to miss the first half of the season. He returned to play in July.
On September 18, 2017, Aaron hit another grand slam. This one was against Clayton Kershaw, a famous pitcher for the Los Angeles Dodgers. It was the first grand slam Kershaw had ever given up in his long career. In 2017, Aaron had a strong season. He hit 19 home runs and had 65 RBIs.
In 2018, Aaron played for the Phillies and also spent some time with their Triple-A team. He hit 8 home runs and had 37 RBIs that year. In April 2019, Aaron even pitched in a game! He showed off his strong arm, throwing his fastball over 90 miles per hour. He was later moved off the Phillies' main roster in May 2019.
Playing for Other MLB Teams
San Francisco Giants (2019)
In May 2019, the San Francisco Giants picked up Aaron. He played one game for them before being moved off their roster again.
New York Mets (2019)
The New York Mets then claimed Aaron in May 2019. He hit a home run in his very first at-bat with the Mets! He played 31 games for them before becoming a free agent in October.
Playing in South Korea (NC Dinos)
In November 2019, Aaron signed a contract to play for the NC Dinos in the KBO League in South Korea. He did very well there! In 2020, he helped the NC Dinos win the Korean Series championship. He signed another contract with them for 2021. In 2021, he hit 32 home runs and had 84 RBIs in 143 games. After the 2021 season, he became a free agent.
Independent League Baseball
Tri-City ValleyCats (2023)
In March 2023, Aaron signed with the Tri-City ValleyCats in the Frontier League. This is an independent baseball league. He played 82 games, hitting 21 home runs and stealing 8 bases.
Algodoneros de Unión Laguna (2024)
In March 2024, Aaron joined the Algodoneros de Unión Laguna in the Mexican League. He played 45 games for them. He became a free agent after the season.
Cleburne Railroaders (2025)
As of March 2025, Aaron Altherr signed with the Cleburne Railroaders. He is currently playing for this team in the American Association of Professional Baseball.
Aaron Altherr's International Play
Aaron played for the Germany national baseball team in 2013. This was during the qualifying rounds for the 2013 World Baseball Classic.
Aaron Altherr's Personal Life
Aaron Altherr was born in Landstuhl, Germany. His mother, Michelle, was in the United States Air Force. His father, Frank, was a professional soccer player in Germany.
Aaron married Samantha Chavez in November 2016. Their son, Isaiah, was born in 2022.
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