Andruw Jones facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Andruw Jones |
|||
|---|---|---|---|
Jones with the Texas Rangers in 2009
|
|||
| Center fielder | |||
| Born: April 23, 1977 Willemstad, Curaçao |
|||
|
|||
| Professional debut | |||
| MLB: August 15, 1996, for the Atlanta Braves | |||
| NPB: March 29, 2013, for the Tohoku Rakuten Golden Eagles | |||
| Last appearance | |||
| MLB: October 3, 2012, for the New York Yankees | |||
| NPB: October 1, 2014, for the Tohoku Rakuten Golden Eagles | |||
| MLB statistics | |||
| Batting average | .254 | ||
| Home runs | 434 | ||
| Runs batted in | 1,289 | ||
| NPB statistics | |||
| Batting average | .232 | ||
| Home runs | 50 | ||
| Runs batted in | 165 | ||
| Teams | |||
|
|||
| Career highlights and awards | |||
|
|||
Andruw Rudolf Jones (born April 23, 1977) is a former professional baseball center fielder from Curaçao. He played 17 seasons in Major League Baseball (MLB), mostly for the Atlanta Braves. Jones also played for the Los Angeles Dodgers, Texas Rangers, Chicago White Sox, and New York Yankees. Later, he played in Nippon Professional Baseball (NPB) for the Tohoku Rakuten Golden Eagles.
Andruw Jones was known for his amazing defense. He won the Rawlings Gold Glove Award for outfielders every year from 1998 to 2007. He also had a very strong throwing arm. He was an MLB All-Star five times. In 2005, he won both the Hank Aaron Award and a Silver Slugger Award for outfielders.
Jones made his MLB debut in 1996 with the Atlanta Braves. In the 1996 World Series, he became the youngest player to hit a home run in the postseason. He was also only the second player to hit a home run in his first two World Series at-bats.
Contents
Early Life and Baseball Beginnings
Andruw Jones was born on April 23, 1977, in Willemstad, Curaçao. When he was 11, Jones played on a youth baseball team that traveled to Japan for a tournament. He was good at many positions, but his strong arm often put him at catcher or third base. A few years later, he started playing in the outfield.
Jones signed with the Atlanta Braves team in 1993 when he was 16. He quickly moved up through their minor league teams. In 1995, playing for Class-A Macon, he hit a home run in his very first at-bat. That season, he hit 25 home runs and had 100 runs batted in. He also led his league with 56 steals. Because of his great season, he was named minor league player of the year by USA Today and Baseball America.
Major League Baseball Career
Atlanta Braves (1996–2007)
The Braves called Jones up to play in Atlanta on August 15, 1996. He was only 19 years old. In his first MLB game, Jones got one hit and one RBI. In his second game, he hit a home run and a triple. He played in right field at first because Marquis Grissom was already the team's center fielder. Jones finished his first season batting .217 with five home runs.
In Game 1 of the 1996 World Series on October 20, Jones showed off his skills. He hit two home runs in his first two at-bats. The Braves won that game 12–1. Jones became the youngest player ever to hit a home run in the World Series. He was 19 years and 180 days old.
In 1997, Jones became the Braves' everyday right fielder. He finished his rookie season with a .231 batting average, 18 home runs, and 70 RBIs. He also stole 20 bases. In 1998, he moved to center field full-time and had a much better season. He hit 30 home runs and won his first of ten straight Gold Glove Awards.
Jones played in a very relaxed way. Sometimes, this bothered his manager, Bobby Cox. In 1998, Cox even took Jones out of a game because he thought Jones was being lazy. Still, Jones continued to play well. In 2000, he had a fantastic season, batting .303 with 36 home runs and 104 RBIs. This earned him his first All-Star Game appearance. People started comparing him to baseball legend Willie Mays.
In 2001, Jones's batting average dropped, and he struck out more often. He still hit 34 home runs and had 104 RBIs. By this time, Jones had gained weight, which made him slower on the bases. He continued to play superb defense. In 2002, he hit four home runs in four straight at-bats over two games. He also hit three home runs in one game against the Phillies. Jones was named to his second All-Star team.
In 2003, Jones had a new career high with 116 RBIs. He made his third All-Star team and hit a home run in the game. In 2004, his home run numbers dipped, and he struck out 147 times.
Breakout Season in 2005
Before the 2005 season, Jones worked out more and changed his batting stance. This led to his best offensive season ever. When teammate Chipper Jones got injured, Andruw stepped up for the Braves. By the All-Star break, Jones led the National League with 27 home runs. He was named to his fourth All-Star team.
On August 23, he hit his 40th home run of the season. On September 14, 2005, Jones hit his 300th career home run. He became the first player since Alex Rodriguez and Jim Thome to hit at least 50 home runs in a season. Jones also became the 12th player in history to hit 300 home runs before turning 30.
Jones led the major leagues with 51 home runs, breaking a Braves club record. He also led the National League with a career-high 128 RBIs. His strong hitting helped the Braves win their 14th straight division championship. He finished second in the NL MVP vote.
Later Braves Years (2006–2007)
In 2006, Jones played for the Netherlands in the World Baseball Classic. He started the MLB season strong, hitting a home run on opening day. He hit home runs in four straight games in April. Jones finished the 2006 season with 41 home runs and 129 RBIs. He also walked more often, which helped him score 107 runs. He won his ninth straight Gold Glove award.
In 2007, Jones had a tough start to the season, striking out a lot and having a low batting average. On April 30, he hit a three-run walk-off home run to win the game. On May 28, Jones hit his 350th career home run. He finished the 2007 season with 26 home runs and 94 RBIs, but his batting average was only .222. On October 2, the Braves announced that Jones would not be returning for the 2008 season.
Los Angeles Dodgers (2008)
On December 5, 2007, Jones signed a two-year contract with the Los Angeles Dodgers. However, he struggled with the team, batting only .158 with three home runs. He also had knee surgery in May 2008. Due to his struggles, the Dodgers released him in January 2009.
Texas Rangers (2009)
On February 8, 2009, Jones signed a one-year contract with the Texas Rangers. He earned a spot on the team and became a starting outfielder due to an injury to a teammate. On July 8, Jones hit three home runs in one game against the Angels. He finished the season with 17 home runs in 82 games.
Chicago White Sox (2010)
On November 25, 2009, Jones signed with the Chicago White Sox. He showed up to spring training in much better shape. On April 23, 2010, his 33rd birthday, Jones hit two home runs, including a walk-off to win the game. On July 11, he hit his 400th career home run. He finished the year with 19 home runs in 107 games.
New York Yankees (2011–2012)
On January 20, 2011, Jones signed with the New York Yankees. In his first at-bat with the Yankees, he hit a home run. He finished the 2011 season with a .247 average, 13 home runs, and 33 RBIs. Jones re-signed with the Yankees for 2012. He played well in the first half of the season, hitting 12 home runs in 62 games.
Nippon Professional Baseball
Tohoku Rakuten Golden Eagles (2013–2014)
On December 7, 2012, Jones agreed to a one-year contract with the Tohoku Rakuten Golden Eagles in Nippon Professional Baseball (Japan). He finished the regular season with 26 home runs and 94 RBIs. He helped the Eagles win their first Pacific League Championship. His strong play continued in the postseason, helping the Eagles win the 2013 Japan Series. After the season, Jones re-signed with Rakuten for 2014. In his two years in Japan, Jones hit 50 home runs.
Retirement and Legacy
After playing in Japan, Jones tried to return to MLB in 2015 and 2016. He officially retired from baseball in February 2016. Soon after, he was hired by the Braves as a special assistant. On April 3, 2023, the Braves announced that Jones's number 25 would be retired by the team on September 9, 2023.
Jones ended his career with 434 home runs and 1,289 runs batted in. His home run total was tied for 40th on the all-time list when he retired. While he was known for his power, he struggled with hitting for a high batting average. He only batted .300 or better once in his career.
Early in his career, Jones was also very fast. He stole 20 or more bases from 1997 to 2000. However, his speed decreased as he gained weight and hit for more power.
From 1998 to 2007, Jones won 10 straight Gold Gloves. This ties him for third all-time among outfielders, behind only Willie Mays and Roberto Clemente. Baseball experts have ranked Jones as one of the most valuable defensive outfielders in baseball history.
International Play
Andruw Jones represented the Netherlands national baseball team in international competitions because he was born in Curaçao. In the first World Baseball Classic in 2006, Jones did not get any hits. However, in the 2013 WBC, he played much better, getting nine hits and five walks.
.jpg)
In 2015, Jones played for the Netherlands team again as a first baseman in the 2015 WBSC Premier12. He later announced that these were his final games as a player. Jones was named the coach of the Netherlands team for the 2026 World Baseball Classic on May 20, 2025.
Family Life
Andruw Jones is married to Nicole Derick. They have a son and a daughter. Their son, Druw Jones, was a top baseball prospect and was chosen second overall in the 2022 Major League Baseball draft by the Arizona Diamondbacks. Andruw and Nicole Jones have supported Jaden's Ladder, a group that helps people who have experienced domestic violence.
Awards and Achievements
- Minor League Player of the Year Award (1995 and 1996)
- Youngest player in the National League (1996 and 1997)
- 10-Time NL Gold Glove Award Winner (1998–2007)
- 5-Time All-Star (2000, 2002–03, 2005–06)
- Inaugural National League All-Star Final Vote winner (2002)
- Led the majors with 51 home runs in 2005
- Held Braves record for most home runs in a season (2005, with 51) until surpassed by Matt Olson in 2023
- Led the National League with 656 at-bats in 2000
- Led the National League with 128 RBIs in 2005
- NL Silver Slugger Award in 2005
- NL Hank Aaron Award as the league's best offensive player in 2005
- NL Player of the Month for June and August 2005
- Major League Player of the Year for 2005, as chosen by the Major League Baseball Players Association
- Fielding Bible Award at center field (2007)
- Number retired by the Atlanta Braves on September 9, 2023
Jones has been on the ballot for the National Baseball Hall of Fame since 2018. His support has grown over the years, reaching 66.2% in 2024 and 61.6% in 2025. A player can be on the ballot up to 10 times.
Jones was inducted into the Atlanta Braves Hall of Fame in 2016. His uniform number, 25, was retired by the team on September 9, 2023.
See also
In Spanish: Andruw Jones para niños
- List of Major League Baseball career home run leaders
- List of Major League Baseball career runs scored leaders
- List of Major League Baseball career runs batted in leaders
- List of Major League Baseball annual runs batted in leaders
- List of Major League Baseball annual home run leaders
