B. J. Upton facts for kids
Quick facts for kids B. J. Upton |
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Upton with the Blue Jays in 2016
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| Center fielder | |||
| Born: August 21, 1984 Norfolk, Virginia, U.S. |
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| debut | |||
| August 2, 2004, for the Tampa Bay Devil Rays | |||
| Last appearance | |||
| October 2, 2016, for the Toronto Blue Jays | |||
| MLB statistics | |||
| Batting average | .243 | ||
| Home runs | 164 | ||
| Runs batted in | 586 | ||
| Teams | |||
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Melvin Emanuel "B. J." Upton Jr. (born August 21, 1984) is a former professional baseball player from the United States. He played as a center fielder in Major League Baseball (MLB). He played for teams like the Tampa Bay Devil Rays / Rays, Atlanta Braves, San Diego Padres, and Toronto Blue Jays.
B. J. Upton played alongside his brother, Justin Upton, on both the Atlanta Braves and San Diego Padres teams. They are the only brothers in MLB history to be picked as the No. 1 and No. 2 overall draft choices in different years. The Upton brothers also made history as the first brothers to each hit 20 home runs and steal 20 bases in the same season.
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Early Life and Baseball Beginnings
B. J. Upton was born to Melvin and Yvonne Upton. His mother was a teacher, and his father worked as a scout for the Kansas City Royals and a college basketball referee.
Before high school, Upton played on a travel baseball team with other future MLB stars. These included Mark Reynolds, David Wright, and Ryan Zimmerman. He graduated from Greenbrier Christian Academy in Chesapeake, Virginia.
As a member of the 18U United States national baseball team, Upton was a strong hitter. In his senior year of high school, he batted an amazing .641. He also hit 11 home runs and stole 43 bases. He planned to play college baseball at Florida State.
Journey Through the Minor Leagues
In the 2002 Major League Baseball draft, the Tampa Bay team picked Upton second overall. He was drafted as a shortstop right out of high school. Many people thought he was a very talented player who could hit for both power and average.
Baseball America magazine ranked Upton as a top prospect in baseball. He was the starting shortstop in the All-Star Futures Game in both 2004 and 2005.
Major League Career Highlights
Playing for the Tampa Bay Rays (2004–2012)
Upton made his first appearance in Major League Baseball on August 2, 2004. He was less than three weeks away from his 20th birthday. This made him the youngest player ever for the Rays at that time. In his first game, he got a hit against the Boston Red Sox.
His younger brother, Justin, was chosen as the top overall pick in the 2005 Major League Baseball draft. This made them the highest-drafted brothers in baseball history.
In his early years, Upton played different positions for the Rays. He started at shortstop, then moved to third base, and later to second base. In 2007, he became the team's starting center fielder.
In 2007, Upton hit 24 home runs and stole 22 bases. He was one of only six players in the American League that year to have at least 20 home runs and 20 stolen bases.
During the 2008 season, Upton had some discussions with his manager, Joe Maddon, about his effort on the field. Despite these moments, he became a key player in the team's postseason run. He hit 7 home runs in the playoffs that year.
In the 2008 American League Division Series against the Chicago White Sox, Upton hit three home runs. He hit four home runs against the Boston Red Sox in the 2008 ALCS. The Rays made it to the World Series but lost to the Philadelphia Phillies.
On October 2, 2009, Upton made history for the Rays. He became the first player for the team to hit for the cycle. This means he hit a single, double, triple, and home run all in the same game. In 2009, he stole 42 bases, which was third-most in the league.
On September 11, 2011, Upton hit his first grand slam against the Boston Red Sox. A grand slam is a home run hit with all three bases loaded.
On August 3, 2012, Upton hit his 100th career home run. His brother, Justin, also hit his 100th career home run on the very same day. On September 9, 2012, Upton hit three home runs in one game against the Texas Rangers.
Time with the Atlanta Braves (2013–2015)
After the 2012 season, Upton signed a five-year contract with the Atlanta Braves. This was the largest contract the Braves had ever given to a free agent player. He joined his brother Justin on the Braves. On April 23, 2013, the brothers hit back-to-back home runs against the Colorado Rockies. This was the first time brothers had done that since 1938.
Upton's hitting numbers were lower in 2013. However, on April 26, 2014, he got his 1,000th career hit. On August 8, the Upton brothers both hit home runs in the same game for the fifth time. This set a new Major League record for brothers.
Playing for the San Diego Padres (2015–2016)
On April 5, 2015, Upton was traded to the San Diego Padres. This trade reunited him with his brother Justin once again. Justin had also been traded to the Padres a few months earlier.
Upton started playing for the Padres in June 2015 after recovering from a foot injury. He played mostly in center field. In 2015, he batted .259 with five home runs. In 2016, he hit .256 with 16 home runs and 20 stolen bases before being traded again.
Short Stint with the Toronto Blue Jays (2016)
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On July 26, 2016, Upton was traded to the Toronto Blue Jays. He played in 57 games for Toronto. He also recorded his 300th career stolen base. He was released by the Blue Jays in April 2017.
Later Career and Retirement
In April 2017, Upton signed a minor league contract with the San Francisco Giants. He dealt with injuries during this time. He was released by the Giants in August 2017.
In December 2017, Upton signed a minor league contract with the Cleveland Indians. He was released by them in March 2018.
In January 2019, B. J. Upton announced his retirement from baseball. He decided to retire after not receiving interest from any teams.
Personal Life and Name Change
Early in his career, Upton was known by his initials "B. J." This nickname stood for "Bossman Junior," as his father, Melvin, was nicknamed "Bossman."
In 2015, Upton decided to start using his birth name, "Melvin Upton Jr.," full-time. He said he wanted to use his real name because teammates and fans knew him as B. J., and he felt the nickname wasn't important to him outside of baseball. However, in January 2019, Upton announced that he would go back to being known as "B. J." again, following a suggestion from his wife.
See also
In Spanish: Melvin Upton Jr. para niños
- List of Major League Baseball career stolen bases leaders
- List of Major League Baseball players to hit for the cycle
