Brian Barton facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Brian Barton |
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Barton with the St. Louis Cardinals
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| Outfielder | |||
| Born: April 25, 1982 Los Angeles, California, U.S. |
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| debut | |||
| April 1, 2008, for the St. Louis Cardinals | |||
| Last appearance | |||
| June 3, 2009, for the Atlanta Braves | |||
| MLB statistics | |||
| Batting average | .268 | ||
| Home runs | 2 | ||
| Runs batted in | 13 | ||
| Teams | |||
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Brian Deon Barton (born April 25, 1982) is an American former professional baseball player. He was an outfielder who played in Major League Baseball (MLB) for the St. Louis Cardinals and Atlanta Braves. Brian worked hard to achieve his dream of playing professional baseball.
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Growing Up and High School Baseball
Brian Barton grew up in Los Angeles, California. He went to Westchester High School. Brian was a fantastic baseball player even in high school!
In 1997, his freshman year, Brian hit really well, with a .407 batting average. He was named his team's Most Valuable Player (MVP). The next year, in 1998, he helped his team win the conference championship. He did it again in 1999, hitting .408 with 4 home runs.
His senior year was his best. Brian hit an amazing .500, meaning he got a hit half the times he batted! He also had 9 home runs and 47 RBI (runs batted in). He stole 14 bases and was again named team MVP. His team also won the conference championship that year.
After high school, in the 2000 Major League Baseball Draft, the Los Angeles Dodgers picked Brian. But he decided to go to college instead of signing with them.
College Baseball Career
Brian first went to Loyola Marymount University. As a freshman in 2001, he played in 33 games. After that year, he transferred to the University of Miami.
He sat out the 2002 season. In 2003, Brian returned to the field. He hit .330 with 7 home runs and 54 RBI. He helped his team reach the final 8 of the College World Series. In 2004, Brian was one of the best hitters, tying for first with a .371 batting average. After this season, he played in a special summer league called the Cape Cod Baseball League for the Orleans Cardinals. This league helps college players get better.
Professional Baseball Journey
Starting with the Cleveland Indians
After college, Brian signed with the Cleveland Indians on August 13, 2004. He started his professional career in the minor leagues.
In 2005, Brian played for two Single-A teams: the Lake County Captains and the Kinston Indians. He hit very well for Lake County, with a .414 average. He also won the "Player of the Week" award twice that season.
Brian continued to play well in 2006. He was with Kinston again and also played for the Double-A Akron Aeros. He hit .308 with 13 home runs for Kinston and an impressive .351 with 6 home runs for Akron. He was even named an All-Star in the Carolina League. Baseball America, a well-known baseball magazine, named him a High Class-A All-Star.
In 2007, Brian was considered one of the top 100 young players in baseball by Baseball America. He played most of the season for the Akron Aeros, hitting .314 with 9 home runs. He also played a short time in Triple-A for the Buffalo Bisons.
Joining the St. Louis Cardinals
After the 2007 season, the St. Louis Cardinals picked Brian in a special process called the Rule 5 draft. This draft allows teams to pick players who are not protected by their current team.
Brian made the Cardinals' main roster and played his first Major League Baseball game on April 1, 2008. He got a hit in his very first time at bat! On May 27, he hit his first MLB home run. In 82 games with the Cardinals, he hit .268.
Time with the Atlanta Braves
On April 20, 2009, Brian was traded to the Atlanta Braves. He played in only one game for the Braves that year. Most of his time was spent playing for their Triple-A team, the Gwinnett Braves.
Later Career Teams
Brian later signed a minor league contract with the Los Angeles Dodgers in December 2009. He also played for the Cincinnati Reds in 2012.
He spent time in the Atlantic League, which is an independent baseball league. He played for the Newark Bears and Bridgeport Bluefish in 2010, hitting .348. He also played for the Southern Maryland Blue Crabs in 2011 and the Sugar Land Skeeters in 2014.
See also
- Rule 5 draft results
