Bruce Maxwell facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Bruce Maxwell
Maxwell with the Acereros De Monclova in 2022
Free agent
Catcher
Born: (1990-12-20) December 20, 1990 (age 34) Wiesbaden, Germany
Bats: Left Throws: Right
debut
July 23, 2016, for the Oakland Athletics
MLB statistics
Batting average	.240
Home runs	5
Runs batted in	42
Teams
Oakland Athletics (2016–2018)

Bruce Tyrone Maxwell III (born December 20, 1990) is an American professional baseball catcher. He was born in Wiesbaden, Germany. Bruce has played in Major League Baseball (MLB) for the Oakland Athletics from 2016 to 2018. He is known for being the first MLB player to kneel during the national anthem to protest racial injustice.

Early Life and Baseball Beginnings

Growing Up and Family

Bruce Maxwell was born in Germany. His father, Bruce Jr., was serving in the U.S. Army there. Bruce's family background is mixed; his father is African-American and his mother is Caucasian.

High School and College Sports

Bruce played baseball in high school at Sparkman High School in Alabama. He played first base there. Later, he played college baseball at Birmingham–Southern College. He played both first base and catcher in college.

Bruce Maxwell's Professional Baseball Journey

Starting with the Oakland Athletics

The Oakland Athletics picked Bruce Maxwell in the second round of the 2012 baseball draft. He started playing that year with the AZL Athletics. Soon after, he moved up to the Vermont Lake Monsters. He played 38 games there, hitting for a .254 batting average.

In 2013, Bruce played for two teams: the Beloit Snappers and the Stockton Ports. He hit seven home runs and had 49 RBIs in 104 games. He continued to play in the minor leagues in 2014 and 2015.

Making it to the Major Leagues (2016)

Bruce started the 2016 season with the Nashville Sounds. He was playing very well, hitting .321 with ten home runs. Because of his great performance, he was called up to the major leagues on July 23, 2016. He played 33 games for the Oakland Athletics that year.

Playing in the MLB (2017)

In 2017, Bruce started with Nashville again. He was called up to the Oakland Athletics several times. He played 76 games for Oakland that season. He hit three home runs and had 22 RBIs.

Artistic interpretation of Bruce Maxwell Kneeling in 2017

On September 23, 2017, Bruce Maxwell became the first MLB player to kneel during the national anthem. He did this to protest racial injustice. His teammate, Mark Canha, stood by him to show support. Bruce said his actions were about freedom of speech and peaceful protest. The Oakland Athletics supported his right to express himself.

Final Season with the A's (2018)

Bruce started the 2018 season with Oakland. He was later taken off the team's active roster when they traveled to Canada. He was then sent to the Triple-A Nashville team. After the season, he became a free agent.

Playing in the Mexican League

After leaving the MLB, Bruce Maxwell joined the Acereros de Monclova in the Mexican League in 2019. He had a very successful season, hitting 24 home runs and 112 RBIs. His team, the Acereros, won their first-ever championship, the Serie del Rey.

Bruce was set to play for the Acereros again in 2020, but the season was canceled due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

Short Stints with Other Teams

In 2020, Bruce signed a minor league deal with the New York Mets. He did not play any games that year because the minor league season was canceled. He played 9 games for the Triple-A Syracuse Mets in 2021.

In June 2021, Bruce was traded to the San Francisco Giants. He had surgery in July and missed the rest of the season. He became a free agent in November 2021.

Return to the Mexican League

Bruce returned to the Acereros de Monclova in 2022. He continued to play well, hitting 10 home runs in 44 games. In 2023, he played for the Piratas de Campeche and then the Rieleros de Aguascalientes. He was released by the Rieleros in July 2023.

In November 2023, Bruce signed with the Saraperos de Saltillo. He was released before the start of the 2024 season.

Representing Germany in Baseball

Maxwell 2022 WBC Qualifier - Regensburg, Germany

Bruce Maxwell has played for the German national baseball team. He represented Germany in the World Baseball Classic Qualifiers in 2016 and 2022. The 2020 qualifier was canceled.

Coaching Career

Coaching for Toros de Tijuana

On April 10, 2024, Bruce Maxwell started a new role as a coach. He joined the Toros de Tijuana in the Mexican League as their catching coach. This was his first professional coaching job. He was 33 years old at the time. He left the team on May 21, 2024, due to changes in the team's management.

Awards and Honors