Eric Hosmer facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Eric Hosmer |
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Hosmer with the San Diego Padres in 2021
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| First baseman | ||||||||||||||
| Born: October 24, 1989 South Miami, Florida, U.S. |
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| debut | ||||||||||||||
| May 6, 2011, for the Kansas City Royals | ||||||||||||||
| Last appearance | ||||||||||||||
| May 16, 2023, for the Chicago Cubs | ||||||||||||||
| MLB statistics | ||||||||||||||
| Batting average | .276 | |||||||||||||
| Home runs | 198 | |||||||||||||
| Runs batted in | 893 | |||||||||||||
| Teams | ||||||||||||||
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| Career highlights and awards | ||||||||||||||
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Medals
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Eric John Hosmer (born October 24, 1989) is an American former professional baseball player. He played as a first baseman in Major League Baseball (MLB). His teams included the Kansas City Royals, San Diego Padres, Boston Red Sox, and Chicago Cubs.
Eric was a highly-rated young player from American Heritage High School. Scouts described him as a "left-handed hitter with raw power." The Royals picked him third overall in the 2008 MLB draft. He quickly moved through Minor League Baseball and joined MLB in 2011. In his first year, he finished third for the Rookie of the Year award. He hit for a .293 average with 19 home runs.
Hosmer won four Gold Glove Awards (2013–2015, 2017) for his excellent defense. He also won a Silver Slugger Award in 2017 for his hitting. He was the Most Valuable Player (MVP) of the 2016 MLB All-Star Game. Eric was a key player for the 2015 World Series champion Royals team. After the 2017 season, he signed a big contract with the Padres. He later played for the Red Sox and Cubs before retiring in 2024.
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Early Life and Baseball Dreams
Eric Hosmer grew up in Cooper City. His father, Mike, was a firefighter, and his mother, Ileana, was a nurse. His mother came to the United States from Cuba when she was seven. Eric's family was very supportive of his baseball journey.
He started playing baseball at a young age. His father often coached his games and worked long shifts to be there. The Hosmer family traveled a lot for baseball tournaments. Eric watched Florida Marlins games to learn hitting techniques. His parents helped him practice and study his games. By high school, Eric worked out many hours a day. He also had a special hitting coach, Bladimir Marrero. Eric grew up as a fan of the New York Yankees.
High School Success
As a teenager, Eric played on several Little League teams that won state championships. He went to American Heritage School in Plantation, Florida. His parents chose this school because it had one of the best baseball programs in the U.S.
By his senior year, Eric was a powerful player. He hit .470 with 11 home runs. His team was ranked among the best and won a state championship. Many MLB and college scouts came to watch him play. Videos of his home runs even became popular on YouTube. Eric received many awards, including Florida's Baseball Player of the Year twice. He was offered a scholarship to Arizona State University for baseball.
In 2008, Eric was named one of the top five high school baseball players in the country. The Kansas City Royals chose him as the third overall pick in the 2008 MLB draft. Eric signed a contract with the Royals for $6 million. This was the largest signing bonus ever for a Royals draft pick at that time.
Professional Baseball Journey
Starting in the Minor Leagues (2008–2011)
After signing, Eric Hosmer began his professional career in Minor League Baseball. He played for the Idaho Falls Chukars in the rookie league. The Royals wanted him to develop at his own speed.
In 2009, Eric played for the Burlington Bees. He had a tough year, hitting only six home runs. In 2010, he started with the Wilmington Blue Rocks. He found out he had an eye condition called astigmatism. After surgery to fix it, his hitting got much better. He later moved up to the Northwest Arkansas Naturals and helped them win the Texas League championship.
By 2011, Eric was ranked as the best first base prospect in MLB. He was also the top Royals prospect overall. He started the 2011 season with the Omaha Storm Chasers. He was leading the minor leagues with a .439 batting average when the Royals called him up to the big leagues.
Kansas City Royals (2011–2017)
MLB Debut and Rookie Season
Eric Hosmer made his MLB debut on May 6, 2011. Many people were excited about him joining the Royals. He didn't get any hits in his first game but showed his skills by walking twice and stealing a base.
On May 11, he hit his first MLB home run against the New York Yankees. He was named the AL Rookie of the Month in July and September. Eric finished his rookie season hitting .293 with 19 home runs and 78 RBIs in 128 games. He placed third in the AL Rookie of the Year voting.
Building Success (2012–2013)
In 2012, Eric struggled a bit with his hitting. However, in 2013, his defense improved greatly. He won his first Gold Glove Award for being the best defensive first baseman. He also improved his hitting, finishing with a .302 batting average, 17 home runs, and 79 RBIs.
Postseason Hero (2014)
In 2014, Eric had a hand injury that made him miss some games. But he came back strong for the postseason. He helped the Royals make an amazing run, winning three extra-inning games in a row. He hit a game-winning home run in Game 2 of the ALDS. This made him the first player in MLB history to hit both a triple and a home run in extra innings during one postseason.
World Series Champion (2015)
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In 2015, Eric had his best year yet. He hit .297 with 18 home runs and 93 RBIs. He played a huge role in the Royals winning the 2015 World Series. In Game 1 of the World Series, he hit a walk-off sacrifice fly in the 14th inning to win the game. This set a new Royals record for postseason RBIs. In Game 5, his smart running helped the Royals score the tying run in the ninth inning, leading to their Series win. He won his third straight Gold Glove Award that year.
All-Star MVP and Final Royals Season (2016–2017)
In 2016, Eric was named the MLB All-Star Game MVP. He hit a game-tying home run in the All-Star Game. He finished the season with a career-high 25 home runs and 104 RBIs.
In 2017, Eric played in all 162 regular season games. He had a career-best .318 batting average and tied his personal best with 25 home runs. He also won his fourth Gold Glove Award. After this season, he became a free agent.
San Diego Padres (2018–2022)
On February 19, 2018, Eric Hosmer signed a big eight-year contract with the San Diego Padres. This was the largest contract in Padres history at the time. He changed his jersey number to 30 to honor his former Royals teammate, Yordano Ventura, who had passed away. In 2019, he hit 22 home runs and had 99 RBIs.
In 2020, Eric hit a grand slam that helped the Padres make history. They became the first MLB team to hit a grand slam in four games in a row. He finished the shortened 2020 season with a .287 batting average. In 2021, he played in 151 games, hitting 12 home runs.
Boston Red Sox (2022)
On August 2, 2022, Eric was traded to the Boston Red Sox. He played as their main first baseman. He was later placed on the injured list due to a back issue. He played 14 games for Boston before being released in December.
Chicago Cubs (2023)
On January 13, 2023, Eric signed a one-year contract with the Chicago Cubs. He played in 31 games for the Cubs, hitting two home runs. He was released by the Cubs in May 2023.
Retirement
On February 21, 2024, Eric Hosmer announced he was retiring from playing baseball. He also shared that he was starting his own media company called MoonBall Media. He felt his focus and physical abilities were not where they needed to be to continue playing.
International Baseball
Eric Hosmer played for Team USA in the 2017 World Baseball Classic. He hit a key home run that helped his team win against Venezuela. After the tournament, he was named to the 2017 All-World Baseball Classic team.
Personal Life
In October 2020, Eric Hosmer got engaged to sports host Kacie McDonnell. They got married on December 31, 2021. In April 2022, they announced they were expecting their first child. Their son was born in September 2022. Eric lives in Florida.
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See also
In Spanish: Eric Hosmer para niños
