Evan Longoria facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Evan Longoria |
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Longoria with the Tampa Bay Rays in 2017
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| Third baseman | ||||||||||||||
| Born: October 7, 1985 Downey, California, U.S. |
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| debut | ||||||||||||||
| April 12, 2008, for the Tampa Bay Rays | ||||||||||||||
| Last appearance | ||||||||||||||
| October 1, 2023, for the Arizona Diamondbacks | ||||||||||||||
| MLB statistics | ||||||||||||||
| Batting average | .264 | |||||||||||||
| Home runs | 342 | |||||||||||||
| Runs batted in | 1,159 | |||||||||||||
| Teams | ||||||||||||||
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| Career highlights and awards | ||||||||||||||
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Medals
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Evan Michael Longoria (born October 7, 1985), also known by his nickname "Longo", is a former American professional baseball third baseman. He played for 16 seasons in Major League Baseball (MLB). He is best known for his time with the Tampa Bay Rays and also played for the San Francisco Giants and the Arizona Diamondbacks.
Longoria was a star player in college for the Long Beach State Dirtbags. The Rays chose him as the third overall pick in the 2006 MLB draft. He quickly became one of the best players in the league. In his first season in 2008, he was named an All-Star and won the American League Rookie of the Year award.
He is famous for his amazing defensive plays, winning three Gold Glove Awards. He also had one of the most memorable hits in Rays history. In the last game of the 2011 season, he hit a walk-off home run in the 12th inning. This incredible hit sent the Rays to the playoffs. Longoria holds many records for the Rays, including the most games played, home runs, and runs batted in. Many people consider him the greatest player in the team's history.
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Early Life and School
Evan Longoria was born in Downey, California. His father has Mexican roots, and his mother has Ukrainian roots. He went to Saint John Bosco High School, where he was a top baseball player. However, he didn't get any scholarship offers from big colleges.
Many college scouts thought Longoria was too slim for top-level college baseball. He first went to Rio Hondo Community College. After a great season there, Long Beach State University offered him a scholarship.
College Career
At Long Beach State, Longoria switched from shortstop to third baseman. This was because the team already had a great shortstop, Troy Tulowitzki. Longoria worked hard and became a much stronger player.
In 2005, he had a fantastic summer playing in the Cape Cod League. The next year, he was named the Co-Player of the Year in his college conference. His success in college made him a top prospect for the professional leagues.
Professional Career
Minor Leagues
The Tampa Bay Rays selected Longoria with the third pick in the 2006 Major League Baseball draft. He signed with the team for a $3 million bonus. He played very well in the minor leagues.
In 2007, he was named the Most Valuable Player of the Southern League. Scouts were impressed with his powerful hitting. They compared him to another famous player, Ryan Braun.
Tampa Bay Rays (2008–2017)
A Star is Born (2008)
Longoria made his MLB debut on April 12, 2008. Just a few days later, the Rays signed him to a six-year, $17.5 million contract. This was a smart move for the team, as Longoria quickly became a star.
He was voted by fans to the All-Star team in his first year. In his first-ever playoff game, he hit two home runs. He set a record for the most home runs by a rookie in a playoff series. The Rays made it to the 2008 World Series but lost to the Philadelphia Phillies. After the season, Longoria was unanimously named the American League Rookie of the Year.
All-Star Years (2009–2011)
In 2009, Longoria continued to play at a high level. He was named the AL Player of the Month for April. He also won his first Gold Glove Award for his excellent defense and a Silver Slugger Award for his great hitting.
He was selected as an All-Star again in 2010 and 2011. His most famous moment came on the last day of the 2011 season. He hit a game-winning home run in the 12th inning against the New York Yankees. This dramatic homer sent the Rays to the playoffs in a thrilling end to the season.
Leading the Rays (2012–2017)
Longoria signed a new six-year, $100 million contract in 2012, showing he was the face of the Rays. Over the next few years, he set many team records. In 2013, he hit his 25th home run of the season, tying a team record for most 25-homer seasons.
By 2014, he became the Rays' all-time leader in home runs, doubles, and RBIs. He passed former Rays stars like Carlos Peña and Carl Crawford. In 2016, he had a career-high 36 home runs. In 2017, he won his third Gold Glove Award and became only the second player in Rays history to hit for the cycle.
San Francisco Giants (2018–2022)
On December 20, 2017, the Rays traded Longoria to the San Francisco Giants. In his first season with the Giants, he recorded his 1,500th career hit. Unfortunately, he missed several weeks due to an injury.
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On August 21, 2020, Longoria hit his 300th career home run. He became the 150th player in MLB history to reach this milestone. He continued to be a solid player for the Giants, but injuries limited his playing time in 2021 and 2022. After the 2022 season, the Giants did not renew his contract, and he became a free agent.
Arizona Diamondbacks (2023)
In 2023, Longoria signed a one-year deal with the Arizona Diamondbacks. That season, he hit a home run against the Tampa Bay Rays. This meant he had hit a home run against every single MLB team.
The Diamondbacks made a surprise run to the 2023 World Series. This was Longoria's second World Series appearance. The 15-year gap between his first and second World Series is the longest for any position player in MLB history.
Retirement
In May 2025, Longoria announced his retirement. On June 7, 2025, he signed a special one-day contract with the Tampa Bay Rays. This allowed him to officially retire as a member of the team where he became a star.
International Career
Longoria played for the United States national baseball team in the 2007 Baseball World Cup, where his team won a gold medal. He also played in the 2009 World Baseball Classic. In 2014, he was part of an MLB All-Star team that played a series of games in Japan.
Personal Life
Evan Longoria's last name is similar to that of actress Eva Longoria, but they are not related. The two have joked about it, and Eva once sent him a gift to congratulate him on his success.
Longoria was the cover athlete for the video game Major League Baseball 2K10. He also appeared in commercials for companies like Gillette and New Era.
In 2012, he began dating Jaime Edmondson, who was a contestant on the TV show The Amazing Race. They married in 2015 and have three children together. Longoria also owns a restaurant in Tampa, Florida.
Viral Video
In 2011, a video appeared on YouTube that seemed to show Longoria making an amazing bare-handed catch. In the video, he is being interviewed when he suddenly catches a foul ball flying toward the reporter.
For years, people debated whether the video was real. Longoria even said it was. However, ten years later, he admitted that the catch was staged for a commercial. The video was very popular and has been viewed millions of times.
See also
In Spanish: Evan Longoria para niños
- List of Major League Baseball players to hit for the cycle
- List of Major League Baseball career home run leaders
