Jackie Bradley Jr. facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Jackie Bradley Jr. |
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Bradley with the Boston Red Sox in 2017
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| Free agent | |||
| Outfielder | |||
| Born: April 19, 1990 Richmond, Virginia, U.S. |
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| debut | |||
| April 1, 2013, for the Boston Red Sox | |||
| MLB statistics (through 2023 season) |
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| Batting average | .225 | ||
| Home runs | 109 | ||
| Runs batted in | 449 | ||
| Teams | |||
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| Career highlights and awards | |||
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Jackie Bradley Jr. (born April 19, 1990), often called "JBJ", is an American professional baseball outfielder. He is currently a free agent, meaning he is not signed with any team. He has played for several teams in Major League Baseball (MLB), including the Boston Red Sox, Milwaukee Brewers, Toronto Blue Jays, and Kansas City Royals. Jackie is 5 feet 10 inches tall and weighs 200 pounds. He bats left-handed and throws right-handed.
Bradley played college baseball for the University of South Carolina. He was even named the best player in the 2010 College World Series. The Red Sox picked him in the 2011 MLB draft, and he started playing in the big leagues in 2013. Jackie was chosen as an All-Star in 2016. He also won the award for the most valuable player in the 2018 American League Championship Series. Jackie is especially famous for his amazing fielding skills, and he won a Gold Glove Award in 2018 for being the best defensive outfielder.
Contents
Early Baseball Days
High School and College
Jackie Bradley Jr. went to Prince George High School in Virginia. He was a top baseball player there.
After high school, Jackie played college baseball for the South Carolina Gamecocks baseball team starting in 2009. As a freshman, he was a great hitter, batting .349. He also hit 11 home runs. In 2010, he hit even better, batting .368 with 13 home runs. He was named the Most Outstanding Player of the 2010 College World Series because of his excellent play.
Playing in the Major Leagues
Starting with the Red Sox
The Boston Red Sox chose Jackie in the 2011 MLB draft. He started playing professionally in the minor leagues. In 2012, the Red Sox named him their Minor League Defensive Player of the Year. He was also a good hitter in the minor leagues.
First MLB Season (2013)
Jackie was a highly-rated young player when the 2013 season began. He made his MLB debut on April 1, 2013, as the starting left fielder for the Red Sox. Even though he didn't get a hit in his first game, he walked three times and scored two runs. He also made some exciting plays on the bases and in the field.
Jackie was sent to the minor leagues a few times in 2013. This happens when teams want a player to get more playing time or improve their skills. He hit his first career home run in June. The Red Sox won the 2013 World Series that year, but Jackie was not on the team's roster for the postseason.
Playing Center Field (2014)
In 2014, Jackie became the regular center fielder for the Red Sox. He played in 127 games. While he was an amazing defender, his hitting struggled a bit that year. He finished the season batting .198.
Finding His Stride (2015)
During the 2015 season, Jackie split his time between the Red Sox and their minor league team. In August 2015, he had an incredible game where he got five extra-base hits! This included two home runs and three doubles. He became a regular starter for the Red Sox for the rest of the season. He finished 2015 batting .249 with 10 home runs.
All-Star Season (2016)
Jackie had an amazing hitting streak in 2016. From April 24 to May 25, he got a hit in 29 games in a row! This was one of the longest hitting streaks in Red Sox history. Because of his great hitting and defense, he was named the American League Player of the Month for May. Jackie was also chosen for the All-Star Game, which was his first time. He finished the 2016 season batting .267 with 26 home runs.
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Injuries and Defense (2017)
Before the 2017 season, Jackie changed his uniform number to 19. He had worn that number in college, and his birthday is April 19. He dealt with a couple of injuries in 2017, including a knee sprain and a thumb sprain. Despite this, he played in 133 games and continued to show off his great defense.
World Series Champion (2018)
In 2018, Jackie was the everyday center fielder for the Red Sox. He was known for his incredible defense. While his hitting was a bit slow at the start, he became a hero in the playoffs.
In the 2018 American League Championship Series against the Houston Astros, Jackie had some huge hits. In Game 3, he hit a grand slam (a home run with the bases loaded!). In Game 4, he hit a two-run home run that gave the Red Sox the lead. He ended up driving in nine runs in the series with just three hits! Because of his amazing performance, he was named the Most Valuable Player of the American League Championship Series. The Red Sox went on to win the 2018 World Series that year! Jackie also won his first Gold Glove Award for his outstanding defense.
More Great Catches (2019)
Jackie continued to play center field for Boston in 2019. He made many incredible catches, including one that was chosen as the number one play of the year by MLB Network! He finished the season with 21 home runs.
Shortened Season (2020)
The 2020 baseball season was shorter than usual. Jackie was still the main center fielder for the Red Sox. He had a good batting average of .283 that year. After the season, he became a free agent.
Time with Other Teams
Milwaukee Brewers (2021)
In 2021, Jackie signed a two-year contract with the Milwaukee Brewers. He played in 134 games for them. His batting average was lower this season, but he still played good defense.
Back to Boston (2022)
In December 2021, the Brewers traded Jackie back to the Boston Red Sox. He played mostly right field for Boston in 2022. In an interesting moment, Jackie even pitched in a game for the Red Sox in July! He struck out a batter with a slow pitch. The Red Sox released him in August 2022.
Toronto Blue Jays (2022)
Jackie then signed with the Toronto Blue Jays in August 2022. He played 40 games for them. He was nominated for a Gold Glove Award again that year.
Kansas City Royals (2023)
In March 2023, Jackie signed with the Kansas City Royals. He played in 43 games for them before being released in June.
Long Island Ducks (2024)
In April 2024, Jackie signed with the Long Island Ducks, a team in an independent league. He had a great start with them, batting .400 with 12 home runs in 40 games.
New York Mets (2024)
In July 2024, Jackie signed a minor league contract with the New York Mets. He played for their Triple-A team before being released in September.
About Jackie's Life
Jackie Bradley Jr. is naturally right-handed, but he learned to hit left-handed when he was eight years old. His father, Jackie Bradley Sr., is a bus driver.
Jackie is married to Erin Heiring. They have three children: a daughter born in 2016, a son born in 2020, and another daughter born in 2022.
Before each time he bats, Jackie writes "M.S." in the dirt. He does this to honor his friend William Matthew "Matt" Saye, who was a high school classmate and passed away in a car accident in 2011. Jackie was very close with Matt and said, "You never know what the next day will bring... I know he has my back and he's there supporting me."
