Jorge Soler facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Jorge Soler |
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Soler with the Chicago Cubs in 2014
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| Los Angeles Angels – No. 12 | ||||||||||||||
| Outfielder / Designated hitter | ||||||||||||||
| Born: February 25, 1992 Havana, Cuba |
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| debut | ||||||||||||||
| August 27, 2014, for the Chicago Cubs | ||||||||||||||
| MLB statistics (through July 18, 2025) |
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| Batting average | .241 | |||||||||||||
| Home runs | 202 | |||||||||||||
| Runs batted in | 549 | |||||||||||||
| Teams | ||||||||||||||
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| Career highlights and awards | ||||||||||||||
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Medals
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Jorge Carlos Soler Castillo (born February 25, 1992) is a professional baseball player from Cuba. He plays as an outfielder and designated hitter for the Los Angeles Angels in Major League Baseball (MLB). Jorge has also played for other teams like the Chicago Cubs, Kansas City Royals, Atlanta Braves, Miami Marlins, and San Francisco Giants.
Jorge Soler played for the Cuban national baseball team in international games. In 2011, he left Cuba to play baseball in the MLB. After living in Haiti, Soler signed a big contract with the Cubs. He started playing in the MLB in 2014 and helped the Cubs win the 2016 World Series.
After the 2016 season, the Cubs traded Soler to the Royals. In 2019, he hit the most home runs in the American League. In 2021, he was traded to the Atlanta Braves. He helped the Braves win the 2021 World Series and was named the World Series MVP. Soler joined the Marlins in 2022 and was chosen for his first All-Star team in 2023. He played for the San Francisco Giants in 2024 before being traded back to the Braves, and then to the Los Angeles Angels.
Early Baseball Career in Cuba
Jorge Soler played for the Cuban national baseball team when he was younger. He played in the 2010 World Junior Baseball Championship. In that tournament, he had a .304 batting average. He also got nine walks, which was one of the highest in the tournament. Cuba won the bronze medal in that competition. Soler also played a short time for the Industriales team in the Cuban National Series.
In 2011, Soler left Cuba to play in Major League Baseball (MLB). He lived in Haiti to become a free agent. On June 2, 2012, he was allowed to sign with any MLB team. Many teams wanted to sign him because he was a talented player.
Playing in America
Time with the Chicago Cubs
Starting in the Minor Leagues
On June 11, 2012, Jorge Soler signed a nine-year contract with the Chicago Cubs. He started playing professionally that same year with the AZL Cubs. Later, he moved up to the Peoria Chiefs in August. In 34 games with these two teams, he hit .299 with five home runs.
In 2013, while playing for the Daytona Cubs, Soler was involved in an incident. He ran towards the other team's dugout with a baseball bat. He was removed from the game, fined, and suspended for five games. Soler played all of 2013 with Daytona. He hit eight home runs and had 35 RBIs in 55 games.
Soler started the 2014 season with the Tennessee Smokies. On July 22, 2014, he was promoted to the Iowa Cubs. He had been playing very well, hitting six home runs and 22 RBIs in 22 games.
Making it to Major League Baseball
On August 25, 2014, Soler was called up to the Chicago Cubs for the first time. He had been hitting .282 with eight home runs for the Iowa Cubs. In his first MLB game on August 27, Soler hit a home run in his very first time at bat. This made him one of only 117 players in MLB history to do so.
On September 1, Soler hit two doubles in his first home game for the Cubs. He became one of only three players in 100 years to have an extra-base hit in each of his first five MLB games. Two days later, Soler became the second Cubs player ever to have 10 RBIs in his first seven major league games. Soler was the main right fielder for the Cubs in 2015. He had to miss some time due to an ankle injury in June. He finished the season with a .268 batting average and 15 home runs.
In his first postseason in 2015, Soler was amazing. He reached base nine times in a row, with five walks, two home runs, a double, and a single. In Game 4 of the Division Series, Soler made a great play. He threw a runner out at home plate, which saved the game for the Cubs. The Cubs won the series against the St. Louis Cardinals and moved on to the next round.
Soler played in fewer games for Chicago in 2016, only 86 games. The Cubs were a very strong team that year and were favorites to win the postseason. Soler had two hits in the 2016 World Series. One of them was a triple in Game 3. The Cubs went on to win the 2016 World Series against the Cleveland Indians in seven games.
Playing for the Kansas City Royals
On December 7, 2016, the Cubs traded Soler to the Kansas City Royals. He received his 2016 World Series ring in a Cubs uniform in April of that year. After some injuries and not hitting well, Soler was sent to the Omaha Storm Chasers in June. He hit 24 home runs for Omaha. In 35 games for Kansas City, he hit .144 with two home runs.
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Soler started the 2018 season as the Royals' main right fielder. However, he broke his toe in June and could not play for the rest of the year. In 61 games, he hit .265 with nine home runs. Soler came back from his injury in 2019. He played both right field and designated hitter. On September 3, 2019, he hit his 39th home run of the season. This made him the Royals' record holder for most home runs in one season. The next night, Soler became the first Royals player to hit 40 home runs in a single season.
In 2019, he hit .265 and led the American League with 48 home runs. His 48 home runs were the most ever by a Cuban-born player in a single season. In the 2020 season, which was shorter due to the pandemic, Soler hit eight home runs in 43 games. At the start of the 2021 season with Kansas City, he was hitting .192.
Time with the Atlanta Braves
On July 30, 2021, Soler was traded to the Atlanta Braves. In 2021, between the Royals and the Braves, he hit 27 home runs. With the Braves, he hit .269. His home runs traveled an average of 423 feet, which was the longest average distance for any major league hitter.
In his first game after being on the COVID-19 injured list, Soler hit a leadoff home run in Game 1 of the 2021 World Series. This made him the first player to hit a home run in his first World Series appearance. In Game 4, Soler hit a pinch-hit home run in the seventh inning. This gave the Braves a 3–2 lead and helped them take a 3–1 lead in the World Series. In Game 6, he hit his third home run of the series, a long 446-foot shot that gave the Braves a 3–0 lead. Soler was named the World Series MVP for his great performance. The Braves won the series in six games.
Playing for the Miami Marlins
On March 22, 2022, Soler signed a three-year contract with the Miami Marlins. In 2023, he was chosen to be on the National League's team for the MLB All-Star Game. Soler hit .269 with 36 home runs and 75 RBIs in 2023. After the 2023 season, he chose to become a free agent.
Time with the San Francisco Giants
On February 18, 2024, Soler signed a three-year contract with the San Francisco Giants. In 93 games for San Francisco, Soler hit .240 with 12 home runs and 40 RBIs.
Return to the Atlanta Braves
On July 29, 2024, the Giants traded Soler and Luke Jackson back to the Atlanta Braves. In 49 games for the Braves, Soler hit .243 with nine home runs and 24 RBIs.
Joining the Los Angeles Angels
On October 31, 2024, Soler was traded to the Los Angeles Angels.
Personal Life
Jorge Soler is married to Leydis Serrano.
See also
In Spanish: Jorge Soler para niños
- Kansas City Royals award winners and league leaders
- List of baseball players who defected from Cuba
- List of Kansas City Royals team records
- List of Major League Baseball players from Cuba
- List of Major League Baseball players with a home run in their first major league at bat
