Josh Bell (first baseman) facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Josh Bell |
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Bell with the San Diego Padres in 2022
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| Washington Nationals – No. 19 | |||
| First baseman | |||
| Born: August 14, 1992 Irving, Texas, U.S. |
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| debut | |||
| July 8, 2016, for the Pittsburgh Pirates | |||
| MLB statistics (through 2024 season) |
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| Batting average | .258 | ||
| Hits | 1,042 | ||
| Home runs | 171 | ||
| Runs batted in | 613 | ||
| Teams | |||
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| Career highlights and awards | |||
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Joshua Evan Bell (born August 14, 1992) is an American professional baseball player. He plays as a first baseman for the Washington Nationals in Major League Baseball (MLB). Josh is a switch-hitter, meaning he can bat from both the left and right sides of the plate. He has also played for other MLB teams like the Pittsburgh Pirates, San Diego Padres, Cleveland Guardians, Miami Marlins, and Arizona Diamondbacks.
Contents
- Josh Bell's Early Baseball Days
- Josh Bell's Professional Journey
- Starting in the Minor Leagues (2011–2016)
- Playing for the Pittsburgh Pirates (2016–2020)
- Moving to the Washington Nationals (2021–2022)
- Playing for the San Diego Padres (2022)
- Time with the Cleveland Guardians (2023)
- Joining the Miami Marlins (2023–2024)
- Brief Stint with the Arizona Diamondbacks (2024)
- Back with the Washington Nationals (2025–Present)
Josh Bell's Early Baseball Days
High School Star
Josh Bell grew up in Irving, Texas. He went to Jesuit College Preparatory School of Dallas. In his final year of high school, he was an amazing player. He had a batting average of .548, which means he got a hit more than half the times he batted! He also hit 13 home runs and had 54 runs batted in (RBI).
Because of his great skills, USA Today named him to their All-USA high school baseball team. He was also chosen as the Gatorade/ESPN Rise Texas Player of the Year.
Choosing Between College and Pros
Josh had a scholarship to play college baseball at the University of Texas at Austin. Many teams wanted to draft him for professional baseball. However, Josh told them he planned to go to college.
Even so, the Pittsburgh Pirates picked him in the second round of the 2011 MLB draft. This was the 61st pick overall. The Pirates offered him a huge amount of money to sign with them. He received a $5 million signing bonus. This was a record for any player picked outside the first round! Josh decided to sign with the Pirates and start his professional career.
Josh Bell's Professional Journey
Starting in the Minor Leagues (2011–2016)
After signing, Josh began his journey in the minor leagues. These are teams where players develop their skills before reaching MLB.
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His first team was the West Virginia Power in 2012. Early in that season, he hurt his knee and missed most of the year. But he came back strong in 2013, hitting 13 home runs.
He continued to play well, moving up through different minor league teams. In 2014, he played for the Bradenton Marauders and then the Altoona Curve. He was even named the Florida State League Player of the Year. Josh also played in the All-Star Futures Game twice, which features the best young players in baseball. By 2015, he reached the Indianapolis Indians, which is the highest level of the minor leagues.
Playing for the Pittsburgh Pirates (2016–2020)
Josh Bell made his big league debut with the Pittsburgh Pirates on July 8, 2016. He was 23 years old. In just his second time at bat in MLB, he hit a grand slam! This is when a player hits a home run with all three bases loaded, scoring four runs.
In 2017, his first full season, Josh set a new record for National League rookie switch-hitters. He hit 26 home runs that year! He was also a finalist for the Rookie of the Year award.
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The 2019 season was a huge year for Josh. He became the fourth player ever to hit a baseball directly into the Allegheny River from PNC Park. He even did it twice! This shows how powerful his hits were. He was chosen for his first MLB All-Star Game in 2019. At the time, he was leading all of MLB in RBIs. He also took part in the Home Run Derby, a fun contest where players try to hit as many home runs as possible. He finished the 2019 season with 37 home runs and 116 RBIs.
The 2020 season was shorter due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Josh played in 57 games that year.
Moving to the Washington Nationals (2021–2022)
In December 2020, the Pirates traded Josh Bell to the Washington Nationals. He quickly became an important player for them.
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In 2021, he hit 27 home runs and had 88 RBIs in 144 games. He continued to play well for the Nationals in 2022, hitting .301 with 14 home runs in 103 games.
Playing for the San Diego Padres (2022)
In August 2022, Josh Bell was traded again. He went to the San Diego Padres along with superstar Juan Soto. He hit his first home run for the Padres against his old team, the Nationals.
Time with the Cleveland Guardians (2023)
In December 2022, Josh signed a contract with the Cleveland Guardians. He played 97 games for them in 2023, hitting 8 home runs.
Joining the Miami Marlins (2023–2024)
Later in the 2023 season, Josh was traded to the Miami Marlins. He played 53 games for the Marlins that year and hit 11 home runs. He continued with the Marlins into the 2024 season, playing 104 games and hitting 14 home runs.
Brief Stint with the Arizona Diamondbacks (2024)
In July 2024, the Marlins traded Josh to the Arizona Diamondbacks. In his second game with the Diamondbacks, he hit home runs from both sides of the plate! He played 41 games for them, hitting 5 home runs.
Back with the Washington Nationals (2025–Present)
In January 2025, Josh Bell signed a new contract to return to the Washington Nationals. This marks his second time playing for the team.
