Juan Pierre facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Juan Pierre
Pierre with the Philadelphia Phillies in 2012
Outfielder
Born: (1977-08-14) August 14, 1977 (age 48) Mobile, Alabama, U.S.
Batted: Left Threw: Left
debut
August 7, 2000, for the Colorado Rockies
Last appearance
September 29, 2013, for the Miami Marlins
MLB statistics
Batting average	.295
Hits	2,217
Home runs	18
Runs batted in	517
Stolen bases	614
Teams
Colorado Rockies (2000–2002) Florida Marlins (2003–2005) Chicago Cubs (2006) Los Angeles Dodgers (2007–2009) Chicago White Sox (2010–2011) Philadelphia Phillies (2012) Miami Marlins (2013)
Career highlights and awards
World Series champion (2003) 3× Stolen base leader (2001, 2003, 2010)

Juan D'Vaughn Pierre, born on August 14, 1977, is a former professional baseball outfielder from the United States. He played in Major League Baseball (MLB) from 2000 to 2013. Juan Pierre was known for his amazing speed. He stole 614 bases during his career. This was the 18th most stolen bases in MLB history when he retired. After playing, he worked as a baseball analyst on TV. Later, he joined the Marlins team again to help coach younger players.

Over 14 seasons, Juan Pierre played in 1,994 games. He had a batting average of .295, which means he got a hit almost 3 out of every 10 times he batted. He also had 2,217 hits, 1,075 runs, and 614 stolen bases. He was a great fielder too, with a .990 fielding percentage in center and left field. In playoff games, he hit .304, showing he performed well under pressure.

Early Life and College Baseball

Juan Pierre was born in Mobile, Alabama. Soon after he was born, his family moved to Alexandria, Louisiana. His family has deep roots in Louisiana and is of Creole heritage. Juan was named after a famous baseball player, Juan Marichal, who was his father's favorite.

Juan went to Alexandria Senior High School. Before becoming a professional player, he played college baseball. He played at Galveston College and then at the University of South Alabama. At South Alabama, he was named the Sun Belt Conference Player of the Year in 1998. This was a big award for college players.

Starting His Professional Career

Juan Pierre began his professional baseball journey after being picked by the Colorado Rockies. They chose him in the 13th round of the 1998 MLB draft. He started playing for the Portland Rockies in the Northwest League. In his first year, he was a fan favorite. He led the league in both batting average and stolen bases.

The next year, he played for the Asheville Tourists. He continued to hit very well, batting over .300. In 2000, he played for the Carolina Mudcats. Later that year, he moved up to play for the Colorado Rockies in the major leagues.

Playing in Major League Baseball

Time with the Colorado Rockies

Juan Pierre made his first appearance in Major League Baseball on August 7, 2000. He came into the game as a pinch runner for the Rockies. A pinch runner is a player who runs the bases for another player. The next day, he started his first game in center field. He got his very first hit in the first inning of that game. In 2000, he played in 51 games, hitting .310 with 20 RBIs and 7 stolen bases.

In 2001, Juan Pierre became the main center fielder for the Rockies. He played in 156 games and hit .327. He led the NL in stolen bases with 46. He also had 202 hits, which was the second-highest in the league.

Before the 2002 season, Pierre signed a contract to stay with the Rockies. In 2002, he continued to be the starting center fielder. He hit .287 and stole 47 bases. His 144 singles were also second-best in the NL.

Winning a World Series with the Florida Marlins

On November 16, 2002, Juan Pierre was traded to the Florida Marlins. This trade brought him to a new team.

In the 2003 season, Pierre had a batting average of .305. He led the National League in many areas. These included games played (162), at-bats (668), and stolen bases (65). He also had the lowest strikeout percentage in the major leagues. This means he rarely struck out. During the playoffs, he was a key player for the Marlins. They won the 2003 World Series championship! He hit .333 in the World Series, which is excellent.

In 2004, he again led the National League in at-bats and hits. He was the only player in the major leagues to play every inning of every game that year. This shows how durable he was.

Playing for the Chicago Cubs

Pierre playing for the Chicago Cubs in 2006

On December 7, 2005, the Marlins traded Juan Pierre to the Chicago Cubs. The Marlins made this trade because they needed to save money. In 2006, Pierre hit .292 and led the National League with 204 hits. This was his second time leading the league in hits. He also played perfect defense, with a fielding percentage of 1.000.

Time with the Los Angeles Dodgers

On November 22, 2006, Juan Pierre signed a five-year contract with the Los Angeles Dodgers.

In 2007, Pierre led the major leagues in bunt hits. A bunt hit is when a player lightly taps the ball to get on base quickly. He also led the NL in games played for the fifth year in a row. He was second in the NL in stolen bases with 64.

Pierre with the Dodgers in 2008 spring training

In 2008, the Dodgers signed another player, so Pierre moved to left field. Later, he became a backup player. On September 15, 2008, he hit a home run. This was his first traditional home run in a long time. On July 29, 2008, Pierre stole his 100th base with the Dodgers. He became one of only four players in MLB history to steal at least 100 bases with three different teams.

Before the 2009 season, Pierre was considered for a trade. However, when another player was suspended, Pierre became the Dodgers' regular left fielder again. He played very well during this time. Fans even gave him a standing ovation to show their appreciation.

With the Chicago White Sox

Pierre batting for the Chicago White Sox in 2011

On December 15, 2009, Pierre was traded to the Chicago White Sox. In 2010, he had a career-high 68 stolen bases. This was the second-most stolen bases in a single season for the White Sox team. On August 5, 2010, he stole his 500th career base. This was a huge milestone for him.

In 2011, Pierre led the major leagues in sacrifice hits. He also had the fewest strikeouts per at-bat.

Playing for the Philadelphia Phillies

On January 27, 2012, Juan Pierre signed a contract with the Philadelphia Phillies. He joined their main roster in March. On June 23, he hit a three-run home run. A few days later, on June 28, he got his 500th career RBI. An RBI means he helped a teammate score a run. In 130 games, he hit .307 and stole 37 bases.

Return to the Miami Marlins

Pierre batting for the Miami Marlins in 2013

On November 17, 2012, Pierre signed a one-year deal to play for the Miami Marlins again. He played the 2013 season with them. After that season, he became a free agent, meaning he could sign with any team.

Juan Pierre hoped to sign with another team. However, he did not sign with any team for the entire 2014 season. He officially announced his retirement from professional baseball on February 27, 2015.

In 2019, Juan Pierre was eligible to be voted into the Baseball Hall of Fame. This is a special place for the best baseball players ever. However, he did not receive any votes, so he was not eligible for future ballots.

Personal Life

Juan Pierre is married to Liz, and they have two sons.

He was mentioned in the song "Déjà Vu" by Beyonce and Jay-Z. The song has the line "I used to run base like Juan Pierre."

See also

In Spanish: Juan Pierre para niños