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 47) 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 August 14, 1977) is a former professional baseball outfielder from the United States. He played in Major League Baseball (MLB) for 14 seasons, from 2000 to 2013. Juan Pierre was known for his incredible speed. He stole 614 bases during his career, which was the 18th most in MLB history when he retired.

After playing, he worked as a baseball analyst on MLB Network. Later, he joined the Marlins team again in 2019. He became their Minor League Outfield Coordinator, helping younger players. In his career, Juan Pierre had a .295 batting average and collected 2,217 hits.

Early Life and College Baseball

Juan Pierre was born in Mobile, Alabama. Soon after, his family moved to Alexandria, Louisiana. His family has deep roots in Louisiana and is of Creole heritage.

Pierre was named after Juan Marichal, a famous Hall of Fame pitcher from the Dominican Republic. His father loved Marichal and even gave Juan his middle name, D'Vaughn, because it sounded good.

Juan Pierre went to Alexandria Senior High School. Before playing professionally, he played college baseball. He played at Galveston College and the University of South Alabama. At the University of South Alabama, he was named the Sun Belt Conference Player of the Year in 1998.

Starting in the Minor Leagues

The Colorado Rockies picked Juan Pierre in the 13th round of the 1998 MLB draft. He started his professional career with the Portland Rockies in the Northwest League. In his first year, he was a fan favorite. He led the league in batting average and stolen bases, with 38 steals.

The next year, Pierre played for the Asheville Tourists. He continued to hit well, batting over .300. In 2000, he played for the Carolina Mudcats before joining the Colorado Rockies.

Playing in Major League Baseball

Colorado Rockies Years

Juan Pierre made his MLB debut on August 7, 2000. He entered the game as a pinch runner for the Rockies against the Pittsburgh Pirates. The next day, he started his first game in center field. He got his first hit in the first inning.

In 2000, he played in 51 games. He hit .310 with 20 RBIs and 7 stolen bases. He even received a vote for the National League Rookie of the Year.

In 2001, Pierre became the main center fielder for the Rockies. He played in 156 games and hit .327. He led the NL with 46 stolen bases. His 202 hits were the second most in the league.

Before the 2002 season, Pierre signed a contract to stay with the Rockies. He continued to be the starting center fielder. He hit .287 and stole 47 bases, which was second in the NL.

Time with the Florida Marlins

On November 16, 2002, Juan Pierre was traded to the Florida Marlins. This trade helped the Marlins get a key player for their future success.

In 2003, Pierre had an amazing regular season. He hit .305 and led the NL in several categories. These included games played (162), at-bats (668), and stolen bases (65). He also had the lowest strikeout rate in the majors. During the postseason, he was a very important player for the Marlins. They won the 2003 World Series championship! He hit .333 in the World Series.

In 2004, he again led the National League in at-bats (678) and hits (221). He also led the league in triples (12) and games played (162). He was the only player in MLB that year to play every inning of every game for his team.

In 2005, Pierre continued to play in every game, leading the NL with 162 games played.

Playing for the Chicago Cubs

Pierre playing for the Chicago Cubs in 2006

On December 7, 2005, the Marlins traded Pierre to the Chicago Cubs. This trade happened because the Marlins needed to reduce their team's costs. In 2006, Pierre hit .292. He led the NL with 204 hits, which was his second time leading the league. He also led the NL in at-bats (699) and games played (162). He played perfect defense, with a fielding percentage of 1.000.

Years with the Los Angeles Dodgers

On November 22, 2006, Juan Pierre signed a five-year contract with the Los Angeles Dodgers. In 2007, he led all of MLB in bunt hits (19). He also led the NL in games played (162) for the fifth year in a row. He was second in the NL with 64 stolen bases.

Pierre with the Dodgers in 2008 spring training

In 2008, the Dodgers signed another player, so Pierre moved to left field. Later, when the Dodgers traded for Manny Ramirez, Pierre became a backup player. He was mostly used as a pinch runner.

On September 15, 2008, Pierre hit a home run. It was his first traditional home run in over two years! On July 29, 2008, he stole his 100th base with the Dodgers. This made him 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 Manny Ramirez was suspended for 50 games, Pierre became the Dodgers' regular left fielder again. He played very well during this time. When Ramirez returned, Pierre went back to his backup role. Fans gave him a standing ovation to show their appreciation for his hard work.

Time 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 led Major League Baseball with a career-high 68 stolen bases. This was the second-most in White Sox history for a single season. On August 5, 2010, he stole his 500th career base.

In 2011, Pierre led the major leagues in sacrifice hits (19). He also had the fewest strikeouts per at-bat.

Playing for the Philadelphia Phillies

On January 27, 2012, Pierre signed a contract with the Philadelphia Phillies. He joined their main roster on March 29. On June 23, he hit a three-run home run. A few days later, on June 28, he got his 500th career RBI (Runs Batted In). In 130 games, Pierre hit .307 and stole 37 bases.

Return to the Miami Marlins

Pierre batting for the Miami Marlins in 2013

On November 17, 2012, Juan Pierre signed a one-year deal to return to the Miami Marlins. He played the 2013 season with them. After that season, he became a free agent.

Juan Pierre hoped to sign with another team, but he did not. He announced his retirement from professional baseball on February 27, 2015. He was eligible for the Hall of Fame in 2019 but did not receive enough votes.

Personal Life

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

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

See also

In Spanish: Juan Pierre para niños