Justin Bour facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Justin Bour |
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Bour with the Miami Marlins in 2018
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| First baseman | |||
| Born: May 28, 1988 Washington, D.C., U.S. |
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| Professional debut | |||
| MLB: June 5, 2014, for the Miami Marlins | |||
| NPB: June 19, 2020, for the Hanshin Tigers | |||
| KBO: August 10, 2021, for the LG Twins | |||
| Last appearance | |||
| MLB: September 29, 2019, for the Los Angeles Angels | |||
| NPB: October 21, 2020, for the Hanshin Tigers | |||
| KBO: September 21, 2021, for the LG Twins | |||
| MLB statistics | |||
| Batting average | .253 | ||
| Home runs | 92 | ||
| Runs batted in | 303 | ||
| NPB statistics | |||
| Batting average | .243 | ||
| Home runs | 17 | ||
| Runs batted in | 45 | ||
| KBO statistics | |||
| Batting average | .170 | ||
| Home runs | 3 | ||
| Runs batted in | 17 | ||
| Teams | |||
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Justin James Bour (born May 28, 1988) is an American former professional baseball player. He was a first baseman. Justin played in some of the biggest baseball leagues around the world. He played in Major League Baseball (MLB) for teams like the Miami Marlins, Philadelphia Phillies, and Los Angeles Angels. He also played in Japan for the Hanshin Tigers (NPB) and in South Korea for the LG Twins (KBO League).
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Early Life and High School Baseball
Justin Bour was born in Washington, D.C.. His parents are Jim and Tracey Bour. His father worked for the Secret Service, often protecting presidents. Justin has two siblings, Jason and Jenna.
While growing up in Chantilly, Virginia, Justin went to Westfield High School. He was a key player on the baseball team, helping them win a division title. In high school, Justin was both a pitcher and a first baseman. He was recognized as a top player, earning "first-team All-Met" honors in 2006. In his senior year, Justin was an amazing hitter, with a batting average of .523 and 23 runs batted in (RBIs).
College Baseball Career
Justin Bour continued his baseball journey at George Mason University in Fairfax, Virginia. Baseball runs in his family! His father, mother, and older brother, Jason, also went to George Mason. His father played volleyball, and his mother played softball and volleyball.
At George Mason, Justin set many records. He had the most "putouts" (when a player records an out) in the university's history, with 1,273. He also tied for second in career home runs with 46 and was third in RBIs with 187. Justin was known for hitting lots of home runs and driving in many runs. In one game on March 6, 2007, he hit two grand slams and had nine RBIs, which was a school record! In 2008, he played summer baseball for the Bourne Braves in the Cape Cod Baseball League.
Because of his great college performance, the Chicago Cubs drafted Justin in 2009. He was picked in the 25th round of the Major League Amateur Draft. Many people thought he would be picked earlier. Justin still practices at George Mason University during the off-season.
Professional Baseball Journey
Starting with the Chicago Cubs
Justin Bour began his professional career in the Cubs' minor league system. By 2012, he was playing for the Double-A Tennessee Smokies. He had a strong season, batting .283 and driving in 110 runs. He was even named to the Southern League Postseason All-Star team. In 2013, he hit 16 home runs for the Smokies. However, the Cubs already had a star first baseman, Anthony Rizzo, which made it hard for Justin to move up. In December 2013, the Miami Marlins picked him in the Rule 5 draft.
Playing for the Miami Marlins
Justin was first called up to play in the major leagues with the Marlins on June 1, 2014. He proved himself and spent most of the 2015 season with the team. He had a fantastic year! On May 17, 2015, Justin became famous for breaking up a "no-hitter" game by Shelby Miller in the ninth inning. He also hit a home run in four straight games from June 30 to July 3, 2015. This was a rare achievement for a Marlins player. In October, he was named the National League Rookie of the Month for September. After the All-Star break, Justin hit 13 home runs and had 46 RBIs. He helped the Marlins a lot, especially after their star player, Giancarlo Stanton, got injured. Justin led the Marlins in RBIs that season with 73 and hit 23 home runs. He finished fifth in the National League Rookie of the Year voting.
In 2016, Justin became a regular first baseman for the Marlins. He started the season strong, hitting 15 home runs and 46 RBIs by the end of June. However, he got injured in July, rolling his ankle. This injury kept him out of the game for a long time. He returned to the team in September but did not hit any more home runs that season.
Justin had another successful season in 2017. He even stole a base for the first time in his Major League career against the Arizona Diamondbacks. He got the pitcher and catcher to sign the base for him! Justin was also invited to the 2017 Home Run Derby. He hit 22 home runs in the first round, which was a lot, but he was knocked out by Aaron Judge. Justin finished the 2017 season with 25 home runs and 83 RBIs.
In 2018, Justin played for the Marlins, batting .227 with 19 home runs and 54 RBIs.
Moving to Other MLB Teams
On August 10, 2018, Justin was traded to the Philadelphia Phillies. He played as a bench player for them, hitting one home run and five RBIs. After the 2018 season, the Phillies decided not to keep him, and he became a free agent.
On December 15, 2018, the Los Angeles Angels signed Justin to a one-year contract. He played for them in 2019. After that season, he became a free agent again.
Playing Overseas: Japan and South Korea
Justin decided to play baseball in other countries. On December 14, 2019, he signed with the Hanshin Tigers in Japan's Nippon Professional Baseball (NPB) league. He played there until November 2020.
In 2021, Justin signed a minor league contract with the San Francisco Giants in the U.S. He played for their Triple-A team, the Sacramento River Cats. However, he was released in June 2021.
Soon after, on June 27, 2021, Justin signed with the LG Twins in South Korea's KBO League. He played 32 games for them, hitting three home runs and 17 RBIs. He was not re-signed for the 2022 season.
Final Professional Games and Retirement
On December 29, 2021, Justin signed with the Diablos Rojos del México in the Mexican League. He played 16 games in Mexico in 2022, batting .327 with two home runs and nine RBIs. He was released in May 2022.
On February 10, 2023, Justin Bour announced that he was retiring from professional baseball. He shared that he would be finishing his degree at George Mason University.
After Playing Baseball
After retiring from playing, Justin Bour joined the Milwaukee Brewers on February 22, 2024. He works as an assistant in their player development department, helping younger players grow and improve.
