Lorenzo Cain facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Lorenzo Cain |
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Cain with the Milwaukee Brewers in 2018
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| Center fielder | |||
| Born: April 13, 1986 Valdosta, Georgia, U.S. |
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| debut | |||
| July 16, 2010, for the Milwaukee Brewers | |||
| Last appearance | |||
| June 16, 2022, for the Milwaukee Brewers | |||
| MLB statistics | |||
| Batting average | .283 | ||
| Home runs | 87 | ||
| Runs batted in | 454 | ||
| Teams | |||
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| Career highlights and awards | |||
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Lorenzo Lamar Cain (born April 13, 1986) is a former American professional baseball player. He was a center fielder in Major League Baseball (MLB). He played for the Milwaukee Brewers and the Kansas City Royals.
The Brewers chose him in the 2004 MLB draft. This was after he played at Tallahassee Community College. Cain first played in MLB in 2010. After that season, the Brewers traded him to Kansas City. Three other players also went to Kansas City for pitcher Zack Greinke.
Cain was known for his amazing defense. He won four Wilson Defensive Player of the Year Awards. He also won three Fielding Bible Awards. In 2014, he won the Most Valuable Player Award for the 2014 American League Championship Series. This was partly because of his great defense. He also finished high in the MVP voting in 2015 and 2018.
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Early Life and Baseball Start
Lorenzo Cain's father passed away when Lorenzo was only four years old. His mother, Patricia, raised him and his brother. She still works at a printing plant in Madison, Florida.
Unlike many professional baseball players, Cain did not start playing baseball early. He began in his second year of high school. This was at Madison County High School in Florida. He said he only started because he didn't make the school basketball team. At that time, Cain didn't even own a baseball glove.
Professional Baseball Career
Playing in the Minor Leagues
The Milwaukee Brewers picked Cain in the 17th round of the 2004 MLB draft. This was when he was playing for Tallahassee Community College. He started his professional career in 2005. He played for their Rookie League teams, the Helena Brewers and AZL Brewers.
In 2006, he moved up to the Class A West Virginia Power. There, he was named an All-Star for the South Atlantic League. He was promoted again in 2007 to the Class A-Advanced Brevard County Manatees. By June 2008, Cain was called up to the Triple-A Nashville Sounds.
First Time with the Milwaukee Brewers (2010)
Cain was called up to the Brewers' main team on July 16, 2010. This happened when pitcher Doug Davis went on the disabled list. He made his first MLB appearance that night. He was a pinch-hitter against the Atlanta Braves.
In his first try, a Braves player made a great catch, stopping him from getting a hit. Two days later, he got his first major league hit. He then played center field for the rest of the game. Cain played in 43 games for the Brewers that year.
Time with the Kansas City Royals (2011–2017)
On December 18, 2010, Cain was traded to the Kansas City Royals. He went with Alcides Escobar, Jeremy Jeffress, and Jake Odorizzi. In return, the Brewers got Zack Greinke and Yuniesky Betancourt.
Cain started the 2011 season with the Royals' AAA team, the Omaha Storm Chasers. He played only six games for the Royals in his first year with them. In February 2012, the Royals signed Cain to a one-year contract for the 2012 season.
Cain started 2013 as the main center fielder. He played in 115 games that season. He hit for a .251 batting average. He also hit 4 home runs and stole 14 bases.
In 2014, Cain had a great regular season. He hit .301 with five home runs and 28 stolen bases. He worked hard to improve his running speed. This helped him get many more infield hits.
The Royals made the playoffs in 2014. This was their first time since winning the 1985 World Series. In the Division Series, Cain's defense was amazing. He made four incredible catches in two games. Many people said his defense helped the Royals win against the Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim.
In Game 2 of the American League Championship Series (ALCS), Cain made another fantastic catch. He caught a hard-hit ball to save a tie score. At the plate, he got four hits in five tries. He also drove in a run that helped the Royals win. Cain won the ALCS Most Valuable Player Award. He hit for a .533 batting average in the series. His great hitting and defense helped the Royals sweep the Orioles. This sent them to the World Series.
Cain's excellent defense continued in the World Series against the San Francisco Giants. He made a catch at the wall in Game 1. In Game 3, he made two more diving catches. These helped the Royals win 3–2. In Game 6, Cain got two hits and two walks. He also drove in three runs. He made another running catch. The Royals won 10–0 to force a Game 7. However, the Giants won Game 7 and the World Series.
In 2015, Cain was chosen for his first All-Star team. He helped the Royals win the 2015 AL Central Division title. He had his best season with a .307 batting average. He also hit 16 home runs and had 72 RBIs. In Game 5 of the World Series, Cain helped the Royals win 7–2. This victory clinched the championship over the New York Mets. Cain finished third in the voting for the 2015 American League Most Valuable Player award.
Returning to the Brewers (2018–2022)
Cain signed a five-year contract to return to the Brewers on January 26, 2018. He was named to the 2018 MLB All-Star Game. He hit .290 with eight home runs and 15 stolen bases. That season, Cain finished seventh in the National League MVP voting. He played a big part in the Brewers getting close to the 2018 World Series. They lost to the Dodgers in the 2018 National League Championship Series.
In 2019, he hit .260 with 11 home runs. Despite dealing with injuries, he had the best fielding percentage among all major league center fielders. He won the first Gold Glove Award of his career.
Cain played in only five games in the short 2020 MLB season. He decided to sit out the rest of the season due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Cain came back to play in 2021. However, he only played in 78 games because of a hamstring injury. He hit .257 with eight home runs and 13 stolen bases.
In 2022, Cain played in 43 games for Milwaukee. On June 18, the Brewers removed him from their active roster. He became a free agent on June 22.
Cain announced he was retiring from baseball on March 7, 2023. On April 6, 2023, the Royals announced that Cain signed a one-day contract. This allowed him to officially retire as a Royal. A celebration was held before a Royals home game on May 6.
Awards and Honors
- 2015 World Series Champion
- 2018 All-Star
- 2015 All-Star
- 2019 Gold Glove Award Winner
- 2014 2014 American League Championship Series Most Valuable Player Award
- 2006 South Atlantic League (SAL) Post-Season All-Star
- 2006 SAL Mid-Season All-Star
- 2005 Topps Short-Season/Rookie All-Star
- 2005 Topps AZL Player of the Year
- 2005 Baseball America Rookie All-Star
- 2005 Arizona League (AZL) Most Valuable Player
- 2005 AZL Post-Season All-Star
Personal Life
Lorenzo Cain and his wife, Jenny, have three sons. They were born in October 2014, January 2016, and December 2017.
See also
In Spanish: Lorenzo Cain para niños
