Marcus Semien facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Marcus Semien |
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Semien with the Oakland Athletics in 2015
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| Texas Rangers – No. 2 | |||
| Shortstop / Second baseman | |||
| Born: September 17, 1990 San Francisco, California, U.S. |
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| debut | |||
| September 4, 2013, for the Chicago White Sox | |||
| MLB statistics (through 2024 season) |
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| Batting average | .255 | ||
| Hits | 1,505 | ||
| Home runs | 238 | ||
| Runs batted in | 739 | ||
| Stolen bases | 128 | ||
| Teams | |||
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| Career highlights and awards | |||
MLB records
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Marcus Andrew Semien (born September 17, 1990) is an American professional baseball player. He plays as a shortstop and second baseman for the Texas Rangers. The Rangers are part of Major League Baseball (MLB).
Before joining the Rangers, Semien played for the Chicago White Sox, Oakland Athletics, and Toronto Blue Jays. In 2021, he became an All-Star with the Blue Jays. That same year, he won the Gold Glove Award and the Silver Slugger Award. After the 2021 season, Semien signed a big contract with the Rangers. He then helped them win the World Series in 2023.
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Early Life and High School Baseball
Marcus Andrew Semien was born in San Francisco, California, on September 17, 1990. He grew up playing baseball in El Cerrito, California, which is near San Francisco. He was often chosen for the area's All-Star teams.
He went to St. Mary's College High School in Berkeley, California. In high school, he was a great hitter. He hit for a very high average and was named all-league three times. The Chicago White Sox first drafted him in 2008, but he decided to go to college instead.
College Baseball Career
Semien chose to attend the University of California, Berkeley. There, he played college baseball for the California Golden Bears. He had a tough first year, but he got much better in his second year.
As a junior, Semien became the team's starting shortstop. However, his hitting average dropped a bit. This made teams less likely to draft him very high in the MLB Draft that year.
Professional Baseball Journey
Starting with the White Sox (2011–2014)
Minor League Progress
The White Sox drafted Semien again in 2011. He was picked in the sixth round. He began his professional career that year in the minor leagues. He played for the Kannapolis Intimidators.
In 2012, he moved up to a higher level with the Winston-Salem Dash. He continued to improve his hitting and power. By 2013, he was considered one of the White Sox's top young players.
Major League Debut
On September 3, 2013, Marcus Semien was called up to the major leagues. He made his MLB debut the very next day. He got his first hit, a single, in his first time at bat. Later that month, he hit his first major league home run.
He played in 21 games during his first season. In 2014, he played in 64 games for the White Sox. He hit 6 home runs and had 28 runs batted in (RBIs) that year.
Time with the Oakland Athletics (2015–2020)
In December 2014, Semien was traded to the Oakland Athletics. He became their starting shortstop in 2015. At first, he struggled with defense, making many errors.
After that season, the Athletics hired a special coach to help him. Semien worked hard and showed huge improvement in 2016. He made far fewer errors and hit 27 home runs.
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In 2017, Semien had a wrist injury that needed surgery. He still managed to hit 10 home runs. By 2018, his defense was excellent. He was even a finalist for the Gold Glove Award at shortstop.
His best season with the Athletics was in 2019. He hit 33 home runs and had a great batting average. He was named to the All-MLB second team. He also finished third in the voting for the American League MVP award. This showed how much he had grown as a player. In 2020, he played in a shorter season due to the pandemic.
One Year with the Toronto Blue Jays (2021)
In 2021, Semien signed a one-year contract with the Toronto Blue Jays. This was a huge year for him. On July 1, he was chosen as an All-Star for the first time. He even started the game at second base.
Later that season, Semien made history. He hit his 44th home run, breaking the record for most home runs by a second baseman in a single season. He finished the year with 45 home runs and 102 RBIs. He also won a Gold Glove Award for his defense and a Silver Slugger Award for his hitting. He finished third in the AL MVP voting again.
Joining the Texas Rangers (2022–Present)
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On December 1, 2021, Marcus Semien signed a big seven-year contract with the Texas Rangers. In 2022, he played in almost every game. He hit 26 home runs and had 83 RBIs.
In 2023, Semien played in all 162 games of the season. He led the league in runs scored with 122. He also set an MLB record for most plate appearances in a season. He won another Silver Slugger Award for his excellent hitting. He finished third in the AL MVP voting for the third time in his career.
The biggest highlight of 2023 was winning the 2023 World Series with the Rangers. They defeated the Arizona Diamondbacks in five games. In 2024, he continued to play well, hitting 23 home runs. He also recorded his 1,500th career hit.
Personal Life
Marcus Semien's parents both went to the University of California, Berkeley. His father, Damien, played football there.
Marcus Semien is married and has three sons and a daughter. During the off-season, he and his family live in Berkeley, California.
See also
In Spanish: Marcus Semien para niños
