Miguel Cabrera facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Miguel Cabrera |
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Cabrera with the Detroit Tigers in 2014
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| First baseman / Third baseman / Designated hitter | |||
| Born: April 18, 1983 Maracay, Venezuela |
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| debut | |||
| June 20, 2003, for the Florida Marlins | |||
| Last appearance | |||
| October 1, 2023, for the Detroit Tigers | |||
| MLB statistics | |||
| Batting average | .306 | ||
| Hits | 3,174 | ||
| Home runs | 511 | ||
| Runs batted in | 1,881 | ||
| Teams | |||
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| Career highlights and awards | |||
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José Miguel Cabrera Torres (born April 18, 1983), known as Miggy, is a famous Venezuelan baseball player. He played 21 seasons in Major League Baseball (MLB) for the Florida Marlins and Detroit Tigers. Miggy is considered one of the greatest hitters in baseball history.
He started playing in MLB in 2003. He won the American League (AL) Most Valuable Player (MVP) award twice. He was also the AL batting champion four times and an MLB All-Star 12 times. In 2012, he achieved the Triple Crown, which means he led the league in batting average, home runs, and runs batted in. This was the first time in 45 years someone had done that!
Miguel Cabrera is one of only three players in MLB history to have a career batting average above .300, hit over 500 home runs, and get over 3,000 hits. The other two players are baseball legends Hank Aaron and Willie Mays.
He was signed by the Florida Marlins in 1999 when he was 16. He quickly moved up through their minor league teams. He made his MLB debut in 2003 at age 20. That same year, he helped the Marlins win the World Series. After four seasons with the Marlins, he was traded to the Detroit Tigers in 2008.
In 2012, Miggy became the first player since Carl Yastrzemski in 1967 to win the batting Triple Crown. He led the AL with a .330 batting average, 44 home runs, and 139 runs batted in (RBI). This amazing performance earned him the AL MVP award. In 2013, he continued to play incredibly well. He became the first player to reach 30 home runs and 90 RBIs before the All-Star break. Even with some injuries later in the season, he had a career-high .348 batting average and won his second straight AL MVP award.
Cabrera won four AL batting titles, including three in a row from 2011 to 2013. He batted over .300 in 11 different seasons. He hit 30 or more home runs in ten seasons and drove in over 100 runs in 12 seasons. He holds the record for most career home runs and hits by a Venezuelan player. He joined the 500 home run club in 2021 and the 3,000 hit club in 2022. He is only the seventh player in MLB history to reach both of these huge milestones. Miggy also played for Venezuela in five World Baseball Classic tournaments. He retired after the 2023 season but still works for the Tigers team.
Contents
- Miggy's Early Life
- Starting His Professional Baseball Journey
- Playing in the Minor Leagues
- Playing for the Florida Marlins (2003–2007)
- Playing for the Detroit Tigers (2008–2023)
- First Season with the Tigers (2008)
- Continued Success (2009)
- More All-Star Appearances (2010)
- First Batting Title (2011)
- Triple Crown and First MVP (2012)
- Second MVP Season (2013)
- Contract Extension (2014)
- Fourth AL Batting Title (2015)
- Milestones and Awards (2016)
- Injuries and Challenges (2017-2019)
- More Milestones (2020-2021)
- 3,000th Career Hit (2022)
- Final Season (2023)
- International Baseball Career
- After Playing Baseball
- Awards and Highlights
- Personal Life
- Images for kids
- See also
Miggy's Early Life
Miguel Cabrera was born in Maracay, Aragua State, Venezuela. His parents are Miguel Cabrera and Gregoria Torres de Cabrera. When he was growing up, Miggy was interested in both volleyball and baseball. His uncle, David Torres, helped guide him in baseball from a young age. At 14, he went to a special baseball school in Cagua. This allowed him to keep studying while also playing baseball.
Starting His Professional Baseball Journey
Playing in the Minor Leagues
The Marlins signed Miguel in 1999 as a young, unsigned player. He started in their farm system, playing alongside future MLB stars like Adrián González and Dontrelle Willis.
In 2000, he began his professional career as a shortstop in the Gulf Coast League. He played well and was promoted to a higher level of Class-A ball. During that winter, his manager, Bill Plummer, moved him from shortstop to third base.
In 2001, Cabrera moved up to the Low Class-A Kane County Cougars. He even played in the All-Star Futures Game, which features top young players. He finished the year with a .268 batting average and showed off his strong arm.
The next season, he was promoted again to the High Class-A Jupiter Hammerheads. He continued to play third base. By July, he was hitting .277 and led his team in RBIs. He finished the season batting .278 with many doubles and RBIs.
In 2003, Cabrera got another promotion to the Double-A Carolina Mudcats. He played with Dontrelle Willis again. He started the season very strong, hitting .402 in April. By June, he was batting .365 with 10 home runs and 59 RBIs before being called up to the major leagues!
Playing for the Florida Marlins (2003–2007)
Rookie Year and World Series Win (2003)
Cabrera made his big league debut on June 20, 2003, when he was just 20 years old. In his very first MLB game, he hit a walk-off home run to win the game for his team! This was a rare and exciting start to his career. Miggy quickly became a key player for the Marlins.
His amazing play in the postseason helped the Florida Marlins win the World Series against the New York Yankees. He was even featured on the cover of ESPN The Magazine. He finished fifth in the NL Rookie of the Year voting.
In the playoffs, he hit well against the Giants and the Chicago Cubs. In the World Series, he hit a two-run home run against famous pitcher Roger Clemens. The Marlins went on to win the World Series in six games. In his first season, Cabrera batted .268 with 12 home runs and 62 RBIs in 87 games. He was named NL Rookie of the Month twice.
First All-Star Game (2004)
On April 20, 2004, Cabrera got his 100th career hit. In 2004, he batted .294 with 33 home runs and 112 RBIs. He played in 160 games and earned his first All-Star appearance. He played in the outfield and had 13 outfield assists, helping his team.
Another Great Season (2005)
In 2005, Cabrera was second in the National League with 198 hits. He batted .323 with 33 home runs and 116 RBIs. He was chosen for his second All-Star Game and won his first Silver Slugger Award. His 33 home runs made him the youngest player in MLB history to have two seasons in a row with 30 or more home runs. He had four seasons with at least 100 RBIs, which is a Marlins team record.
All-Star and Silver Slugger (2006)
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On June 22, 2006, Cabrera got a winning hit in the 10th inning against the Baltimore Orioles. He was voted to be a National League All-Star for the third time. He also took part in the Home Run Derby, finishing third with 15 home runs.
Cabrera finished the year with a .339 batting average, 26 home runs, and 114 RBIs. He won his second Silver Slugger Award. He almost won the National League batting title, finishing second.
Final Marlins Season (2007)
Cabrera made his fourth All-Star game in a row. He was supposed to be in the Home Run Derby again, but a shoulder injury stopped him.
On September 4, Cabrera got his 500th RBI in the major leagues. He was the third-youngest player to reach this milestone. On September 15, 2007, he drove in at least 100 runs for the fourth year in a row. In that game, he also hit his first career grand slam. Cabrera ended the 2007 season with career highs in home runs (34) and RBIs (119), while batting .320.
Playing for the Detroit Tigers (2008–2023)
On December 5, 2007, the Marlins traded Cabrera to the Detroit Tigers. This was a big move for him. On March 22, 2008, Cabrera signed a large contract extension with the Tigers.
First Season with the Tigers (2008)
Cabrera played his first game for the Tigers on March 31, 2008. He hit a solo home run in his third time at bat. His manager, Jim Leyland, later moved him to first base, where he would play most of his career. Cabrera was named the AL Player of the Month for July. On September 7, he reached 1,000 career hits with a home run.
Cabrera finished the 2008 season with a career-high 37 home runs, leading the American League. He also had a new career high of 127 RBIs. He was one of only six players to have driven in at least 100 runs for five seasons in a row.
Continued Success (2009)
On Opening Day in 2009, Cabrera hit a grand slam to help the Tigers win 15–2. On August 23, 2009, he hit his 200th career home run. He was only the fourth Venezuelan player to reach that many home runs.
In 2009, Cabrera batted .324, which was fourth best in the AL. He also had 198 hits and 103 RBIs, marking his sixth straight year with 100 RBIs.
More All-Star Appearances (2010)
On May 28, 2010, Cabrera hit three home runs in one game for the first time in his career. He was named an AL All-Star for the first time since joining the American League. He also took part in the Home Run Derby.
Cabrera ended the 2010 season with a .328 batting average, a career-high 38 home runs, and 126 RBIs. He finished second in the AL MVP voting.
First Batting Title (2011)
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Cabrera was named to his second AL All-Star team in 2011. On July 15, he got his 1,500th career hit. During the 2011 season, Cabrera hit for a .344 average, winning the AL batting title. He also led the AL in on-base percentage and doubles. He had his eighth straight 100-RBI season and fifth straight 30-home run season.
His strong play in September 2011 helped the Tigers reach the playoffs. In the AL Championship Series, Cabrera batted .400 with four doubles, three home runs, and seven RBIs.
Triple Crown and First MVP (2012)
In 2012, after the Tigers signed Prince Fielder, Cabrera moved back to third base. On April 27, Cabrera got his 1,000th RBI. He was the sixth youngest player to reach this milestone.
Cabrera was named an AL All-Star again. On July 22, he hit his 300th career home run. He was the second Venezuelan-born player to reach this mark.
Cabrera won the Triple Crown in 2012. He led the AL with a .330 batting average, 44 home runs, and 139 RBIs. He was the first player to win a Triple Crown since 1967. He also had his first season with 200 hits. He was named The Sporting News Player of the Year and won the AL Hank Aaron Award. On November 15, Cabrera was named the AL's Most Valuable Player.
Second MVP Season (2013)
Baseball Hall of Famer Al Kaline said in 2013 that Cabrera's performance was "unbelievable." Many experts called Cabrera "the greatest player in the game of baseball."
Cabrera continued his amazing play in 2013. He was named AL Player of the Month for May and August. By the 2013 All-Star break, Cabrera was hitting .365 with 30 home runs and 95 RBIs. He became the first player in MLB history to have at least 30 home runs and 90 RBIs before the All-Star break. He was voted as the starting third baseman for the 2013 All-Star Game. On July 9, 2013, he hit his 350th career home run.
Cabrera finished the 2013 season with a .348 batting average, winning his third straight AL batting title. He was the first Tiger to win three batting titles in a row since Ty Cobb (1917–1919). He also led the AL in on-base percentage, slugging percentage, and OPS. He finished second in home runs (44) and RBIs (137).
On October 24, Cabrera won his second straight Sporting News MLB Player of the Year Award. On November 14, he won his second straight American League MVP Award. He was the first AL player to win back-to-back MVP awards since Frank Thomas in 1993–1994.
Contract Extension (2014)
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In 2014, Cabrera moved back to first base. On March 28, 2014, he signed a large contract extension with the Tigers. On April 4, he hit a two-run home run for his 2,000th career hit. He was the ninth player to reach 2,000 hits before his 31st birthday. He was voted to start at first base for the American League at the 2014 All-Star Game. This was his ninth All-Star selection. In the All-Star game, he hit his first career All-Star game home run.
On September 7, Cabrera recorded his 100th RBI of the season, reaching this milestone for the 11th season in a row. He was only the fifth player in MLB history to do this. Cabrera finished the 2014 season with a .313 batting average, 25 home runs, 109 RBI, and a league-leading 52 doubles.
Fourth AL Batting Title (2015)
Cabrera was named the AL player of the week for April 5–12, 2015. On May 16, 2015, he hit his 400th career home run. This made him the all-time leader in home runs among Venezuelan-born players. He was the third-youngest active player and eighth-youngest in history to reach this milestone. On May 21, Cabrera recorded his 1,400th career RBI.
On July 4, Cabrera was placed on the disabled list for the first time in his 13-year career due to a calf injury. At the time, he was leading the league in batting average (.350). He was still voted to start at first base for the 2015 All-Star Game, his 10th All-Star selection, but could not play due to injury. On August 16, he got his 1,426th career RBI, becoming the Venezuelan player with the most RBIs.
Even with the injury, Cabrera's .338 batting average led the major leagues, earning him his fourth AL batting title in five years. He also led the American League in on-base percentage. He won his sixth Silver Slugger award.
Milestones and Awards (2016)
Cabrera was named AL Co-Player of the Week in May 2016. On May 23, he hit his 500th career double. On June 12, he recorded his 2,400th career hit in his 2,000th career game. He was the fifth-youngest player in MLB history to reach this milestone.
On June 28, Cabrera hit a home run against his former team, the Miami Marlins. This meant he had hit a home run against all 30 Major League teams! On July 5, he was named to his 11th All-Star team. On July 22, he recorded his 1,500th career RBI. He reached 1,500 RBIs with 400+ home runs faster than anyone in MLB history. On August 18, he recorded his 1,000th RBI as a Tiger.
On September 5, Cabrera hit his 30th home run of the season and his 300th home run as a Tiger. He joined Al Kaline, Norm Cash, and Hank Greenberg as the only four players to hit 300+ home runs for the Tigers. On September 18, he recorded his 2,500th career hit. He was the fourth-youngest player to reach 2,500 hits.
Cabrera was named AL Player of the Week and AL Player of the Month for September. He finished the 2016 season with a .316 batting average, 38 home runs, and 108 RBI. He won the 2016 AL Silver Slugger Award for first basemen, his seventh Silver Slugger Award overall.
Injuries and Challenges (2017-2019)
Back problems affected Cabrera throughout the 2017 season. He was placed on the disabled list in April but returned and hit his 450th career home run. On June 2, he recorded his 1,000th career extra-base hit. On July 20, he recorded his 1,600th career RBI. Cabrera finished 2017 with a career-low .249 batting average.
In 2018, Cabrera suffered a left biceps tendon injury that required surgery and ended his season early. He finished the 2018 season with a .299 batting average, three home runs, and 22 RBIs in 38 games. In 2019, knee issues led to him becoming a full-time designated hitter. He hit .282 with 12 home runs and 59 RBI in 139 games.
More Milestones (2020-2021)
On August 29, 2020, Cabrera passed former Tiger Charlie Gehringer for 50th on the all-time MLB hits list. He became one of only 16 major league players to be in the top 50 for hits, home runs, and RBIs. On August 30, he recorded his 2,000th career hit as a Tiger. For the shortened 2020 season, Cabrera hit .250 with 10 home runs and 35 RBI.
On April 1, 2021, Cabrera hit a home run in his first at-bat of the season. He became the second Tigers player to record 350 home runs and 2,000 hits with the team. On May 12, Cabrera passed Omar Vizquel for the most career hits by a Venezuelan-born player. On June 1, he recorded his 400th career double with the Tigers.
On August 22, Cabrera hit his 500th career home run. He became the 28th player in Major League history to reach this milestone and the first to do so as a Tiger. Among players with 500 home runs, Cabrera has the fifth-highest career batting average. On September 7, he passed Ichiro Suzuki for the most career hits in MLB interleague play. On September 20, Cabrera recorded his 1,800th career RBI. He finished the 2021 season with 2,987 career hits, tied for 33rd all-time.
3,000th Career Hit (2022)
On April 23, 2022, Cabrera recorded his 3,000th career hit against the Colorado Rockies. He became the 33rd player in MLB history to join the 3,000-hit club. He is also the seventh player in MLB history to have 500 home runs and 3,000 hits, joining legends like Hank Aaron and Willie Mays.
On May 7, Cabrera recorded his 600th career double. He became the third player in MLB history to have 3,000 hits, 600 doubles, and 500 home runs. He is also the first player in MLB history to have all those milestones plus a Triple Crown! On July 8, Cabrera was named to the 2022 MLB All-Star Game as an honorary selection. On July 25, he hit a solo home run for his 1,840th RBI, moving him into the Top 15 on the all-time list.
For the 2022 season, Cabrera hit .254 with 5 home runs and 43 RBI. At the end of the season, he ranked in the all-time top 25 in several hitting categories, including hits, doubles, and RBIs. In November 2022, Cabrera announced that he would likely retire after the 2023 season.
Final Season (2023)
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At spring training in February 2023, Cabrera confirmed his plan to retire after the season. He said he wanted to stay with the Tigers organization to help younger players. On May 16, Cabrera became the eighth player in Tigers history to play in 2,000 regular season games with the team.
On August 8, he had two hits to pass Tony Gwynn and move into the top 20 on the all-time MLB hits list. On September 27, Cabrera hit his 511th home run. This tied him with Norm Cash for the second-most home runs as a Tiger, behind only Al Kaline.
In his very last inning in MLB, Cabrera played first base and made a putout. He was then removed from the game, making that his final play. In his final season, Cabrera batted .257 with 4 home runs and 34 RBI in 98 games.
Miguel Cabrera finished his amazing career with a .306 batting average, 3,174 hits (16th all-time), 511 home runs (tied for 25th), 627 doubles (13th), and 1,881 RBIs (12th). He is one of only two players in MLB history (with Hank Aaron) to reach 3,000 hits, 500 home runs, and 600 doubles while having a career batting average over .300.
International Baseball Career
Cabrera proudly represented the Venezuela national baseball team in international competitions. He played for Venezuela in the first World Baseball Classic in 2006. He also played in the 2009, 2013, 2017, and 2023 World Baseball Classic tournaments.
After Playing Baseball
On September 29, 2023, the Tigers announced that Cabrera would stay with the team as a special assistant. He now helps the president of baseball operations, Scott Harris, and works with younger players.
Awards and Highlights
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Personal Life
Cabrera is very involved in his community. In 2012, he started The Miguel Cabrera Foundation. This foundation helps different children's charities and encourages young kids to play baseball and softball. In 2012 and 2013, his team nominated him for the Roberto Clemente Award. This award honors the MLB player who best represents baseball on and off the field.
Cabrera's wife is named Rosangel, and they have two daughters and one son. During the COVID-19 pandemic, Cabrera was featured in a Spanish-language rap song called "Miggy al Bate" (Miggy at Bat).
Images for kids
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Cabrera with the Detroit Tigers in 2014
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Cabrera with the Florida Marlins in 2007
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Cabrera (left) with Marlins teammate Alfredo Amézaga in 2006
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Cabrera in 2009
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Cabrera batting against the Angels in 2012
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Cabrera during batting practice in 2012
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Cabrera during batting practice in 2014
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Cabrera in 2014
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Cabrera during batting practice at Target Field in 2016
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Cabrera receiving honors from the Washington Nationals in May 2023
See also
In Spanish: Miguel Cabrera (beisbolista) para niños
