Prince Fielder facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Prince Fielder |
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Fielder with the Detroit Tigers in 2012
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| First baseman | |||
| Born: May 9, 1984 Ontario, California, U.S. |
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| debut | |||
| June 13, 2005, for the Milwaukee Brewers | |||
| Last appearance | |||
| July 18, 2016, for the Texas Rangers | |||
| MLB statistics | |||
| Batting average | .283 | ||
| Home runs | 319 | ||
| Runs batted in | 1,028 | ||
| Teams | |||
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| Career highlights and awards | |||
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Prince Semien Fielder (born May 9, 1984) is a former American professional baseball player. He played as a first baseman and designated hitter in Major League Baseball (MLB). His teams included the Milwaukee Brewers, Detroit Tigers, and Texas Rangers.
The Brewers picked Prince Fielder in the first round of the 2002 Major League Baseball draft. He played for the Brewers for seven years. In 2012, he joined the Detroit Tigers. Later, in 2013, he was traded to the Texas Rangers. He finished his career playing for the Rangers.
Fielder was a six-time All-Star. He holds the Brewers' team record for home runs (HR) and runs batted in (RBI) in a season. He is also the youngest player in National League (NL) history to hit 50 home runs in one season. Prince Fielder was the first Brewer to win the Home Run Derby in 2009. He won again in 2012, becoming one of the few players to win more than once. He was also the first player to win the Derby as both an American League (AL) and NL All-Star.
Prince Fielder announced his retirement on August 10, 2016. This was due to needing a second neck surgery in three years. He ended his career with 319 home runs. This is the same number as his father, Cecil Fielder. Prince and Cecil Fielder are the only father-son duo to each hit 50 MLB home runs in a season. They were also the only father-son duo to hit 40 MLB home runs in a season for a long time.
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Early Life and Baseball Beginnings
Prince Fielder was born right-handed. However, his father, baseball player Cecil Fielder, taught him to hit left-handed when he was very young. Prince grew up around his father's baseball teams. He even appeared on a TV show called MTV Rock N' Jock Softball.
When his dad played for the Detroit Tigers, Prince would sometimes join batting practice. As a 12-year-old in 1996, Fielder hit a home run into the upper deck of Tiger Stadium. This was a very impressive feat for a young player.
High School Baseball Career
Fielder went to Saint Edward's School in Vero Beach, Florida, for two years. He played junior varsity baseball there. He then spent his first three years of high school at Florida Air Academy in Melbourne, Florida. For his senior year in 2002, he moved to Eau Gallie High School.
During his senior year, he had an amazing batting average of .524. He also hit 13 doubles, 10 home runs, and had 41 RBIs. Florida Today named him the All-Space Coast Player of the Year in 2002. Fielder had planned to play college baseball for Arizona State.
Professional Baseball Career
Drafted by the Brewers
The Milwaukee Brewers chose Prince Fielder in the first round of the 2002 Major League Baseball draft. He was the seventh overall pick. He signed with the Brewers and started his professional journey in minor league baseball. He played for the Ogden Raptors in the Rookie-level Pioneer League. In his very first pro game, he hit a grand slam to tie the game in the 9th inning!
He then moved up to the Beloit Snappers and later the Huntsville Stars. By 2005, he was playing for the Nashville Sounds in Class AAA.
Milwaukee Brewers: 2005–2011
Making His MLB Debut
Prince Fielder first joined Major League Baseball on June 13, 2005. He played as a designated hitter for the Brewers. He got his first major league hit, a double, on June 15, 2005. He also hit his first home run on June 25, 2005. He was one of the youngest players in the league that year.
Becoming a Star Player
In 2006, Fielder became the Brewers' starting first baseman. He quickly showed his talent. He broke the Brewers' rookie home run record with 28 homers. In 2007, he had an incredible season. He was chosen to start at first base in the 2007 All-Star game.
On September 15, 2007, Fielder broke the Brewers' record for most home runs in a season. He hit his 46th home run that day. On September 25, he made history again. He became the youngest player ever to hit 50 home runs in a season. He wanted to prove himself and show he was a great player.
In 2007, Fielder led the National League with 50 home runs. He also had 119 RBIs. He won several awards, including the Milwaukee Brewers Team MVP and the Hank Aaron Award.
Consistent Performance
Fielder continued to play well in 2008. He hit 34 home runs and had 102 RBIs. The Brewers made the playoffs for the first time in many years. In 2009, Fielder hit his first career grand slam. He also won the 2009 Major League Baseball Home Run Derby in St. Louis. He hit the longest home run of the Derby, traveling 503 feet!
In September 2009, Fielder set a new Brewers' single-season record for RBIs with 141. He finished the season tied for first in the National League in RBIs. By 2011, Fielder was named the MVP of the All-Star Game. He hit a 3-run home run in that game. He ended the 2011 season with 38 home runs and a .299 batting average.
Detroit Tigers: 2012–2013
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In 2012, Prince Fielder signed a big contract with the Detroit Tigers. He became their first baseman and a key hitter. He hit his first two home runs as a Tiger on April 7, 2012. He was voted to the 2012 All-Star team.
On July 9, 2012, Fielder won his second Home Run Derby title. He became the first player to win for both the National and American Leagues. He also joined Ken Griffey Jr. as the only players to win multiple Derbies.
Fielder had a great 2012 season, with a career-best .313 batting average. He hit 30 home runs and had 108 RBIs. He played in all 162 games for the Tigers. His strong hitting helped his teammate Miguel Cabrera win the Triple Crown. The Tigers made it to the 2012 World Series, which was Fielder's first time playing in the World Series.
In 2013, Fielder continued his consistent play. He was named AL Player of the Week in April. He was also selected for his fifth career All-Star Game. He played in all 162 games for the third straight season. By the end of 2013, he had played in 831 of his last 832 regular-season games.
Texas Rangers: 2014–2017
On November 20, 2013, Fielder was traded to the Texas Rangers. In June 2014, he had neck surgery, which ended his season early. This also ended his impressive streak of 547 consecutive games started.
In 2015, Fielder made a strong comeback. He led the American League in batting average for a while. He was also selected as an All-Star for the sixth time. He finished the season with a .305 batting average, 23 home runs, and 98 RBIs.
On April 29, 2016, Fielder and his father, Cecil Fielder, became the second father-son duo to both record 1,000 RBIs in their careers. However, on July 20, Fielder was diagnosed with more neck problems. On August 10, he announced that he could no longer play professional baseball due to his injuries. He played 89 games in 2016, finishing with 8 home runs and 44 RBIs. The Rangers officially released him in October 2017.
Career Highlights and Statistics
In his 12 seasons and 1611 games, Prince Fielder had a .283 batting average. He hit 319 home runs and had 1028 RBI. He was known for his power and for rarely missing a game.
After his playing career, Fielder has stayed involved in baseball. He served as the hitting coach for the American League team in the 2024 All-Star Futures Game.
Personal Life
Prince Fielder is named after his grandfather. He married his wife Chanel in 2005. They have two sons. The family lives in Windermere, Florida. Fielder has a tattoo on his neck that says "왕자," which means "Prince" in Korean.
See also
- List of Major League Baseball career home run leaders
- List of Major League Baseball career runs batted in leaders
Images for kids
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Prince Fielder, Ryan Howard, and President Barack Obama before the start of the All-Star Game, July 14, 2009
