Ryan Braun facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Ryan Braun |
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Braun with the Milwaukee Brewers in 2018
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| Left fielder | |||
| Born: November 17, 1983 Mission Hills, California, U.S. |
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| debut | |||
| May 25, 2007, for the Milwaukee Brewers | |||
| Last appearance | |||
| September 27, 2020, for the Milwaukee Brewers | |||
| MLB statistics | |||
| Batting average | .296 | ||
| Home runs | 352 | ||
| Runs batted in | 1,154 | ||
| Teams | |||
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| Career highlights and awards | |||
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Ryan Joseph Braun (born November 17, 1983) is a former American professional baseball left fielder. He played his entire 14-year career in Major League Baseball (MLB) for the Milwaukee Brewers, from 2007 to 2020. Although he mostly played left field, he also played right field, first base, and third base.
Braun was a star player at the University of Miami, where he was named National Freshman of the Year. The Brewers selected him in the 2005 MLB draft. He was known as a five-tool player, which means he was excellent at hitting for power, hitting for average, running the bases, fielding, and throwing.
During his career, Braun was named the National League Rookie of the Year in 2007 and won the NL Most Valuable Player (MVP) Award in 2011. He was also chosen for six All-Star Games and won five Silver Slugger Awards for being the best offensive player at his position. In 2013, Braun was suspended for 65 games for breaking the league's drug policy. He later admitted to using performance-enhancing drugs and apologized.
Contents
Early Life and School
Ryan Braun was born in Los Angeles, California. He grew up playing several sports, including baseball, basketball, and soccer, but decided to focus on baseball in high school. He was a star player at Granada Hills High School, where he was the team captain and MVP for three years. He set a school record with 25 career home runs.
Braun was also an excellent student. He received an academic scholarship to the University of Miami. He chose Miami because of its strong academic and athletic programs.
College Career
At the University of Miami, Braun quickly became one of the best players in college baseball. In his first year, he was named "National Freshman of the Year" by Baseball America.
In his final year at Miami, he had a .396 batting average, hit 18 home runs, and had 76 RBIs. His great performance earned him the Atlantic Coast Conference Baseball Player of the Year award. In 2017, he was inducted into the University of Miami Hall of Fame.
Professional Career
Minor Leagues
The Milwaukee Brewers drafted Braun in the first round of the 2005 MLB draft. He played in the minor leagues for two seasons, where he continued to hit well. In 2006, he was named the Brewers' Minor League Player of the Year. By 2007, he was considered one of the top prospects in baseball and was ready for the major leagues.
Major League Career with the Brewers
2007: Rookie of the Year
Braun was called up to the major leagues on May 25, 2007. He had one of the best rookie seasons in baseball history. He was named the NL Rookie of the Month for both June and July. He finished the season with a .324 batting average, 34 home runs, and 97 RBIs, even though he missed the first 48 games of the season.
His .634 slugging percentage was the best in the National League and set a new all-time record for a rookie. For his amazing season, Braun won the 2007 NL Rookie of the Year Award.
2008–2012: MVP and All-Star Years
From 2008 to 2012, Braun was one of the top players in baseball. He was selected as a starter for the All-Star Game for five straight years. During this time, he also won five consecutive Silver Slugger Awards.
In 2008, he hit 37 home runs and had 106 RBIs. He also moved from third base to left field, where his strong arm and speed made him an excellent defender. In 2009, he led the National League with 203 hits.
His best season came in 2011. He hit .332 with 33 home runs, 111 RBIs, and 33 stolen bases. He became a member of the 30–30 club for hitting over 30 home runs and stealing over 30 bases in the same season. For his incredible performance, he was named the National League MVP.
In 2012, Braun had another fantastic year. He led the NL with 41 home runs and 108 runs scored. He also joined the 40–30 club by hitting 40 home runs and stealing 30 bases. He finished second in the MVP voting that year.
2013: Suspension
In 2013, Braun's career faced a major challenge. He was connected to a clinic that provided performance-enhancing drugs (PEDs) to baseball players. On July 22, 2013, MLB suspended him for the final 65 games of the season for breaking the league's drug policy.
Braun accepted the suspension and later admitted he had made "some mistakes" and used PEDs during his 2011 MVP season. He apologized for his actions.
2014–2020: Later Career and Retirement
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After his suspension, Braun returned to the Brewers and continued to be a productive player. In 2015, he was named to his sixth All-Star team. On August 19, 2015, he hit his 252nd career home run, passing Robin Yount to become the Brewers' all-time home run leader.
He continued to set records for the team. On September 8, 2017, he became the first Brewer to hit 300 career home runs. In 2019, he scored his 1,000th career run.
Braun played his final season in 2020. After not playing in 2021, he officially announced his retirement on September 14, 2021. He finished his career with 352 home runs and 1,154 RBIs, all with the Brewers.
Player Profile
Hitting and Speed
Braun was known for his powerful and quick swing, which allowed him to hit for both a high average and many home runs. He was also very fast, which helped him on the bases and in the outfield.
Defense
Braun began his career as a third baseman but struggled with fielding. In 2008, he moved to left field and became a much better defender. His athleticism and strong throwing arm were perfect for the outfield. In his first year in left field, he had a perfect 1.000 fielding percentage, meaning he did not make a single error.
Jewish Heritage
Braun's father is Jewish and was born in Israel. His mother is Catholic. Braun has said that he is Jewish and is proud to be a role model for young Jewish children. He is the all-time home run leader among Jewish baseball players, passing Hall of Famer Hank Greenberg.
In 2011, Braun became the fourth Jewish player to win an MVP award, joining Greenberg, Al Rosen, and Sandy Koufax.
See also
In Spanish: Ryan Braun para niños
- List of Jewish Major League Baseball players
- List of Major League Baseball annual home run leaders
- List of Major League Baseball annual runs scored leaders
- List of Major League Baseball career home run leaders
- List of Major League Baseball players suspended for performance-enhancing drugs
- List of Major League Baseball players who spent their entire career with one franchise
