Vernon Wells facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Vernon Wells |
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Wells with the New York Yankees in 2013
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| Center fielder | |||
| Born: December 8, 1978 Shreveport, Louisiana, U.S. |
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| debut | |||
| August 30, 1999, for the Toronto Blue Jays | |||
| Last appearance | |||
| September 29, 2013, for the New York Yankees | |||
| MLB statistics | |||
| Batting average | .270 | ||
| Home runs | 270 | ||
| Runs batted in | 958 | ||
| Teams | |||
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| Career highlights and awards | |||
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Vernon Michael Wells III (born December 8, 1978) is an American former professional baseball player. He was a center fielder in Major League Baseball (MLB). Wells played for the Toronto Blue Jays, the Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim, and the New York Yankees.
During his career, Wells was chosen for three All-Star teams. He also won three Gold Glove Awards for excellent defense and one Silver Slugger Award for his hitting. For the Blue Jays, he ranks second in career hits, doubles, runs, and RBI. He is fourth in home runs, behind Carlos Delgado, José Bautista, and Edwin Encarnación.
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Vernon Wells' Early Life
Vernon Wells was born in Shreveport, Louisiana. His family moved to Arlington, Texas, in 1988, where he grew up. His father, Vernon Wells Jr., played in the Canadian Football League and is also a talented painter.
In 1993, Wells went to Bowie High School in Arlington. He played quarterback on the football team. He was also an outfielder on the baseball team. In his final year of high school, he had a great batting average of .565. He also hit seven home runs and had 20 runs batted in (RBI). Before the Major League Baseball Draft, Wells planned to attend the University of Texas at Austin. He wanted to play both baseball and football there.
Starting His Baseball Journey
The Toronto Blue Jays picked Wells as the fifth overall player in the 1997 MLB draft. He was a top young player in the Blue Jays' system for several years. He started with the St. Catharines Stompers, a Class-A team.
In 1998, he played for the Hagerstown Suns. He was named the best Utility Outfielder in the South Atlantic League. In 1999, he played in Australia for the Sydney Storm. From 1999 to 2001, Wells played in 57 major league games as a "September call-up." This means he was brought up to the main team late in the season.
Vernon Wells' Major League Career
Playing for the Toronto Blue Jays (1999–2010)
In 2002, Wells got his first chance to play every day. He showed he was a rising star in baseball. He hit for a .275 average with 23 home runs. He also had 100 RBI and scored 87 runs. He became one of the best defensive center fielders.
In 2003, Wells had an amazing season. He finished with a .317 batting average, 33 home runs, and 117 RBI. He also scored 118 runs. He led the league with 215 hits and 49 doubles. He was eighth in the American League MVP voting. He also played in his first All-Star game. Wells won his first Gold Glove Award in 2004, and another in 2005.
The 2006 season started very strong for Wells. He kept hitting well all year. He ended the season with a .303 batting average, 32 home runs, and 106 RBI. On May 30, he hit three home runs in one game against the Boston Red Sox. He was chosen as a reserve outfielder for the American League All-Star Team. He became a starter after another player got injured.
Later that season, Wells hit his 500th RBI. At the end of 2006, he won his third Gold Glove Award in a row. In December 2006, Wells signed a big contract extension with the Blue Jays.
Wells faced some challenges with injuries. In 2007, he had shoulder surgery. In 2008, he broke his left wrist and later strained his left hamstring. Despite missing time, he still played well in 2008. He hit .300 with 20 home runs and 78 RBI in 108 games.
In 2009, Wells had another hamstring injury during spring training. He struggled with his hitting consistency that year. He finished with 15 home runs and 66 RBI.
Wells started 2010 very well. He hit four home runs and had eight RBI in the first series. He continued to play strongly in April. On June 27, Wells hit a two-run home run off Jamie Moyer. This made Moyer the all-time leader in home runs allowed in MLB history. On July 5, 2010, Wells was named an All-Star reserve. He also took part in the Home Run Derby.
On September 24, 2010, Wells hit his 30th home run of the season. This made him only the fourth Blue Jays player to have three or more seasons with at least 30 home runs. He joined Carlos Delgado, Joe Carter, and Fred McGriff. The 2010 season was his best since his contract extension. He finished with 31 home runs, 88 RBI, and over 1,500 hits in his career.
In 2010, Wells also received the Branch Rickey Award. This award is given for humanitarian work. He was inducted into the Baseball Humanitarians Hall of Fame.
Playing for the Los Angeles Angels (2011–2012)
On January 21, 2011, Wells was traded to the Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim. In return, the Blue Jays received catcher Mike Napoli and outfielder Juan Rivera.
Wells had a tough start with the Angels in 2011. His batting average was low for the first part of the season. However, he improved in June and July, hitting 11 home runs. When he returned to Toronto on August 12, he received a standing ovation from the fans. He then hit a home run on the very first pitch he saw.
Playing for the New York Yankees (2013)
On March 26, 2013, the Angels traded Wells to the New York Yankees. Wells changed his uniform number to 12. On May 8, 2013, Wells played third base for the first time in his career. He then played second base for the first time on May 15. Later, he also played first base.
On January 10, 2014, the Yankees decided to release Wells. In 130 games for the Yankees in 2013, Wells hit .233 with 11 home runs and 50 RBI.
Wells was eligible for the Baseball Hall of Fame in 2019. However, he did not receive enough votes to be considered for future ballots.
Career Statistics
In his 15-year career, Vernon Wells played in 1731 games. He had a .270 batting average. He collected 1794 hits, 930 runs, 379 doubles, and 270 home runs. He also had 958 RBI and 109 stolen bases. He finished his career with a .993 fielding percentage. This shows he was a very good defensive player.
Vernon Wells' Life Off the Field
Wells' father, Vernon Wells Jr., is a well-known sports artist. His art was often featured on Upper Deck baseball cards.
Vernon Wells currently lives in Westlake, Texas. This is close to his hometown of Arlington. In 2001, he married his high school sweetheart, Charlene Valenti. They have two sons.
Community and Other Activities
- During the 2006 post-season, Wells worked as an analyst for ESPN's Baseball Tonight show.
- Starting in 2002, Wells was the Honorary Commissioner of the Toronto Rookie League. This baseball league helps underprivileged children in the Greater Toronto Area.
- In 2012, Wells helped start JACK Winery in Napa Valley, California.
See also
- List of Major League Baseball career home run leaders
- List of Major League Baseball annual doubles leaders
