Willson Contreras facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Willson Contreras |
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Contreras with the St. Louis Cardinals in 2023
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| St. Louis Cardinals – No. 40 | |||
| Catcher / First baseman | |||
| Born: May 13, 1992 Puerto Cabello, Carabobo, Venezuela |
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| debut | |||
| June 17, 2016, for the Chicago Cubs | |||
| MLB statistics (through 2024 season) |
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| Batting average | .258 | ||
| Hits | 828 | ||
| Home runs | 152 | ||
| Runs batted in | 468 | ||
| Teams | |||
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| Career highlights and awards | |||
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Willson Eduardo Contreras (born May 13, 1992) is a professional baseball player from Venezuela. He plays as a catcher and sometimes a first baseman for the St. Louis Cardinals in Major League Baseball (MLB). Before joining the Cardinals, he played for the Chicago Cubs.
Willson Contreras started his MLB career in 2016. In his first year, he helped the Cubs win the 2016 World Series, which was a huge achievement for the team. He has also been chosen to play in the MLB All-Star Game three times: in 2018, 2019, and 2022. After playing many seasons with the Cubs, he joined the St. Louis Cardinals in 2023.
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Willson Contreras's Early Life
Willson Contreras was born on May 13, 1992, in Puerto Cabello, Venezuela. His parents are Olga and William Contreras. He has an older brother named Willmer and a younger brother named William. Willson and William often played baseball together in the street when they were kids, using a crumpled piece of paper as a ball. When he was 16, Willson started attending a special baseball school in Venezuela. This school was run by the Chicago Cubs, an MLB team.
Willson Contreras's Baseball Career
Starting in the Minor Leagues
Willson Contreras officially joined the Chicago Cubs in 2009 as a young player from another country. He began his professional baseball journey that year with the Dominican Summer League Cubs. He played well and kept improving. Over the next few years, he played for several different minor league teams, including the Boise Hawks, Kane County Cougars, Daytona Cubs, and Tennessee Smokies.
In 2015, Willson had a fantastic year with the Tennessee Smokies. He was even named the Cubs' Minor League Player of the Year. During his time in the minor leagues, he showed how versatile he was by playing many different positions, like catcher, first base, second base, third base, and even in the outfield.
Playing for the Chicago Cubs (2016–2022)
Making His MLB Debut in 2016
The Chicago Cubs called Willson Contreras up to the major league team on June 17, 2016. Just two days later, on June 19, he hit a two-run home run on the very first pitch he saw in his first major league at-bat! This was a very rare and exciting way to start his MLB career. He quickly showed he could play different positions, starting games at first base and even in left field.
Willson finished his first regular season in 2016 with a .275 batting average, 12 home runs, and 35 RBIs. That year, the Cubs made it to the 2016 World Series. In Game 4 of the National League Division Series, Willson hit a crucial two-run single that helped the Cubs tie the game and eventually win, moving them closer to the championship. The Cubs went on to win the 2016 World Series, ending a 108-year wait for the team! Willson helped by hitting a double in the final game.
Key Moments in 2017
On April 2, 2017, Willson was the Cubs' starting catcher on Opening Day. He had a great start to August, hitting five home runs in six games, which earned him the National League's Player of the Week award. Later that month, he got a hamstring injury but returned to play in September. He finished the 2017 season with a .276 batting average and 21 home runs.
In the postseason that year, Willson hit a very long home run in Game Four of the National League Championship Series. It traveled an amazing 491 feet!
All-Star Seasons (2018–2022)
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In 2018, Willson was voted to start in the All-Star Game for the first time. He finished the season with 10 home runs and 54 RBIs.
He started the 2019 season very strong. On May 11, he hit his first career "walk-off" home run, which means his hit ended the game by winning it for his team. Willson was again named an All-Star starter in 2019. He ended the 2019 season with 24 home runs and 64 RBIs in 105 games.
In the shorter 2020 season, Willson played in 57 games, hitting seven home runs. In 2021, he hit 21 home runs and was the catcher for the first combined no-hitter in Cubs history. This means multiple pitchers worked together to not allow any hits in a game.
On May 16, 2022, Willson hit a grand slam, which is a home run with the bases loaded. This was his 100th career home run! In 2022, he hit 22 home runs and was selected for the 2022 MLB All Star Game again. This time, his younger brother, William Contreras, was also selected, making them one of only five pairs of brothers to play in the same All-Star Game.
Playing for the St. Louis Cardinals (2023–Present)
On December 9, 2022, Willson Contreras signed a big five-year contract with the St. Louis Cardinals. In May 2023, the Cardinals tried playing him less at catcher and more as a designated hitter or in the outfield. However, he soon returned to catching duties. He finished the 2023 season with a .264 batting average, 20 home runs, and 67 RBIs.
2024 Season
On May 7, 2024, Willson's left forearm was fractured during a game when he was hit by a swing. He needed surgery and missed several weeks of playing. In 84 games for the Cardinals in 2024, he hit 15 home runs and had 36 RBIs. After the season, the team announced that Willson would be moving to first base permanently.
Willson Contreras's Personal Life
Willson's younger brother, William Contreras, is also a catcher in MLB. Willson married Andrea Villamizar on May 3, 2018.
See also
In Spanish: Willson Contreras para niños
- List of Major League Baseball players with a home run in their first major league at bat
- List of Major League Baseball players from Venezuela
