Major Leaguer resume Vol.65/ WBC Player’s resume Vol.51: George Springer (Toronto Blue Jays) : Major Candidate for Team Puerto Rico: “Power + Speed + Sense = Springer!”

Today's player's resume concerns the Toronto Blue Jays outfielder, George Springer. He will represent Team Puerto Rico in the 2023 World Baseball Classic.

The KAISPO's baseball analyst commented,
"Springer is one of the major's top players, combining power and speed.

He played soccer in high school, so he has high physical ability that would make him a top athlete no matter which sport he chose. He contributed to Astros' first World Series title in 2017 and was one of the leading players to strengthen the Astros.

While he can hit long balls with double-digit homers for nine straight years since his debut, he runs speedily around the wide outfield and makes an excellent catch to avoid a long hit.

He will attract baseball fans with his fantastic performance in 2023 as well."

Although Springer was selected by the Minnesota Twins with the 1437th overall pick in the 48th round of the 2008 MLB draft, he decided to go to the University of Connecticut. He signed with the Houston Astros, who drafted him with the 11th overall selection in the first round of the 2011 MLB draft.

Springer made his major league debut for the Astros as a starting right fielder and batting second against the Kansas City Royals at Minute Maid Park on April 16th, 2014. In the game, he got his first big-league hit with an infield single to pitcher Jeremy Guthrie. The right-handed hitter delivered his first career homer on May 8th, 2014, facing the Detroit Tigers at Comerica Park. He finished his first season with .231, 20 home runs, and 51 RBIs in 78 games.

Since the following year, the 33-year-old slugger played a vital role as a regular outfielder for the Astros. In 2017, Springer marked .283 with 34 long balls and 85 RBIs to send the Astros to the postseason, receiving his first American League Silver Slugger Award. He slashed .379/.471./1.000 with five home runs and seven RBIs in seven games of the 2017 World Series to lift his team to its first World Series title and was named the Series MVP.

He had a contract with Toronto in January 2021 as a free agent. In 2021, his first season for Toronto, he appeared in only 78 contests due to a right quad strain and left knee sprain. In 2022, he helped his team to advance to the playoffs with .267 and 25 homers.

At the end of the 2022 season, George Springer has gone .269 with 221 home runs and 584 RBIs in 1006 games in his 11 MLB seasons.
(MLB No.338 KAISPO No.1518)