Andruw Jones is a former professional baseball player who played as a center fielder in Major League Baseball (MLB) for over two decades. He was born on April 23, 1977, in Willemstad, Curacao, and began his baseball career at a young age. Jones was signed by the Atlanta Braves as an amateur free agent in 1993 and made his MLB debut in 1996 at the age of 19.
Jones quickly established himself as one of the best defensive center fielders in the league, winning ten consecutive Gold Glove Awards from 1998 to 2007. He was also a prolific hitter, hitting 434 home runs and driving in 1,289 runs over the course of his career. Jones was a five-time All-Star and won the Silver Slugger Award in 2005.
Jones spent the majority of his career with the Atlanta Braves, playing for the team from 1996 to 2007. During his time with the Braves, he helped lead the team to five National League East division titles, two National League pennants, and one World Series appearance in 1999. Jones was a key player on the Braves' dominant teams of the late 1990s and early 2000s, alongside fellow stars such as Chipper Jones, Greg Maddux, and Tom Glavine.
After leaving the Braves, Jones played for several other teams, including the Los Angeles Dodgers, Texas Rangers, Chicago White Sox, and New York Yankees. He continued to be a productive player, hitting 19 home runs and driving in 48 runs for the Yankees in 2011 at the age of 34.
Jones retired from baseball in 2015, finishing his career with a .254 batting average, 434 home runs, and 1,289 runs batted in. He is widely regarded as one of the best defensive center fielders in MLB history, and his ten Gold Glove Awards are tied for the most ever won by an outfielder. Jones was also a key player on some of the most successful teams of his era, and his contributions to the Atlanta Braves' dominance in the late 1990s and early 2000s will not be forgotten.
⚾