Rich Aurilia is a former Major League Baseball player who played primarily as a shortstop. He was born on September 2, 1971, in Brooklyn, New York. Aurilia attended Xaverian High School in Brooklyn, where he played baseball and basketball. He then went on to attend St. John's University in Queens, New York, where he continued to play baseball.
Aurilia was drafted by the Texas Rangers in the 24th round of the 1992 MLB draft but did not sign with the team. Instead, he was drafted by the San Francisco Giants in the fifth round of the 1993 MLB draft and signed with them. He made his MLB debut with the Giants on September 6, 1995, and played in 25 games that season.
Aurilia became the Giants' starting shortstop in 1996 and remained in that role for the next several years. He had a breakout season in 1999, when he hit .278 with 22 home runs and 91 RBIs. He was named to the National League All-Star team that year and won a Silver Slugger award.
Aurilia continued to be a productive player for the Giants over the next few years. He hit a career-high 37 home runs in 2001 and was named to the All-Star team again in 2002. He also helped lead the Giants to the World Series that year, although they ultimately lost to the Anaheim Angels.
After spending his entire career up to that point with the Giants, Aurilia became a free agent after the 2003 season and signed with the Seattle Mariners. He played one season with the Mariners before being traded to the San Diego Padres in 2005. He played one season with the Padres before returning to the Giants in 2006.
Aurilia played two more seasons with the Giants before becoming a free agent again after the 2008 season. He signed with the Cincinnati Reds for the 2009 season, which would be his last in the majors. He played in 60 games for the Reds that season, hitting .213 with two home runs and 16 RBIs.
Overall, Aurilia played in 1,653 games over his 15-year MLB career. He hit .275 with 186 home runs and 756 RBIs. He was known for his solid defense at shortstop and his ability to hit for power. He was also a popular player among Giants fans, who appreciated his loyalty to the team and his contributions to their success in the early 2000s.
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