Alfonso Soriano

Alfonso Soriano
Soriano with the New York Yankees in 2013
Left fielder / Second baseman
Born: (1976-01-07) January 7, 1976 (age 41) San Pedro de Macorís, Dominican Republic
Batted: Right Threw: Right
MLB debut
September 14, 1999, for the New York Yankees
Last MLB appearance
July 5, 2014, for the New York Yankees
MLB statistics
Batting average	.270
Hits	2,095
Home runs	412
Runs batted in	1,159
Teams
Hiroshima Toyo Carp (1997) New York Yankees (1999–2003) Texas Rangers (2004–2005) Washington Nationals (2006) Chicago Cubs (2007–2013) New York Yankees (2013–2014)
Career highlights and awards
7× All-Star (2002–2008) 4× Silver Slugger Award (2002, 2004–2006) AL stolen base leader (2002)

Alfonso Guilleard Soriano (born January 7, 1976) is a Dominican former professional baseball left fielder and second baseman. He played in Major League Baseball (MLB) for the New York Yankees, Chicago Cubs, Texas Rangers, and Washington Nationals, and in Nippon Professional Baseball for the Hiroshima Toyo Carp.

Soriano began his professional career with Hiroshima in 1996, but signed with the Yankees as a free agent in 1998 and was assigned to play in minor league baseball. The next year, he was the Most Valuable Player (MVP) in the All-Star Futures Game, and made his MLB debut for the Yankees, with whom he would win two American League championships. The Yankees traded Soriano to the Rangers after the 2003 season, and the Rangers traded Soriano to the Nationals after the 2005 season. He signed a contract as a free agent with the Cubs before the 2007 season. The Cubs traded Soriano to the Yankees in 2013, and the Yankees released him in 2014.

Soriano was a seven-time MLB All-Star, and won the All-Star Game MVP Award in 2004. He won the Silver Slugger Award four times. He played primarily as a second baseman for the Yankees and Rangers before being converted to an outfielder with the Nationals.

Soriano is one of only 54 major league players to hit 400 or more career home runs, and was seventh among active players in home runs at the time of his retirement.

Soriano began his professional baseball career in Japan with the Hiroshima Toyo Carp, training at their Carp Academy for Dominican players. Soriano spent 1996 playing in Japan in the minor Western League. In 1997, he was promoted to the varsity team, and, wearing uniform number 74, he appeared in nine games, batting .118 (2 for 17) with two walks.