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Melvin Upton Jr.

Melvin Upton Jr.
Melvin Upton Jr. 2016.jpg
Upton Jr. with the Blue Jays in 2016
Free agent
Outfielder
Born: (1984-08-21) August 21, 1984 (age 33)
Norfolk, Virginia
Bats: Right Throws: Right
MLB debut
August 2, 2004, for the Tampa Bay Devil Rays
MLB statistics
(through 2016 season)
Batting average .243
Hits 1,260
Home runs 164
Runs batted in 586
Stolen bases 300
Teams

Melvin Emanuel Upton Jr. (born August 21, 1984), formerly known as B. J. Upton, is an American professional baseball outfielder who is a free agent. He has played in Major League Baseball (MLB) for the Tampa Bay Devil Rays / Rays, Atlanta Braves, San Diego Padres, and Toronto Blue Jays.

Upton has played with his brother, Justin Upton, as members of the Atlanta Braves and San Diego Padres. Melvin and Justin are the only two brothers in MLB history to be selected in the no. 1 and 2 slots of the draft (in separate years). The Upton brothers are also the first brothers to make it into the 20–20 club (both have hit 20 home runs and have 20 stolen bases in a season).

Before high school, Upton played on the same travel baseball team as several other MLB players, including Mark Reynolds, David Wright, and Ryan Zimmerman. Upton is a graduate of Greenbrier Christian Academy, in Chesapeake, Virginia.

As a member of the 2001 Team USA Junior National team, Upton batted .462 (12-for-26) in nine games. The team went 9–2 and won the Silver Medal in Cuba that year. In 2002, Upton was named a first-team All-American by Baseball America, batting .641 (50-for-78) with 11 doubles, 4 triples, 11 home runs, and 32 RBIs during his senior year at Greenbrier.

Upton was drafted second overall as a shortstop in the 2002 Major League Baseball draft by Tampa Bay out of Greenbrier Christian Academy in Chesapeake, Virginia. He was widely considered a very polished prospect able to hit for both power and average.


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Wikipedia

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