Brandon Belt, First Base, Toronto Blue Jays

Date of Birth: 4/20/1988
Birthplace: Nacogdoches, Texas
College: University of Texas at Austin
Nickname: Baby Giraffe

Brandon Belt, first baseman for the Toronto Blue Jays, was drafted by the San Francisco Giants in 2009. He spent 2010 and most of the 2011 season in the minor leagues, where he batted .343. He was called up to the Giants in 2011 and played in 63 games with them that season. The following season, Belt played in 145 games and batted .275.

In 2013, Belt batted .289 with 147 hits, 39 doubles, and 17 home runs in 150 games with the Giants. On February 1, 2014, he signed a one-year, $2.9 million contract with the team.

Belt finished the 2014 season with 52 hits and a .243 batting average in 61 games. He had much better numbers in the postseason, batting .295 with 18 hits, 1 double, 1 home run, and 8 RBIs in 61 at-bats in 17 games.

Belt and the Giants agreed to a one-year, $3.6 million contract on February 3, 2015. He finished the 2015 season with 138 hits, 33 doubles, 18 home runs, 68 RBIs, and a .280 batting average in 137 games. As a first baseman, he made 71 assists, 91 double plays, 1,060 putouts, and 3 errors in 120 games. He had a .997 fielding percentage.

Belt signed a five-year contract extension with the Giants on April 9, 2016. He finished the 2016 season with career highs in hits (149), doubles (41), and RBIs (82). He batted .275 in 156 games. Defensively, as the Giants' first baseman in 151 games, he made 94 assists, 110 double plays, 1,284 putouts, and 8 errors. In the postseason, he batted just .118 with 2 hits in 17 at-bats in 5 games.

Belt spent time on the DL in 2017, playing in just 104 games with the Giants. He finished the season with a .241 batting average, 92 hits, 27 doubles, a career high 18 home runs, 51 RBIs, and 104 strikeouts to 66 walks. Defensively, as the Giants' first baseman in 98 games, he made 64 assists, 74 double plays, 771 putouts, and 2 errors. He had a .998 fielding percentage.

Belt finished the 2018 season with 101 hits, 18 doubles, 14 home runs, 46 RBIs, 107 strikeouts to 49 walks, and a .253 batting average in 112 games. Defensively, as the Giants' first baseman in 104 games, he made 93 assists, 92 double plays, 786 putouts, and 8 errors, and he had a .991 fielding percentage.

Belt had a .234 batting average in 156 games in 2019. He finished the season with 123 hits, 32 doubles, 17 home runs, 57 RBIs, and 127 strikeouts to 83 walks. Defensively, as the Giants' first baseman in 144 games, he made 99 assists, 108 double plays, 1,017 putouts, and 6 errors, and he had a .995 fielding percentage.

Belt played in 51 games in 2020. He finished the season with 46 hits, 13 doubles, 9 home runs, 30 RBIs, 36 strikeouts to 30 walks, and a .309 batting average. Defensively, he played 47 games at first base.

Belt spent time on the IL in 2021 with various injuries (oblique strain, knee inflammation, thumb fracture). He finished the season with 89 hits, 14 doubles, 29 home runs, 59 RBIs, 103 strikeouts to 48 walks, and a .274 batting average in 97 games. Defensively, as a first baseman in 93 games, he made 56 assists, 60 double plays, 681 putouts, and 3 errors. He didn't play in the postseason.

Belt became a free agent on November 6, 2022. He signed with the Blue Jays on January 10, 2023.

Career batting statistics for Belt through 2021 include:

• 1,232 games played
• 1,092 hits
• 258 doubles
• 167 home runs
• 561 RBIs
• 1,124 strikeouts to 580 walks
• .264 batting average

Career fielding statistics for Belt at first base through 2021 include:

• 1,129 games played
• l733 assists
• 803 double plays
• 8,556 putouts
• 53 errors
• .994 fielding percentage

Personal Life

Belt married his wife Haylee on December 3, 2010. They have one son.

Sources for Information
Wikipedia - Brandon Belt
ESPN - Brandon Belt