David Wright, Third Base, Retired


Date of Birth: 12/20/1982
Birthplace: Norfolk, Virginia
Nickname: Captain America

David Wright, former power hitting third baseman for the New York Mets, has won two Silver Slugger awards (2007, 2008) and two Gold Glove awards (2007, 2008) in his ten years in the major leagues. He is very popular with the fans and has been an All-star seven times in his career. Last year, he was made captain of the Mets.

Wright was drafted by the Mets in 2001 and he played well in their minor leagues for three seasons before being called up to the majors in 2004. His first season as the Mets starting third baseman was strong, with a .293 batting average and 14 home runs in 263 at bats. Wright came back in 2005 with an even better year, batting .306 with 27 home runs and 102 RBIs. Wright was well on his way to baseball stardom.

After making a strong start in 2006, Wright was rewarded with a long-term contract with the Mets. He agreed to a $55 million contract over six years, with the salary increasing significantly each year. Wright, who is known for helping others, donated $1.5 million of his total salary to the Mets Foundation. In 2005, Wright started the David Wright foundation to fund programs and projects for multiple sclerosis research and assistance.

In 2013, Wright was plagued with a hamstring injury and he played in just 112 games and he batted .307 with 23 doubles, 18 home runs, and 17 stolen bases. He finished the 2014 season with 144 hits, 30 doubles, 63 RBIs, and a .269 batting average in 134 games.

Wright spent most of the 2015 season on the DL with spinal stenosis. In his first game back on August 24th, he hit a home run in his first at-bat. He finished the season with 44 hits and a .289 batting average in 38 games. In the postseason, he had 10 hits, including 2 doubles and a home run, and 7 RBIs in 54 at-bats in 14 games.

In 2016, Wright again spent most of the season on the DL, this time due to a herniated disc in his neck. His season ended when he had neck surgery on June 16th. He played in just 37 games in 2016. During that time, he batted .226 with 31 hits, 8 doubles, 7 home runs, and 14 RBIs in 137 at-bats.

Wright spent the entire 2017 season on the DL. Shortly before the end of the 2018 season, Wright and the Mets announced that he would play one final game of his MLB career on September 29th. Injuries over a long three year period ended the memorable career of one of Mets' fans all-time favorite players.

Batting statistics for Wright in his fifteen seasons (2004-2018) with the Mets include:

  • 7 seasons with a batting average over .300, with a high of .325 in 2007
  • 7 seasons with over 150 hits, with a high of 196 in 2007
  • 8 seasons with 30 or more doubles, with a high of 42 in 2005, 2007, and 2008
  • 6 seasons with over 20 home runs, with a high of 33 in 2008
  • 5 seasons with over 100 RBIs, with a high of 124 in 2008
  • 3 seasons with 20 or more stolen bases, with a high of 34 in 2007

Career batting statistics for Wright through 2018 include:

  • 1,585 games played
  • 1,777 hits
  • 390 doubles
  • 242 home runs
  • 196 stolen bases
  • 970 RBIs
  • 1,292 strikeouts to 762 walks
  • .296 batting average

Career fielding statistics for Wright at third base through 2018 include:

  • 1,572 games played
  • 2,946 assists
  • 237 double plays
  • 1,087 putouts
  • 190 errors
  • .955 fielding percentage

Charitable Work

Wright established the David Wright Foundation in 2005. The foundation aids multiple sclerosis research and children's causes in the New York City and Norfolk, Virginia areas. More information is available at David Wright Foundation.

Personal Life

Wright married model Molly Beers on December 26, 2013. They have two daughters.

Sources for Information
Wikipedia - David Wright
ESPN Sports - David Wright