Jeff Francoeur | |
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Right fielder | |
Born: Atlanta, Georgia, U.S. | January 8, 1984|
Batted: Right Threw: Right | |
MLB debut | |
July 7, 2005, for the Atlanta Braves | |
Last MLB appearance | |
October 2, 2016, for the Miami Marlins | |
MLB statistics | |
Batting average | .261 |
Home runs | 160 |
Runs batted in | 698 |
Stats at Baseball Reference | |
Teams | |
Career highlights and awards | |
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Jeffrey Braden Francoeur (/fræŋˈkʊər/; born January 8, 1984), nicknamed "Frenchy", is an American former professional baseball right fielder, who played in Major League Baseball (MLB) for the Atlanta Braves, New York Mets, Texas Rangers, Kansas City Royals, San Francisco Giants, San Diego Padres, Philadelphia Phillies, and Miami Marlins.[1] When his playing days ended, he became a broadcaster; Francoeur is currently one of the lead television analysts for Atlanta Braves games, as well as doing various work for TBS.[2] He also hosts a podcast called "Pure Athlete" that serves as a resource for coaches, parents, and kids going through the process of youth athletics.[3]
A mid-season call-up for the Braves in 2005, he played in slightly fewer than half of his team's games that year and finished the season with impressive enough statistics to finish third in Rookie of the Year voting and a Sports Illustrated cover story declaring him "The Natural". While he never again had similarly strong statistics, he continued to have a productive career, playing for 11 more seasons as a journeyman outfielder for seven more teams before retiring after a short stint with the Marlins in 2016. Throughout his career, Francoeur was noted for his strong throwing arm in the outfield and his free-swinging tendencies in the batter's box. He won a Gold Glove Award in 2007.