Fernando Tatis Jr.

Fernando Gabriel Tatís Medina Jr. is a 23-year-old Dominican professional baseball player. He is an outfielder and shortstop who plays for the San Diego Padres of Major League Baseball. Fernando Tatís Sr. who hit 2 grand slams in 1999 against The Dodgers is Tatis’ father He’s been nicknamed “El Niño” by the people of the Dominican Republic. He made his MLB debut in 2019 the next year he won the Silver Slugger Award and became an All-Star in 2021.

FERNANDO TATIS JR. EARLY LIFE AND BACKGROUND

Tatis Jr. was born in San Pedro de Macoris, in the Dominican Republic. His father Fernando Tatis Sr. who is a former professional player was playing for the Cardinals at the time and was in his third year. Tatis Jr. spent a lot of time in big league clubhouses because of his father. He was very athletic and held an interest in baseball from a young age. He often practiced with Robinson Cano, who is a professional baseball player who plays the second baseman and has played for the Yankees, Mets, and Mariners. Cano is also from San Pedro de Macoris which explains how both the players linked up. Before joining the MLB, Tatis Jr. played various leagues like the Dominican Prospect League, Class A Midwest League, and Class AA Texas League. He also played for the Estrellas de Oriente of the Dominican Winter League where he led his team to a title victory. Tatís entered 2018 as one of the top prospects in the minor leagues but then suffered a season-ending injury. After undergoing surgery he returned for the 2018-2019 season.

WHO DRAFTED FERNANDO TATIS JR. ?

The Chicago White Sox signed Tatís Jr. as an international free agent from the Dominican Prospect League in 2015. On June 4, 2016, before Tatis had played a professional game, the White Sox traded Tatís to the Padres for former all-star James Shields. Tatís spent 2016 with the Arizona League Padres of the Rookie-level Arizona League and then with the Tri-City Dust Devils of the Class A-Short Season Northwest League. In 2017, Tatís played 117 games for the Fort Wayne TinCaps Class A Midwest League and he also played a mere 14 games for the San Antonio Missions of the Class AA Texas League

FERNANDO TATIS JR. MLB JOURNEY

In 2019, he was one of the top three prospects in baseball according to MLB Pipeline, ESPN, Baseball America, and Baseball Prospectus rankings. On March 26, 2019, the Padres announced that Tatís made their roster. In his debut, he recorded two hits against the Giants then on April 1, 2019, he hit his first home run but then in August, Tatís injured his back, which ended his 2019 season.

In 2020, Tatís was part of a four-game streak in August in which the San Diego Padres hit four grand slams. Tatis was a part of a controversy when he swung at a 3-0 pitch in the eighth inning, hitting an opposite-field grand slam against the Texas Rangers. Though some criticized him for breaking the "unwritten rules", since the Padres were already up by seven runs, many people defended him. In Game 2 of 2020, Wild Card Series against the St. Louis Cardinals, Tatís was able to help bring the Padres back into a winning position by hitting two home runs that made it possible for the Padres to win the series and head to the next round against the Dodgers, which they lost in three straight games. In 2020, Tatís finished in fourth place for the National League MVP Award, behind Freddie Freeman, Mookie Betts, and his teammate Manny Machado.

Before the 2021 season, Tatís signed a 14-year, $340 million contract extension with the Padres, at the time the third-richest in MLB history, On April 5, Tatís sustained a left shoulder subluxation while swinging at a pitch during a game against the San Francisco Giants.[33] He was subsequently placed on the 10-day injured list, but avoided serious injury and returned to the Padres lineup on April 16. On April 23, exactly 22 years after his father hit two grand slams in one inning, Tatís hit two home runs, and he also hit two more home runs in another game. All four home runs took place at the same venue where Tatís's father also made history. The Padres won 6-1. On June 2, Tatís was named the National League Player of the Month for the month of May, On June 25, Tatís had his first three-homer game in his career against the Arizona Diamondbacks to give the Padres an 11-5 win.

On July 1, Tatís was selected as an All-Star starter, becoming the first All-Star starter from the Padres since Tony Gwynn. He suffered a second left shoulder subluxation while playing against the Rockies on July 30 and was on a 10-day IL. While he was in the IL, he trained to transition into an outfielder. He was activated from the IL on August 15 and played right field in his first game back. On March 16, 2022, Tatís underwent wrist surgery due to suffering a fractured wrist and is expected to return within three months.

Awards and Honours