Yahoo Finance All About Trea Turner, the Philadelphia Phillies Star Dominating the World Baseball Classic
The professional baseball player led Team USA to the finals at the 2023 World Baseball Classic
Trea Turner is a name to remember.
The pro baseball player is proving to be something of a hero at the 2023 World Baseball Classic, where his slugging performance has helped lead Team USA to several decisive victories.
In the span of two nights, Turner has turned into a home run machine, becoming the second player to complete a multi-homer game in World Baseball Classic history for Team USA (he joins Ken Griffey Jr., who did it first in 2006). During Saturday night's quarterfinals, Turner hit a game-winning grand slam, cementing the team's comeback win against Venezuela. Adding to his tally, Turner hit two more home runs on Sunday night against Cuba, helping Team USA secure a 14-2 victory to send them to the final.
The Philadelphia Phillies shortstop isn't focused on breaking records, however. "I'm just trying to win with these guys," he said during a press conference Sunday. "I think that's why we are here. We don't care who does what. We want to win. That stuff's pretty cool. I always say that those individual things are for my family. I know they're proud of me, and that stuff's for them. But for me, I just like winning. I like playing baseball, competing and coming out on top."
Known for his speed, Turner has been a standout in the MLB since he was drafted in 2014, but his turn on Team USA is cementing his place in baseball history books — and he still has another game to go.
From his baseball career to his family life, here's everything to know about World Baseball Classic star Trea Turner.
He delayed his professional career and was drafted in 2014
The Major Leagues had their eye on Turner from an early start. In 2011, when the young shortstop graduated from Park Vista Community High School in Lake Worth, Florida, the Pittsburgh Pirates drafted him in the 20th round. But Turner opted for college instead and played ball for three years at North Carolina State, where he also studied chemical engineering.
"I knew I wanted to go to college," he shared in 2018. "I didn't know if I'd get drafted, so my decision at first wasn't really that hard until I got drafted, and then you've got to think about it more."
Turner became the top shortstop to sign in 2014, and the San Diego Padres selected him in the first round of the 2014 Major League Baseball draft. During the offseason, the Padres traded him to the Washington Nationals in 2015.
He made his Major League debut in 2015
On Aug. 21, 2015, Turner made his major league debut in the nation's capital with the Nationals. As a National, he played several positions, including center field, second base and his preferred position of shortstop.
In 2019, he was a part of the Nationals team that won their first World Series Championship in franchise history. Two years later, he was traded to the Los Angeles Dodgers on July 30, 2021, where he played shortstop and second base. On Sept. 26, 2021, Turner recorded his 100th career home run against the Arizona Diamondbacks. The following season, Turner earned his 1,000th career hit on Aug. 29, 2022.
He signed an 11-year contract with the Philadelphia Phillies
In December 2022, Turner, a free agent at the time, was sought out by the Philadelphia Phillies and accepted a whopping 11-year, $300 million deal with the team. Joining the reigning champs of the National League, Turner reunited with his former Nationals teammate Bryce Harper.
Following Turner's stellar performance in the 2023 World Baseball Classic, the Phillies' official Twitter account tweeted several messages of support to the player. "Can you believe Trea Turner is a Philadelphia Phillie," read one tweet; "THAT'S OUR SHORTSTOP," read another.
He has quite the record book already
Aside from racking up accolades at the World Baseball Classic, Turner already has quite the impressive resume. He is one of the fastest runners in the MLB, having been clocked at 22.7 miles per hour twice. He also had the fastest sprint speed of all major league players in 2021 at 30.7 feet/second.
On June 30, 2021, Turner hit for the cycle for the third time in his career by tallying a single, double, triple and home run in the same game. He is only the fifth player in league history to do so, tying the MLB record for the most cycles in a career.
He met his wife in college
While attending NC State, Turner met his wife, Kristen Harabedian, a gymnast for the Wolfpacks. The pair dated throughout college, and in 2017, Turner got down on one knee and proposed to Harabedian. The MLB player shared a photo from the moment on Instagram, writing in the caption, "She tried her hardest to screw up my plan for the night, but I wouldn't want to spend the rest of my life with anyone else! Love you to the moon and back!"
After six years of dating, the two married in November 2018 in Washington, D.C.
He is the father of a baby boy
On Aug. 8, 2020, the Turners announced they were expecting their first child. The shortstop shared the news on Instagram, posting a photo of him and Harabedian holding up an ultrasound and a tiny Turner baseball jersey.
"Couldn't be happier! Excited for the future! Little one coming February 2021!" he captioned the post. A few days later, Turner posted a candid photo of the soon-to-be parents popping blue confetti, revealing they were expecting a baby boy.
On Feb. 12, 2021, the couple welcomed their son Beckham Dash Turner. Beckham is already one of his father's biggest fans, and regularly travels with Harabedian to see Turner play. Shortly after Turner's trade to the Phillies was announced, Harabedian posted a photo of now-2-year-old Beckham in a Philadelphia 76ers basketball jersey. "Little man is ready 💪🏼," she captioned the snap.
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