Chipper Jones – Player Profile

Chipper Jones is a professional baseball player that was born in 1972 in DeLand, Florida. Jones broke into the Major Leagues at the age of 21 and he spent his entire career with the Atlanta Braves. He will forever be remembered in the city of Atlanta for the work he did with the club, but he is also remembered on a national level as one of the greatest switch hitters to ever step on a baseball field.

Early Life and Career

Chipper Jones played baseball from an early age and was immediately one of the best players on the field when he started playing baseball at the age of 7. He started gaining interest from professional teams during his high school career at Bolles School. After leading the team to a state championship, Jones finished his senior year with a .483 average. The great amateur career helped him get selected first overall by the Braves in the 1990 MLB draft. Jones spent only three years in the minor leagues before getting called up to the big leagues.

Major League Baseball

Chipper Jones played a total of eight games with the Braves at the end of the 1993 season. After missing the entire 1994 season with a knee injury, Jones was part of the opening day lineup in 1995 as the starting third baseman. He finished second in the NL Rookie of the Year voting after finishing with 23 home runs, 86 RBIs, and 87 runs. The amazing rookie season was capped off with a World Series title.

He had his best overall season in 1999 when he amassed 45 home runs, 110 RBIs and 116 runs. He also finished the season with an impressive .319 batting average. These amazing stats earned Jones his only NL MVP award. Chipper Jones did nothing but produce at a high level throughout his entire career. This consistency helped his team win 11 straight division titles.

His last major accomplishments came during the 2008 season. He became the first player in MLB history to hit at least 20 home runs in their first 14 seasons. He was won led the National League in hitting with a .364 batting average. Jones played his final game on October 5, 2012. He finished his 19-year career with a .303 average, .401 on-base percentage and 468 home runs.

After Retirement

Chipper Jones spent his Major League Baseball Career with the Atlanta Braves. Four months after playing his last game, they retired his number. He was inducted into the National Baseball Hall of Fame in 2018, his first year of eligibility. He received 97.16 percent of the vote, which ranks as the 12th highest total in the history of the museum. While Chipper is enjoying his retirement, he still takes some time to work with the Braves as a special adviser.