| Mike Avilés | |
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| Boston Red Sox – No. 3 | |
| Shortstop, Third Base | |
| Born: March 13, 1981 New York, New York |
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| Bats: Right | Throws: Right |
| MLB debut | |
| May 29, 2008 for the Kansas City Royals | |
| Career statistics (through 2011) |
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| Batting average | .288 |
| Home runs | 26 |
| Runs batted in | 130 |
| Teams | |
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| Career highlights and awards | |
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Michael Anthony Avilés [ah-ve-les' ] (born March 13, 1981) is a Puerto Rican professional baseball infielder with the Boston Red Sox of Major League Baseball.
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Avilés was born in New York City, to a Puerto Rican family.[1] He graduated from Middletown High School in Middletown, New York in 1999[2] and was a Division II All-American shortstop at Concordia College, in Bronxville, New York. He was named Division II player of the year in 2003, after hitting .500 with 83 runs, 22 homers and 65 RBI in 45 games.
His professional baseball career began when he was chosen in the 7th round of the 2003 Major League Baseball Draft by the Kansas City Royals and offered an "insulting" $1,000 signing bonus.[3] He spent 2004 with the Wilmington Blue Rocks in the Carolina League and 2005 with the Wichita Wranglers in the Texas League. He then spent 2006 and 2007 with the Omaha Royals of the Pacific Coast League, becoming the Royals' Minor League Player of The Year in 2007. He started 2008 in the minors, batting .338 with 10 home runs and 42 RBI in just 50 games with Omaha.
Avilés was called up from Triple-A on May 29, 2008, to replace designated hitter Billy Butler on the roster. He finished his rookie season with a .325 batting average in 102 games, with 10 home runs and 51 runs batted in. If Avilés had recorded a sufficient number of plate appearances to qualify for the American League batting title, his .325 average would have ranked third among all AL hitters and sixth-best in the Major Leagues. On November 11, 2008, the Royals named Avilés their 2008 Player of the Year.[4] Avilés finished fourth in the American League Rookie of the Year standings, ending in fourth place behind Evan Longoria (Tampa Bay Rays), Alexei Ramírez (Chicago White Sox) and Jacoby Ellsbury (Boston Red Sox).
Avilés strained his arm playing for Puerto Rico in the 2009 World Baseball Classic which caused him to have Tommy John surgery in May which ended his 2009 season.[5]
Avilés began the 2011 season as the Royals' starting third baseman but was optioned to AAA Omaha when the Royals called up top prospect Mike Moustakas.
On July 30, 2011, the Royals traded Aviles to the Red Sox for shortstop Yamaico Navarro and pitching prospect Kendal Volz.[5] Aviles hit his first homerun as a member of the Red Sox on September 16.[6] He hit the ball so hard that it put a hole through the Sports Authority sign on the Green Monster.[7]
Avilés is married to Jessy Poulsen and the couple have twin girls. He also has a daughter with his ex-wife.[8][9]
His uncle, Ramón Avilés, was a backup infielder with the Boston Red Sox (1977) and Philadelphia Phillies (1979–1981).
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