History of Austin Riley in Timeline

Michael Austin Riley, known professionally as Austin Riley, is a professional baseball third baseman currently playing for the Atlanta Braves in Major League Baseball (MLB). He was drafted by the Braves in the first round, with the 41st overall pick, of the 2015 MLB Draft and has since become a key player for the team.

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Full Timeline Career & Achievements

April 2, 1997: Austin Riley's Birth

On April 2, 1997, Michael Austin Riley was born. He is now known as an American professional baseball third baseman for the Atlanta Braves.

2015: Signing with the Braves and Professional Debut

In 2015, Austin Riley signed with the Atlanta Braves for $1.6 million after being drafted. He then made his professional debut with the Gulf Coast Braves that season.

2015: Drafted by the Atlanta Braves

In 2015, Austin Riley was selected by the Atlanta Braves in the first round, as the 41st overall pick, of the MLB Draft.

2015: Minor League Debut

In 2015, Riley made his minor league debut with the Gulf Coast Braves after being drafted. Before this, he had committed to play college baseball at Mississippi State University.

2016: Playing for the Rome Braves

In 2016, Riley played for the Rome Braves of the Class A South Atlantic League, where he batted .271/.324/.479, committing 30 errors at third base on defense.

2017: Promotion to the Mississippi Braves

In 2017, Riley began the season with the Florida Fire Frogs and was later promoted to the Mississippi Braves in July.

November 2018: Marriage to Anna

In November 2018, Austin Riley and his wife, Anna, were married.

2018: Promotion to Gwinnett Stripers

In 2018, after starting with Mississippi, Riley was promoted to the Gwinnett Stripers in May.

May 15, 2019: MLB Call-Up and Debut

On May 15, 2019, Austin Riley was called up to the Atlanta Braves and made his major league debut that night, hitting a home run in his second at-bat.

2019: MLB Debut

In 2019, Austin Riley made his MLB debut with the Atlanta Braves.

2019: Start of the Season

In 2019, Austin Riley opened the season with Gwinnett.

2019: Braves Season Stats

In 2019, with the Braves, Austin Riley batted .226/.279/.471 with 18 home runs and 49 RBIs. He played various positions defensively.

2020: 2020 Season Stats and Postseason Debut

In 2020, Austin Riley batted .239/.301/.415 with 8 home runs and 27 RBIs. He primarily played third base and made his postseason debut.

October 2021: Pregnancy Announcement

In October 2021, Austin Riley and his wife, Anna, announced they were expecting their first child.

2021: Regular Season Performance

In 2021, Austin Riley finished the regular season with a .303 batting average, 33 home runs, and 107 RBIs, joining notable Atlanta third basemen in achieving those stats.

2021: Hitting Slump Turnaround

In 2021, Austin Riley overcame a hitting slump by working with a minor league hitting coach, Mike Brumley, to improve his approach at the plate.

2021: Silver Slugger Award and World Series Win

In 2021, Riley won a Silver Slugger Award and the World Series with the Atlanta Braves.

2021: Walk-off Hit and World Series Win

On October 16, 2021, Austin Riley recorded his first career walk-off hit and helped the Braves win the World Series, earning his first World Series ring. He also won a Silver Slugger Award.

April 2022: Birth of First Son

In April 2022, Austin Riley and his wife, Anna, welcomed their first son.

July 11, 2022: Player of the Week

On July 11, 2022, Austin Riley earned Player of the Week honors for the first time in his career.

2022: Record Contract Extension

In 2022, Austin Riley signed a franchise-record ten-year contract extension worth $212 million with the Braves.

2023: All-Star Game and Silver Slugger Award

In 2023, Austin Riley was selected to the All-Star Game for the second consecutive year and won his second Silver Slugger Award.

March 2024: Cousin's Release

In March 2024, Austin Riley's cousin, Keegan James, was released by the Colorado Rockies.

July 2024: Birth of Second Son

In July 2024, Austin Riley and his wife, Anna, welcomed their second son.

2024: Injury-Limited Season

In 2024, injuries limited Austin Riley, causing him to miss games in May and ultimately ending his season after being hit on the hand on August 18 and diagnosed with a fracture on August 19.