Jeff Bagwell Biography
Jeff Bagwell is an American Award-winning Baseball Coach and former Pro baseball first baseman, well-known for playing for Houston Astros in the MLB – Major League Baseball. He has also played for Boston Red Sox.
Jeff Bagwell Age
Bagwell was born on May 27, 1968, in Boston, Massachusetts, United States. He is therefore 55 years old as of 2023. He celebrates his birthday on the 27th of May every year.
Jeff Bagwell Height
Bagwell stands at an approximate height of 6 feet and 0 inches.
Jeff Bagwell Family
Bagwell was born to his loving parents, Robert Bagwell (father) and Janice Bagwell (mother). He is the only kid in his family. His mother is a police officer and former softball player. Until her 20s, she enjoyed playing softball in local Boston leagues. Bagwell’s parents divorced when he was eleven years old.
Jeff Bagwell Wife / Kids
Bagwell is married to his lovely spouse, Rachel Bagwell. They tied the knot in the year 2014. The couple takes great pride in being “blended” parents to their 5 children. Two of the children are 2 girls, Bryce Bagwell and Blake Bagwell, who are from Bagwell’s previous marriage. Bagwell’s wife Rachel also had 3 children from her previous marriage.
Jeff Bagwell Ex-Wives
Bagwell’s marriage with Rachel is his 3rd. He was first married to Shaune Bagwell (an actress, famous fashion model, style influencer, and beauty queen). Shaune is famous for many brands such as Gucci. They married in the year 1992 and divorced in the year 1996, due to unknown reasons. After that, Bagwell married a woman called Ericka Bagwell. It was with Ericka that he had his 2 daughters. Rachel Bagwell was the wife of the late Dr. Michael Brown, a hand surgeon from the Greater Houston area. Dr. Brown was the one who started the Brown Hand Center.
Jeff Bagwell Net Worth
Bagwell has an estimated net worth of between $65 Million-$70 Million. He has earned all this through his successful career as a Baseball Coach.
Jeff Bagwell Career | Baseball
Bagwell is famous for his incredible baseball career. He had a remarkable 15-year playing career in Major League Baseball (MLB), and he spent his entire career with the Houston Astros. He became one of the most iconic players in the Astros’ history and was known for his exceptional hitting and defensive skills at first base. Bagwell’s contributions to the team earned him a place among the all-time greats in the sport.
Bagwell was originally drafted by the Boston Red Sox in the 4th round of the 1989 amateur draft from the University of Hartford. However, he was traded to the Houston Astros in the year 1990. Bagwell’s time with the Astros was incredibly successful. In the year 1991, he was named the National League (NL) Rookie of the Year. Also, in the year 1994, he won the prestigious NL Most Valuable Player (MVP) Award. Alongside his teammate Craig Biggio, the Astros’ longtime second baseman, they were known as the “Killer B’s.”
Throughout their careers, Bagwell and Biggio played key roles in the team’s consistent success. From the year 1994 to the year 2005, the Astros finished in the top two positions in the NL Central division for 11 out of 12 seasons. During this period, the team qualified for the playoffs 6 times, and in the year 2005, Bagwell had the opportunity to play in the World Series.
Bagwell’s career with the Houston Astros was truly exceptional. He holds the record for the most home runs in the history of the club, hitting an impressive 449 homers. Bagwell also set numerous other franchise career and single-season records during his time with the team.
His individual achievements are remarkable as well. Bagwell was a 4-time MLB All-Star, a three-time Silver Slugger winner, and he received a Gold Glove award for his outstanding defensive skills. He holds a unique distinction as the only player in MLB history to have six consecutive seasons (1996–2001) with thirty or more home runs, 100 or more RBIs, 100 or more walks, and 100 or more runs scored.
Furthermore, Bagwell is among a select group of twelve players in baseball history to hit 400 or more home runs and maintain an on-base percentage (OBP) of .400 or higher. Notably, he is the only 1st baseman to achieve both 200 stolen bases and 400 home runs in his career.
Bagwell’s offensive prowess is evident in his batting average, as he batted over .300 in 6 seasons. He holds a career on-base percentage of .408, which ranks 39th all-time, and a slugging percentage of .540, which ranks 32nd all-time.
In recognition of his remarkable achievements, Bagwell was elected to the Texas Sports Hall of Fame in the year 2005 and later became an inductee in the National Baseball Hall of Fame in the year 2017, solidifying his place among the all-time greats of the sport.
Jeff Bagwell College Career | Education
Bagwell is a proud alumnus of the University of Hartford. Bill Denehy, the head coach of the University of Hartford, offered Bagwell a baseball scholarship, despite baseball not being his primary sport. Bagwell accepted the scholarship because, at that time, there was no professional soccer league in the United States.
At Hartford, Denehy made the decision to switch Bagwell’s position to third base. Bagwell’s performance over three seasons at Hartford was exceptional, batting .413 in 400 at-bats, setting a school record, and holding, for a period, a New England collegiate record. He also became the school’s all-time leader in home runs (31) and runs batted in (126) by the time he was drafted. Additionally, he earned the title of the Eastern College Athletic Conference Player of the Year twice.
During the summers of the years 1988 and 1987, Bagwell played collegiate summer baseball for the Chatham A’s in the Cape Cod Baseball League. In the year 1988, he was honored as the starting third baseman for the East Division in the league’s annual all-star game.
Highschool
Before his college education, Bagwell was a student at Xavier High School in Middletown, Connecticut. In high school, Bagwell showcased his versatility as an athlete, excelling in various sports. He demonstrated his skills in soccer by setting a school record for the most goals scored. He also played shortstop in baseball and earned a letter in basketball.
In recognition of his outstanding character and generosity, Bagwell received honors from Xavier High School in early 1989. Additionally, he made a mark in American Legion Baseball under the guidance of Fred Tremalgia (Coach) for Post 75 in Middletown. Bagwell’s talent and dedication to baseball were acknowledged when he was named the American Legion Baseball Graduate of the Year 2003.
Jeff Bagwell Houston Astros
Bagwell began playing for MLB’s Houston Astros on April 8, 1991, and his last appearance was on October 2, 2005. Despite facing an unexpected detour early in Bagwell’s baseball career, he flourished in Houston and became one of the best players in the Astros’ history. He played his entire major league career for the Houston team. Together with his teammate Craig Biggio, they were known as the “Killer B’s” and were a formidable force both in offense and defense.
They were a significant part of the Astros’ success in the 1990s and 2000s. During their peak from 1994 to 2003, they appeared in nine All-Star Games, won five Gold Gloves, were among the top five contenders for the Most Valuable Player Award five times, and scored an average of 226 runs. They also hit a combined total of 689 home runs, achieved 2,485 runs batted in, and scored 3,083 runs while leading the Astros to the postseason six times.
Bagwell had a really strange and exaggerated way of batting. He would crouch down low with his legs wide open and knees bent almost like he was sitting on an invisible bench. When the pitcher threw the ball, he would step back with his front foot and then rise up while swinging the bat with a powerful uppercut motion. Joe Torre noticed that his wide stance helped him avoid taking big steps while swinging. This could be a problem when trying to hit for power.
Jeff Bagwell Stats (Overall)
Below are Bagwell’s overall baseball statistics;
- 449 home runs
- 1,529 runs batted in
- 2,314 hits
- 0.297 batting average
Jeff Bagwell Rookie Award Of The Year | Stats
In the spring of 1991, the Astros invited Bagwell to their major league camp for spring training. They were impressed with his play and asked him to switch from 3rd base to first base since they already had an established player at third base. Despite having no previous experience at first base, Bagwell accepted the challenge and quickly learned the position.
Bagwell made a significant impact in his rookie year with the Astros, hitting .294 with 82 RBI and 15 home runs. He won several awards, including being named the 1991 National League (NL) Rookie of the Year. His power surge and impressive plate discipline caught the attention of baseball observers. With the guidance of his hitting coach, Rudy Jaramillo, Bagwell made adjustments to his hitting approach, leading to more home runs and a soaring trajectory.
Though he became the team’s first baseman from the start of the 1991 season, Bagwell admitted that transitioning from third base was not automatic. He received valuable advice from legendary shortstop Ozzie Smith, who helped him with fielding plays as a first baseman.
In the following years, Bagwell continued to perform well, hitting .273 with 18 home runs and 96 RBI in the year 1992. In the year 1993, he was having an outstanding season, batting .320 with 20 home runs and 88 RBI until a pitch broke his left hand, prematurely ending his year. Unfortunately, this was the first of three seasons where he faced injuries due to incoming pitches breaking the same bone in his hand. Despite these challenges, Bagwell signed a one-year contract with the Astros in February 1994.
Jeff Bagwell Injuries / Health
Biggio and Bagwell were both honored and entered into the Texas Sports Hall of Fame, in February 2005. However, Bagwell faced a tough time during the 2005 season. It was because of a painful shoulder condition that had been bothering him since 2001. It affected his defensive skills, making it hard for him to throw the ball properly. As a result of this weakness, other teams took advantage and beat Bagwell’s team. His batting performance also suffered, and some people wanted him to be benched because the team was not doing well.
He managed to hit his last major league home run during that season. After a painful loss to the Pirates on May 4, Bagwell asked his manager to take him out of the lineup because the pain was too much to bear. He underwent shoulder surgery and was put on the disabled list. Even though he couldn’t throw anymore, he returned as a pinch hitter later in the season.
The Astros improved significantly and made it to the World Series that year. Bagwell and Biggio, who had played together for their entire careers in Houston, reached the World Series for the first time. Bagwell played as the designated hitter in some games. However, the Astros unfortunately lost all the games and the White Sox won the championship. After the 2005 season, Bagwell and Biggio received Baseball America’s Lifetime Achievement Award for their contributions to the game.
Jeff Bagwell Retirement
Bagwell officially retired from his baseball career with Houston Astros on August 26, 2007. It was before a game against the Pittsburgh Pirates. It was a touching ceremony with speeches from Biggio, and Brad Ausmus, and a special message from Bagwell’s childhood hero, Carl Yastrzemski. Bagwell was also honored with the Bill Shea Distinguished Little League Graduate Award in the year 2009. He, along with Biggio, witnessed the Astros win their first-ever World Series championship on November 1, 2017, and received World Series rings during a ceremony in the year 2018.
He made his first public appearance at Minute Maid Park after retiring from his playing career on June 28, 2007. It was a special moment as his close friend and former teammate, Craig Biggio, achieved his 3,000th career hit during the game against the Colorado Rockies. Bagwell emerged from the dugout to congratulate Biggio, and the fans cheered loudly for both of them.
After retiring from his playing career, Jeff Bagwell has dedicated much of his time to his family. He has been actively involved in spending time with them. Additionally, he has taken on occasional coaching and special assignment roles with the Houston Astros. These positions allow him to stay connected to the team. He also continued contributing his expertise and experience to the sport he loves.
Jeff Bagwell Steroids
In the year 2011, Bagwell qualified for the Baseball Hall of Fame. Some people thought he might have used performance-enhancing drugs during his playing career, as it was known as the “steroid era.” However, no solid proof came up, and Bagwell denied any connection to such drugs.
Longtime Atlanta Braves manager Bobby Cox praised Bagwell’s skills and wanted him in the Hall of Fame right away. But some others, like San Francisco Chronicle sportswriter Bruce Jenkins, didn’t think Bagwell had enough credentials.
In 2011, Bagwell got 41.7% of the votes, which wasn’t enough for induction. But in 2017, after seven years, he received 86.2% of the votes and finally got into the Hall of Fame. On July 30, 2017, he became an official inductee.
Jeff Bagwell Alcoholic
Bagwell’s struggles with alcoholism were a significant challenge for him for many years until he finally began his journey to recovery in the year 2017. However, there is little information available about the specific details of his life during his time dealing with alcohol addiction.
Jeff Bagwell Social Media Platforms
He is active on his social media accounts and often posts on his Instagram, Facebook, and Twitter. He has over 1.5K followers on Instagram.
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