Adrián González Former San Diego Padres Player
Most Valuable Player
A
drián González seemed to have baseball in his genes. Under the watchful eye of his father, a member of Mexico’s national baseball team, Adrián went on to craft an impressive 15-year major-league career. In his time as a San Diego Padre, he ranks high among the most productive and popular players in San Diego Padres history. Born in San Diego, Adrián spent his early years in Tijuana before he moved with his parents and two brothers to the South Bay, as he told his story in a San Diego Union-Tribune sports article in 2022. As a senior at Chula Vista’s Eastlake High School, the left-handed first baseman hit 13 home runs and 34 runs batted in, (RBI), which led to his selection by the Florida Marlins as the No. 1 overall draft choice of the 2000 major-league draft.
Upon signing, Adrián received a $3 million signing bonus. Three years later, he was traded to the Texas Rangers, where he made his major-league debut in 2004.
In 2005, he came home. Adrián was traded to the Padres and became a personable fan favorite. He became an All-Star three times, a two-time Gold Glove Award winner and was named the Padres’ MVP in 2009, the third time he was so honored in his five seasons with the Padres. In 2010, he hit 31 home runs with 101 RBI, but in 2011, the Padres traded him to the Boston Red Sox. Adrián’s final season in the majors was 2018, when he appeared in 54 games for the New York Mets. Adrián came home yet again, this time with his wife, as part-time residents of San Diego and gave back to their communities. The Adrián and Betsy González Foundation is devoted to helping under-served youth in athletics, education and health. Adrián also covered the cost of refurbishing the Tijuana baseball field, where he first learned his craft.
Adrián González San Diego Padres first baseman swings at a pitch in a game on 5/11/2008 vs the Colorado Rockies at Petco Park (Photo courtesy © CC BY 3.0)
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San Diego Latino Legacy – Timeline • Milestones • Stories
Chapter 7 – Latino Notables
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