Miguel Cabrera
Venezuelan legend and one of baseball's greatest hitters, known as 'Miggy'.
José Miguel Cabrera Torres (born April 18, 1983), nicknamed Miggy, is a Venezuelan former professional baseball first baseman, third baseman, and designated hitter who played 21 seasons in Major League Baseball (MLB) for the Florida Marlins and Detroit Tigers. Debuting in 2003, he was a two-time American League (AL) Most Valuable Player (MVP) award winner, a four-time AL batting champion, and a 12-time MLB All-Star. Although he primarily played in left and right field before 2006, he spent the majority of his major league career at first and third base. He claimed the 17th MLB Triple Crown in 2012, the first to do so in 45 seasons, and remains the only player since 1968. Cabrera is one of three players in MLB history to have a career batting average above .300, 500 home runs, and 3,000 hits, joining Hank Aaron and Willie Mays. Cabrera is regarded as one of the greatest hitters of all time.
Lore & Background
Cabrera was born in Maracay, Aragua State, Venezuela, to parents Miguel Cabrera and Gregoria Torres de Cabrera. At 16, he was signed by Tigres de Aragua of the Venezuelan Winter League, recording his first professional hit in December 1999. He was signed in 1999 as an amateur free agent by the Florida Marlins and progressed through their minor league system. He made his MLB debut in mid-2003 at age 20, contributing to the Marlins' 2003 World Series victory over the New York Yankees. Over the next four seasons, Cabrera was a regular player for the Marlins before being traded to the Detroit Tigers ahead of the 2008 season. He retired after the 2023 season and continues to work for the Tigers' organization as a special assistant to the president of baseball operations.
Reader's Guide
Cabrera won four AL batting titles, including three in consecutive years (2011–2013), and batted over .300 in 11 different seasons. He hit 30 or more home runs in ten separate seasons and drove in over 100 runs in 12 separate seasons (including 11 consecutive seasons, 2004–2014). He is the all-time leader in career home runs and hits by a Venezuelan player, surpassing Andrés Galarraga and Omar Vizquel, respectively. He joined the 500 home run club in 2021 and the 3,000 hit club in 2022; he was the seventh player in MLB history to reach both milestones. In international competition, he represented Venezuela at five World Baseball Classic tournaments from 2006 to 2023. At the 2026 World Baseball Classic, Cabrera was the hitting coach for Venezuela, which won its first World Baseball Classic championship.
Did You Know?
- Cabrera hit a walk-off home run in his MLB debut on June 20, 2003, becoming the third player since 1900 to hit a game-winning home run in his big-league debut.
- In 2012, Cabrera became the first player since Carl Yastrzemski in 1967 to win the batting Triple Crown, leading the AL with a .330 average, 44 home runs, and 139 RBIs.
- Cabrera is one of only three players in MLB history with a career batting average above .300, 500 home runs, and 3,000 hits, joining Hank Aaron and Willie Mays.
- He was the first player to ever reach 30 home runs and 90 RBIs before the All-Star break in 2013.
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