Addison Barger

Born on November 12, 1999, Addison Barger is recognized in the sports world as an accomplished American professional baseball infielder. He currently plays for the Toronto Blue Jays, part of the noteworthy Major League Baseball (MLB). Barger’s journey to baseball stardom began when he first stepped onto the field in an MLB game in 2024.

Raised in Tampa, Florida, Barger spent his high school years at C. Leon King High School, where he honed his skills and exuded great promise as a baseball player. Upon graduation, he was noticed by the Toronto Blue Jays during the 2018 Major League Baseball draft. Drafted in the sixth round, Barger was given an opportunity to turn his passion into a full-blown career.

In the same year, he made his professional debut with the Gulf Coast League Blue Jays, at the Rookie-level. Despite this being his first foray into the professional scene, Barger made promising strides with a batting average of .194. In addition, he hit three home runs and contributed 18 runs batted in (RBI).

He continued his career with the Bluefield Blue Jays of the Appalachian League in 2019. There, he displayed commendable performance in 13 games, boasting a .283 batting average, two home runs, and eight RBI.

Unfortunately, due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the minor league season was cancelled in 2020, and Barger, like many other aspiring players, found himself unable to play. He, however, was back on the diamond as soon as the games resumed in 2021. Barger played an exhilarating season with the Low-A Dunedin Blue Jays and the High-A Vancouver Canadians, recording a .244 batting average, 18 home runs and 82 RBI from 96 games.

The 2022 season saw Barger transferred to the Double-A New Hampshire Fisher Cats after starting with the Vancouver Canadians. His stint with the Fisher Cats was brief as soon he moved up to the Triple-A Buffalo Bisons. Recording a career-high during this season, Barger posted a stellar .308 batting average, hitting 26 home runs and 91 RBI in 124 games. In addition to his serial transfers, he also took part in 16 games for the Salt River Rafters in the Arizona Fall League during the off-season.

In recognition of his high potential and impressive plays, the Blue Jays included Barger in their 40-man roster on November 15, 2022, to protect him from the Rule 5 draft. The following 2023 season, he was again optioned to the Bisons, where he performed well with a batting average of .247, nine home runs, and 47 RBI in 94 games. After a repeat trip to Triple-A Buffalo at the start of the 2024 season, Barger received his first major league promotion that year.

Barger’s momentous debut in the majors came on April 24, 2024, driven by Kevin Kiermaier’s stint on the injured list. In just a few days after his promotion on April 29, he faced the Kansas City Royals and acquired his first major league hit. Barely three months later, Barger made another notable mark in the MLB by hitting his first home run in a match against the Baltimore Orioles on July 29th.

Off the diamond, Barger is a proud father of two—a beloved daughter and a newborn son. Throughout his exciting career, Barger has demonstrated not only skill but a determination to continuously improve that has earned him a cherished place in the world of Major League Baseball.