JJ Bleday

JJ Bleday's Biography

Jeffrey Joseph Bleday, a celebrated American professional baseball outfielder, was born on November 10, 1997. As of now, he plays for the Oakland Athletics in Major League Baseball (MLB). His journey to professional baseball began when he was selected by Miami Marlins as the fourth overall pick in the 2019 MLB draft. In 2022, Bleday made his first MLB appearance with the Marlins before transferring to Oakland in the run-up to the 2023 season.

The sportsman was raised in Titusville, Pennsylvania, where he began demonstrating his athletic prowess. During his freshman and sophomore years, he attended Titusville Area High School before transferring to A. Crawford Mosley High School in Lynn Haven, Florida, for his final two years. In his junior year, he exhibited outstanding performance by batting .373 while maintaining a 4–1 record and a 2.43 earned run average. His prowess led him to be drafted by the San Diego Padres in the 39th round of the 2016 MLB Draft following his senior year.

However, Bleday had other aspirations and chose to attend Vanderbilt University, where he played college baseball for the Vanderbilt Commodores. He started his freshman year in 2017, appearing in 51 games and hitting .256 with two home runs and 22 runs batted. Bleday brought his talent to the Newport Gulls of the New England Collegiate Baseball League during the summer, where he hit .232 with two home runs over 69 at-bats.

However, the following year was a challenging one for Bleday as he suffered an oblique injury, resulting in him missing 22 games. Despite this setback, he still played in 39 games, displaying his resilience by batting .368 with four home runs and 15 RBIs. After this collegiate season, Bleday participated in the Cape Cod Baseball League. Here, he was named a league all-star and the top professional prospect after hitting .311 with five home runs and 15 RBIs during his time with the Orleans Firebirds for 36 games.

In his junior year, 2019, Bleday’s position as an impressive player was sealed when he was named the Southeastern Conference Baseball Player of the Year. He concluded the season with 27 home runs and 72 RBIs during 71 games, aiding Vanderbilt in winning the 2019 NCAA Division I baseball tournament. His remarkable performance brought him recognition as a top prospect for the 2019 MLB draft.

He was picked by the Miami Marlins with the fourth overall selection, signing for an impressive $6.7 million. His professional debut was marked on July 20, 2019, with the Class A-Advanced Jupiter Hammerheads of the Florida State League, where he spent the entire season. In 38 games, Bleday slashed .257/.311/.379 with three home runs and 19 RBIs.

The 2020 season saw a setback due to the COVID-19 pandemic’s cancellation of minor league games. Nevertheless, Bleday’s career continued to advance as he was assigned to the Pensacola Blue Wahoos of the Double-A South for the 2021 season. He concluded the season with .212/.323/.373 in 110 games with 12 home runs, 54 RBIs, 22 doubles, and 101 strikeouts. It was during this season that Bleday showed a disciplined approach at the plate, walking 64 times, the second-highest in the league. Following the season, he was selected to play in the Arizona Fall League (AFL) for the Mesa Solar Sox where he participated in the Fall Stars Game and won the game’s MVP.

In the lead-up to 2022, Bleday saw a significant physical transformation, gaining 20 pounds of muscle. He was assigned to the Jacksonville Jumbo Shrimp of the Triple-A International League. His contract was picked up by Marlins on July 23, 2022, promoting him to the major leagues. His major league debut came as a pinch-hitter that night at PNC Park versus the Pittsburgh Pirates, where he drew a walk in his only plate appearance. Bleday logged his first major league hit the following night with an infield single off Mitch Keller. Remarkably, he hit his first career home run on July 27, off Cincinnati Reds starter Luis Castillo.

However, on February 11, 2023, the Marlins decided to trade Bleday to Oakland Athletics. At the beginning of the 2023 season, he was sent to the Triple-A Las Vegas Aviators. He didn’t have to wait long for his promotion to the major leagues either. On May 3, the Athletics promoted him, and he remained there until he was injured on August 15. Following an MRI, it was revealed that he had an ACL sprain.