Jorge Soler

Jorge Soler's Biography

Jorge Carlos Soler Castillo, born February 25, 1992, is a professional baseball outfielder and designated hitter, famous for his career in Major League Baseball (MLB). Hailing from Cuba, Soler has played for numerous MLB teams, including the Chicago Cubs, Kansas City Royals, Miami Marlins, and San Francisco Giants. However, he showed particular prowess with the Atlanta Braves, earning recognition as the 2021 World Series Most Valuable Player.

Raised in Cuba, Soler started his sports career playing for the Cuban national baseball team in international competition. His achievements include his contribution to the 2010 World Junior Baseball Championship, where his stellar record had a .304 batting average, .500 on-base percentage, and .522 slugging percentage. Despite his initial success, Soler defected from Cuba in 2011 to pursue his dream of playing in MLB.

Soler sought and established residency in Haiti, facilitating his transition to U.S. baseball. Soon after, he signed a nine-year contract with the Chicago Cubs. At this point, Soler was well on his way to becoming a formidable player in MLB. He made his MLB debut three years later in 2014 and achieved one of his crowning achievements, winning the World Series in 2016 alongside the Cubs.

However, after the successful season, Soler found himself traded to the Kansas City Royals. While initially a setback, this change pushed Soler to step up, and in 2019, he led the American League in home runs. Soler’s journey in MLB continued when the Royals traded him to Atlanta in 2021.

In the same year, as though proving that adversity, can indeed be the path to victory, Soler won the World Series with the Braves. His determination and prowess earned him the title of World Series Most Valuable Player.

Continuing his journey with the MLB, Soler signed with the Miami Marlins for the 2022 season, infusing the team with his talent for the next year. After the season, he pulled another daring maneuver and signed with the San Francisco Giants for the 2024 season. Yet, his tenure with the Giants was cut short as he was traded back to the Atlanta Braves in the same season. Returning to the Braves was a homecoming for Soler, an opportunity to join the team where he had previously won his second World Series title.

Though Soler faced controversies during his career, including instances of failing to hustle, running toward an opposing dugout with a bat, and batting failures against right-handed pitchers, he learned from these experiences instead of letting them hinder his growth. As testament to his unwillingness to be restricted by failures, Soler maintains impressive stats, including a 91.39 miles-per-hour average launch speed in 2016.

Soler has faced challenges throughout his athletic journey, but with perseverance, he transformed them into opportunities. Looking at his record with the Royals, he exhibited this determination. After an initial period of injuries and inconsistency, Soler was demoted to the Omaha Storm Chasers. But he hit back and, in 74 games, batted .267 with 24 home runs and 59 RBIs. Soler finally returned to Kansas City, where he further showcased his skills, hitting .265 with nine home runs over 61 games.

In 2019, Soler achieved a career-defining moment. He hit his 39th home run of the season, breaking Kansas City’s record for most home runs in a single season. He continued to impress by becoming the first Royals player to make at least 40 home runs in a season. Moreover, he led the American League with 48 home runs, a record for a Cuban-born player.

Soler’s career spiral continued onto an uphill trajectory when he was traded to the Atlanta Braves in 2021. Here, he truly hit his stride, managing an average of .269/.358/.524. He also put up an impressive 27 home runs and 70 RBIs. As an icing on his career cake, he made history by hitting a leadoff home run in the first plate appearance of the 2021 World Series. This streak of success culminated in Soler earning the title of World Series MVP in the Braves six-win victory.

The year 2022 found him signing a three-year, $36 million contract with the Miami Marlins. In this era of his career, in 2023, Soler made the National League’s roster for the MLB All-Star Game. He showcased strong performance yet again, batting .269 with 36 home runs and 75 RBI.

Despite his success at Marlins, Soler embarked on a new journey with the San Francisco Giants in 2024, signing a three-year, $42 million contract. However, he was soon traded back to the Atlanta Braves, allowing him an unexpected reunion with the team that had seen his crowning successes.

Off the field, Soler is married to Leydis Serrano, proving that alongside an intense sporting career, he is also dedicated to his personal life. However, not all has been smooth sailing. In 2023, Soler found himself in a legal tussle after a fan claimed an injury from a ball he threw during a World Series match.

Jorge Carlos Soler Castillo’s journey is a testament to the resilience and determination required on the path to becoming an accomplished sports personality. Despite the challenges and obstacles along his way, Soler has risen to the top and left a lasting impact on Major League Baseball.