TAMPA BAY, FL — Born in January 1980, José Alberto Pujols embarked on a remarkable journey from Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic, to the United States in 1990. After graduating from high school, he took a brief stint at Metropolitan Community College in Kansas City, Missouri. His talent was soon recognized, and he signed a contract with the St. Louis Cardinals in 1991, marking the beginning of a legendary career.
In 1999, the Cardinals drafted him in the 13th round, and he was assigned to the Peoria Chiefs of the Midwest League in 2000.
Yadier Molina and Albert Pujols during 2022 regular season matchup at Citi Field between the Cardinals and Mets – Image Credit: Bill Menzel/Latino Sports
His talent was undeniable, as he spent only one year in the minor leagues before making his MLB debut with the Cardinals on April 2, 2001. He continued to shine with the Cardinals, becoming a free agent in 2011, and signing with the Los Angeles Angels on a 10-year/$240,000,000 deal, a testament to his exceptional skills and dedication to the sport.
In May 2021, he was released by the Angels and four days later, signed by the Los Angeles Dodgers. There, he played 85 games before returning to the Cardinals, where he retired in 2022 — finishing with the most-ever LatinoMVP awards won by a MLB athlete (nine).
Albert Pujols, a nine-time LatinoMVP Award winner, during 2022 All Star Game press conference – Image Credit: Bill Menzel/Latino Sports
Remarkably, Pujols is ranked high in many offensive categories:
| Category | Rank | Number | Comments |
| Hits | 9th | 3,384 | Rose (4,256) |
| Home Runs | 4th | 703 | |
| RBI | 2nd | 2,218 | Aaron (2,297) |
| Doubles | 5th | 686 | |
| Extra Base Hits | 3rd | 1,405 | Aaron (1,477) |
| Runs | 11th | 1,914 | |
| Total Bases | 2nd | 6,211 | Aaron (6,856) |
Pujols also ranks highly in Intentional Walks (2nd), Games Played (5th), Sacrifice Flies (3rd), Slugging Average (7th), On Base Percentage (11th).
Albert Pujols records a hit against the Mets at Citi Field in 2022 – Image Credit: Bill Menzel/Latino Sports
Albert will be eligible for entry into the National Baseball Hall of Fame located in Cooperstown, in 2027, and anything less than the 75% votes required will be one of the greatest mistakes in the history of voting.
He was an OVERachiever, but an UNappreciated superstar.
Contact Joe Ferrara – Email: jaferrara@outlook.com
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