Austin Riley: Atlanta Braves Third Baseman - Contracts, Scouting Report, Family & more

Austin Riley is an American professional baseball third baseman for the Atlanta Braves of Major League Baseball (MLB). The Braves selected him in the first round, 41st overall, of the 2015 MLB Draft. He made his MLB debut in 2019 and has since become one of the best third basemen in baseball.

Riley was born in Memphis, Tennessee, and raised in Southaven, Mississippi. He played college baseball at Mississippi State University, where he was a two-time All-SEC selection. After being drafted by the Braves, Riley quickly rose through the minor leagues and made his MLB debut in 2019.

Details about Austin Riley’s Background:

Name: Austin Riley
Position: Third baseman
Height: 6’3″
Weight: 240 lbs
Team: Atlanta Braves
Age: 26 (born April 2, 1997)
Nationality: American
Previous clubs: None

In his rookie season, Riley hit .232 with 18 home runs and 57 RBIs. He improved on those numbers in 2020, hitting .268 with eight home runs and 27 RBIs in the shortened season. In 2021, Riley broke out as a star, hitting .303 with 33 home runs and 107 RBIs. He was named to his first All-Star team and won the Silver Slugger Award for third basemen in the National League.

In 2022, Riley signed a franchise-record 10-year, $212 million contract extension with the Braves. He continued to produce at a high level, hitting .277 with 38 home runs and 103 RBIs. He helped the Braves win the National League East division title and advance to the World Series for the second time in three years.

Riley is a powerful hitter with a good eye for the strike zone. He is also a solid fielder at third base. He is one of the most exciting young players in baseball and is poised to have a long and successful career.

Strengths & Weaknesses of Austin Riley:

Austin Riley is a third baseman and outfielder for the Atlanta Braves of Major League Baseball (MLB).
He was selected by the Braves with the 41st overall pick in the 2015 draft and made his MLB debut in 2019.
He helped the Braves capture a World Series title in 2021, hitting a walk-off single in Game 1 of the National League Championship Series against the Los Angeles Dodgers.
Some of his strengths and weaknesses on the field are:
- He has a powerful swing and can hit for both average and power. He finished the 2021 season with a .303 batting average, 33 home runs, and 107 RBI.
- He has improved his plate discipline and strike zone recognition over the years, reducing his strikeout rate and increasing his walk rate.
- He has also improved his defense at third base, showing good range, arm strength, and agility. He won his first Silver Slugger Award and was named to the All-MLB First Team as a third baseman in 2021.
- He still struggles against some breaking pitches, especially sliders and curveballs, which he tends to chase or miss.
- He is not very fast on the bases, having only six stolen bases in his career.

Tactical Role of Austin Riley:

His tactical role within the team is to provide offensive production and run support for the Braves’ pitching staff. He usually bats in the middle of the order, either third or fourth, behind Freddie Freeman and Ozzie Albies. He also plays a key role in the team’s overall strategy by being able to play both third base and outfield, giving the Braves more flexibility and versatility on defense.

Hobbies & Interests of Austin Riley:

He enjoys hunting and fishing in his spare time. He grew up in a family of hunters and often goes hunting with his father and brother.
He is a fan of the Mississippi State Bulldogs football team. He was offered a scholarship to play both baseball and football for them, but chose to sign with the Braves instead.
He is married to Lexi and has a son named Ryder. He met Lexi in high school and they got married in 2019. Ryder was born in 2020 and is often seen at the ballpark with his parents.
He is involved in various charitable causes in the Atlanta community. He won the 2023 Heart & Hustle Award for his passion, desire, and work ethic on and off the field. He also supports the Rally Foundation for Childhood Cancer Research and participates in events such as the Braves Country 5K and the Home Run Derby.

Net worth of Austin Riley:

According to various sources, Austin Riley has a net worth of over $4 million as of 2023. The major source of his income is his MLB career. He is currently under a $555,000 contract with the Atlanta Braves for the 2023 season. He also signed a franchise-record ten-year contract extension worth $212 million with the Braves in August 2022, which will keep him with the team until 2032.

Personal life of Austin Riley:

Austin Riley was born on April 2, 1997, in Memphis, Tennessee. He is the eldest son of Mike and Elisa Riley. He attended DeSoto Central High School in Southaven, Mississippi, where he played baseball as a shortstop and pitcher. He also played football as a quarterback and punter in his freshman and sophomore years. He was committed to play for the Mississippi State Bulldogs baseball team until he was drafted by the Atlanta Braves in 2015.

Austin Riley is married to Anna Morgan Riley, whom he met in high school but started dating in college. They got engaged on November 27, 2017, and tied the knot on November 3, 2018. They have a son named Eason Michael Riley, who was born on April 20, 2022. They also have a dog named Luna, whom they adopted on October 3, 2019. Austin and Anna are very supportive of each other and often share their love on social media.

Family of Austin Riley:

Austin Riley has a close relationship with his family, especially his parents and siblings. His father, Mike Riley, played baseball at Mississippi State University as a punter and influenced Austin’s passion for the sport. His mother, Elisa Riley, is a homemaker and a devoted fan of her son. Austin has a younger sister named Emily Riley and a younger brother named Zach Riley, who also play baseball. Austin often posts pictures with his family on his Instagram account and expresses his gratitude for their support.

Height of Austin Riley:

Austin Riley stands at a height of 6 feet 3 inches or 191 cm. He weighs about 240 lbs or 109 kg. He has a muscular physique and a right-handed batting and throwing style.

Contracts of Austin Riley:

Austin Riley signed his first professional contract with the Atlanta Braves in July 2015, after being selected in the first round of the MLB draft. He received a signing bonus of $1.6 million. He made his MLB debut with the Braves in May 2019 and signed a one-year contract worth $555,000 for the 2019 season.

He then signed another one-year contract worth $568,500 for the 2020 season and another one-year contract worth $590,500 for the 2021 season. In May 2022, he signed a one-year contract worth $3.95 million with the Braves, settling in arbitration. In August 2022, he signed a ten-year contract extension worth $212 million with the Braves, which will pay him $15 million in 2023, $21 million in 2024, and $22 million each year from 2025 to 2032. The contract also includes a team option for 2033 with a $10 million buyout.

Brands Associated:

Austin Riley has not been associated with any major brands or endorsements so far in his career. However, he has been involved in some charitable activities and donations through the Atlanta Braves Foundation and other organizations. For example, he donated $2.12 million of his contract extension to the Atlanta Braves Foundation to support various causes in the community. He also participated in an autograph session to raise funds for Children’s Healthcare of Atlanta in December 2019.

Teams with Austin Riley played:

Austin Riley has played for only one team in his MLB career so far: the Atlanta Braves. However, he has also played for several minor league teams affiliated with the Braves before making his MLB debut. These include:

Gulf Coast Braves (2015)
Danville Braves (2015)
Rome Braves (2016)
Florida Fire Frogs (2017-2018)
Mississippi Braves (2017-2018)
Gwinnett Stripers (2018-2019)
Peoria Javelinas (2018)

Awards & Achievements of Austin Riley:

Riley made his MLB debut on May 15, 2019, and hit a home run in his second at-bat against the St. Louis Cardinals.
Riley hit his first career grand slam on May 29, 2019, against the Washington Nationals, becoming the first Braves player to hit seven home runs in his first 14 games.
Riley won the Silver Slugger Award as the best offensive third baseman in the National League in 2021, after batting .303 with 33 home runs and 107 RBI.
Riley was also named to the All-MLB First Team as the best third baseman in MLB in 2021, along with José Ramírez of the Cleveland Indians.
Riley helped the Braves win their first World Series title since 1995 in 2021, hitting a walk-off single in Game 1 of the National League Championship Series against the Los Angeles Dodgers.
Riley was selected to his first All-Star Game in 2022, after leading the NL in home runs (38) and slugging percentage (.528) at the break. He finished sixth in the NL MVP voting that year.
Riley signed a franchise-record ten-year contract extension worth $212 million with the Braves in August 2022, securing his future with the team until 2032.
Riley was selected to his second All-Star Game in 2023, after batting .281 with 37 home runs and 96 RBI in the first half of the season. He also won the Heart & Hustle Award for his passion, desire, and work ethic on and off the field.

Year	Team	Games	AB	R	H	HR	RBI	AVG	OBP	SLG	OPS
2019	ATL	80	274	41	62	18	49	.226	.279	.471	.750
2020	ATL	51	188	24	45	8	27	.239	.301	.415	.716
2021	ATL	160	590	91	179	33	107	.303	.367	.531	.898
2022	ATL	159	615	90	168	38	93	.273	.349	.528	.878
2023*	ATL	150	600	107	166	36	91	.277	.340	.508	.848

Awards & Achievements of Austin Riley

Riley did not play college baseball, as he was drafted by the Braves out of high school in the first round of the 2015 MLB draft. He had committed to play for Mississippi State University, but chose to sign with the Braves instead.

Scouting Report of Austin Riley:

Austin Riley is one of the best young power hitters in baseball, who can also play solid defense at third base and outfield. He helped the Braves win their first World Series title since 1995 in 2021, hitting a walk-off single in Game 1 of the National League Championship Series against the Los Angeles Dodgers.

Aspect	Rating	Description
Hitting	50	Riley has a powerful swing and can hit for both average and power. He has improved his plate discipline and strike zone recognition over the years, reducing his strikeout rate and increasing his walk rate. He has a pull-heavy approach when he gets into advantageous counts but has the strength and power to drive the ball out to all fields. He still struggles against some breaking pitches, especially sliders and curveballs, which he tends to chase or miss. His swing is long and his load to the zone is an issue, but he has shown an ability to make adjustments. He has the potential to be an average hitter with excellent power in the majors.
Power	70	Riley’s best attribute is his plus-plus raw power. He has the bat speed and strength to hit the ball out of any park. He finished the 2021 season with a .303 batting average, 33 home runs, and 107 RBI, winning the Silver Slugger Award as the best offensive third baseman in the National League. He also led the NL in home runs (38) and slugging percentage (.528) at the All-Star break in 2022, earning his first All-Star selection. He has the potential to hit 25-30 home runs regularly in the majors.
Speed	40	Riley is not very fast on the bases, having only six stolen bases in his career. He is not a threat to steal or take extra bases, but he is not a liability either. He runs well for his size and has decent instincts on the basepaths. He is more of a station-to-station runner who relies on his power to score runs.
Defense	50	Riley has improved his defense at third base, showing good range, arm strength, and agility. He has also played some outfield for the Braves, giving them more flexibility and versatility on defense. He is not a gold glove caliber defender, but he is not a liability either. He makes the routine plays and can handle some tough ones as well. He has reduced his errors and improved his fielding percentage over the years. He won his first All-MLB First Team selection as a third baseman in 2021, along with José Ramírez of the Cleveland Indians.
Arm	60	Riley has a strong arm that suits him well at third base and in the outfield. He can make accurate throws from different angles and distances. He was highly regarded as a pitcher by many teams in high school, and he can get his fastball up to 95 mph on the mound. His arm strength is an asset for him on defense, as he can throw out runners or prevent them from advancing.

Scouting Report of Austin Riley

He signed a franchise-record ten-year contract extension worth $212 million with the Braves in August 2022, securing his future with the team until 2032. He is a two-time All-Star and a Silver Slugger Award winner, who has also won the Heart & Hustle Award for his passion, desire, and work ethic on and off the field. He is a key part of the Braves’ core and one of the most exciting players in the game today.

FAQs about Austin Riley:

How old is Austin Riley?

Austin Riley is 26 years old as of 2023. He was born on April 2, 1997, in Memphis, Tennessee.

What is Austin Riley’s salary?

Austin Riley’s salary for the 2023 season is $15 million, according to his contract extension with the Braves. He will earn $21 million in 2024 and $22 million each year from 2025 to 2032.

What is Austin Riley’s jersey number?

Austin Riley wears the jersey number 27 for the Braves. He has worn the same number since his MLB debut in 2019.

What is Austin Riley’s Instagram account?

Austin Riley’s Instagram account is [@austinriley130]. He has over 100,000 followers and posts pictures of his family, friends, teammates, and baseball activities.

What is Austin Riley’s nickname?

Austin Riley’s nickname is “Ocho”, which means “eight” in Spanish. He got the nickname from his former teammate Josh Donaldson, who called him that because he thought Riley looked like former NFL wide receiver Chad Ochocinco.