Evan Longoria

Verified Timeline

Lore & Background

Longoria was selected by the Rays in the first round as the third overall pick in the 2006 MLB draft. After two seasons in the minors, he made his major league debut for the Rays in 2008. On April 18, 2008, the Rays signed him to a six-year, $17.5 million contract with options for 2014, 2015, and 2016. There was a general consensus that this contract was among the most team-friendly, in terms of dollars per Wins Above Replacement, in Major League Baseball. Longoria appeared in two World Series, first with the Rays during his rookie season in 2008. He had one of the biggest hits in Rays' history when he hit a 12th-inning walk-off home run in the last game of the 2011 season, breaking a tie with the Boston Red Sox in the race for the American League wild card spot, and sending his team into the postseason. Longoria was known for his acrobatic defense, having won three Gold Glove Awards at third base.

In Their Own Story

On October 2, 2008, in the first postseason game for both Longoria and Tampa Bay, Longoria hit two home runs in his first two at-bats to help lead the Rays past the Chicago White Sox 6–4. Longoria was the first rookie and second player overall to homer in his first two postseason at bats. The first to do so was Longoria's hitting coach at Triple-A Durham, Gary Gaetti, who did it with the Minnesota Twins in 1987. On October 14, 2008, Longoria set the rookie mark for most home runs (4) hit in a postseason series, breaking Miguel Cabrera's record set in 2003. The Rays made it to the 2008 World Series (their first in franchise history) but were defeated by the Philadelphia Phillies. After the 2008 season, Longoria was honored with Sporting News Rookie of the Year Award for the American League, as well as the American League Rookie of the Year Award. He became the fourth third baseman to win the award. He also became the sixth player and the first since Nomar Garciaparra in 1997 to win a Rookie of the Year Award unanimously.

Reader's Guide

Longoria played college baseball for the Long Beach State Dirtbags, winning the CSN Bay Area 2005 Cape Cod League MVP and 2006 Big West Conference Co-Player of the Year. He was selected by the Rays in the first round as the third overall pick in the 2006 MLB draft. After two seasons in the minors, he made his major league debut for the Rays in 2008, and was named to the American League team for the 2008 MLB All Star Game. Longoria was also named the 2008 American League Rookie of the Year. He made the All-Star team three times, being selected from 2008 to 2010. Longoria appeared in two World Series, first with the Rays during his rookie season in 2008, and later with the Diamondbacks during his final season in 2023. The 15-season gap between Longoria's two World Series appearances is the longest for a position player in MLB history. He had one of the biggest hits in Rays' history when he hit a 12th-inning walk-off home run in the last game of the 2011 season. Longoria was known for his acrobatic defense, having won three Gold Glove Awards at third base, in 2009, 2010, and 2017. Longoria owns many Rays franchise records, including the career records for games played, runs, doubles, home runs, runs batted in, walks, and Wins Above Replacement.

Did You Know?

• Longoria was the first rookie and second player overall to homer in his first two postseason at bats, doing so in 2008.
• The 15-season gap between Longoria's two World Series appearances (2008 with the Rays, 2023 with the Diamondbacks) is the longest for a position player in MLB history.
• Longoria's contract signed on April 18, 2008, was considered among the most team-friendly in MLB in terms of dollars per Wins Above Replacement.
• Longoria set the rookie mark for most home runs (4) hit in a postseason series in 2008, breaking Miguel Cabrera's record.
• Longoria won the 2008 AL Rookie of the Year Award unanimously, the first player to do so since Nomar Garciaparra in 1997.