By Nick Sulpizio

Andre Everett Ethier was born on April 10, 1982 and grew up in Phoenix, Arizona. He married his wife Maggie Germaine on February 9, 2006 and the couple had their first child, Dreson Ethier, on September 13, 2008.

While playing at Arizona State University Ethier was told to transfer to Chandler-Gilbert Community College because his coaches thought he had the talent to play Division I baseball. He was considered one of the top junior college players after recording a .468 batting average, 94 hits, and 32 doubles. In 2001 Andre was named Most Valuable Player for the New Hampshire Swampbats in the New England Collegiate Baseball League.

In the fall of 2001 Ethier re-enrolled at ASU and played for the Sun Devils until his junior year. While at ASU Ethier accumulated a batting average of .371, 113 runs, 27 doubles, 7 triples, 14 home runs, and 118 RBIs. He ended his collegiate career with a 23-game hit streak — on a very high note to say the least. He also became a two-time Pacific 10 All-Star from 2002-03.

Originally selected in 37th round of the 2001 MLB Draft by the Oakland Athletics, Ethier opted out and chose to play for ASU. After his college career in 2003 Ethier was again selected by the Oakland Athletics, this time in the second round of the Draft. He then signed with the A’s on July 1, 2003.

During his minor league career Ethier played in the A’s farm system. He was appointed to the Single-A Vancouver Canadians and later to the Kane County Cougars in 2003. He played in the minors throughout 2004 for the Modesto Athletics where he recorded a batting average of .313, and in 2005 for the Midland Rockhounds where he accumulated a .319 batting average and 18 homers. With those numbers, Ethier earned the Texas League MVP.

On December 15, 2005, he was traded from the Oakland Athletics to the Los Angeles Dodgers for Milton Bradley and Antonio Perez. I’d say the deal worked out for the Boys in Blue.

Andre Ethier made his major league debut for the Los Angeles Dodgers on May 2, 2006 against the Arizona Diamondbacks in his hometown. He proceeded to hit his first professional homerun the next night against the San Diego Padres.

Ever since Andre Ethier joined the Los Angeles Dodgers he has proved to be one of the elite players in professional baseball. So far, he has a batting average of .291, 75 homeruns, and 302 RBI’s in his career. Not too shabby.

By Nick Sulpizio