Ryan Braun

Ryan Braun

Ryan Joseph Braun (born November 17, 1983), nicknamed The Hebrew Hammer, is an American baseball left fielder for the Milwaukee Brewers of Major League Baseball (MLB). A perennial standout, he was ranked number seven by the Sporting News in its 2012 list of the 50 greatest current players in baseball, and was the National League (NL) Most Valuable Player (MVP) in 2011.

Braun was a two-time All American at the University of Miami, where he was named "National Freshman of the Year" by Baseball America in 2003. The Brewers drafted him in the first round (fifth overall) in the 2005 MLB Draft. He was the team's Minor League Player of the Year in 2006.

Braun won the NL Rookie of the Year Award in 2007. He has been named to five straight All-Star games (2008–12) and won the NL Outfielder Silver Slugger Award in each of the past five seasons (2008–12). Braun has led the NL three times in slugging percentage (in 2007, while setting the major league rookie record, 2011, and 2012), three times in extra-base hits (2008, 2011–12), and once each in hits (2009), home runs (2012), and runs (2012). On defense, he led all major league outfielders in fielding percentage in 2008, led NL left fielders in fielding percentage twice (2009 and 2011), and led NL left fielders in range factor in 2009 and 2012. His 128 home runs through 2010 were the 8th-most by any major leaguer ever through their first four seasons. Through 2012, he was third among all active ballplayers in career slugging percentage, and first among active left fielders in career fielding percentage.

Braun is currently considered one of the best active players in the MLB, and is considered a five-tool player due to his ability to hit for power and average, his great speed on the bases, and his excellent fielding and arm strength.

As of 2012, Braun is engaged to model Larisa Fraser.