Bret Boone

Bret Boone was born on April 6, 1969, in El Cajon, California. He is a third-generation professional baseball player, with his father, Bob Boone, and grandfather, Ray Boone, also having played in MLB. His brother, Aaron Boone, is currently a manager in MLB. Bret attended the University of Southern California before being drafted by the Seattle Mariners in the 5th round of the 1990 MLB June Amateur Draft, making his major league debut on August 19, 1992. His early career saw him setting a club record for home runs by a second baseman with the Mariners in 1993, hitting 12 dingers in 76 games before being traded to the Cincinnati Reds later that year.

Boone spent five seasons with the Cincinnati Reds, where he earned his first All-Star selection in 1998 and a Gold Glove Award for his defensive play. A significant moment occurred on the last day of the 1998 season when he participated in the only infield ever composed of two sets of brothers (himself and Aaron Boone, and Stephen and Barry Larkin). He then played for the Atlanta Braves in 1999, contributing to their NL East division title and appearing in the World Series. Following a season with the San Diego Padres in 2000, Boone made a pivotal return to the Seattle Mariners in 2001. This season marked a career highlight, as he led the league in RBIs with 141, achieved a .331 batting average, and hit 37 home runs, setting a new team record for a second baseman. He was named an All-Star, received a Silver Slugger Award, and finished third in AL MVP voting, as the Mariners tied the all-time team record for wins in a season with 116.

Boone continued his success with the Mariners, earning another Gold Glove in 2002 and a third All-Star selection, another Gold Glove, and a Silver Slugger Award in 2003. He remained a consistent presence at second base until 2005 when he was designated for assignment by the Mariners and subsequently traded to the Minnesota Twins. After playing 14 games with the Twins, he was released and announced his retirement from baseball in March 2006, citing a lack of passion. However, he briefly came out of retirement in 2008, signing a minor league contract with the Washington Nationals before officially retiring again in May 2008. In 2016, he released his autobiography, “Home Game: Big-League Stories from My Life in Baseball’s First Family,” and in 2025, he was hired as a hitting coach for the Texas Rangers.