Brian McCann (baseball)

Infobox MLB player
name = Brian McCann


width = 183
caption = McCann playing for the Braves in June 2007
team = Atlanta Braves
number = 16
position = Catcher
birthdate = birth date and age|1984|2|20
birthplace = Athens, Georgia
bats = Left
throws = Right
debutdate = June 10
debutyear = 2005
debutteam = Atlanta Braves
statyear = 2008 season
stat1label = Batting average
stat1value = .297
stat2label = Home runs
stat2value = 70
stat3label = Runs batted in
stat3value = 295
teams =
*Atlanta Braves (by|2005-present)
awards =
*Silver Slugger Award winner (by|2006)
*3x All-Star selection (by|2006, by|2007, by|2008)

Brian Michael McCann, (born February 20, 1984 in Athens, Georgia) is a Major League Baseball catcher for the Atlanta Braves.

Early career

As a youth, Brian McCann played Little League at league 6 in Huntington, West Virginia. He was selected by the Atlanta Braves in the 2nd round of the 2002 Major League Baseball Draft. McCann advanced steadily through the Braves' minor league system, playing for the Rome Braves (Low A) in by|2003, the Myrtle Beach Pelicans (High A) in by|2004, and the Mississippi Braves (Double-A) in by|2005.

McCann made his Major League Baseball debut with the Atlanta Braves on June 10, mlby|2005. A personal catcher for John Smoltz for most of the 2005 season, McCann hit his first home run in just his second regular-season game, and became the first Braves player in franchise history to hit a home run in his first playoff at-bat on October 6, 2005, accomplishing the feat in the second inning of a 7-1 victory over Roger Clemens and the Houston Astros in Game 2 of the 2005 National League Division Series. McCann was selected to play in the 2006 MLB All-Star Game in his first full major league season and has been selected in both mlby|2007 and mlby|2008, making him the first Braves' player ever to be selected to the National League All-Star team in each of his first three seasons.

At the end of the 2005 season, the Braves traded catcher Johnny Estrada to the Arizona Diamondbacks, effectively making McCann the Braves' everyday catcher in mlby|2006.

Personal

McCann married the former Ashley Jarusinski in December 2007. His older brother, Brad, played pro baseball in the Florida Marlins and Kansas City Royals organizations before retiring after the 2007 season.

Philanthropy

In 2008, McCann released a charity wine (The McCann Merlot) with 100% of his proceeds supporting the Rally Foundation for Childhood Cancer Research, an organization dedicated to raising funds to support pediatric cancer research and treatments. Brian also has baseball clinics for kids 5-18.

External links