Career highlights (through 2016)

• Selected by the Milwaukee Brewers in the 1^st round of the 2005 draft (5^th overall)
• Went 1-for-4 with a double and two RBIs in MLB debut with the Milwaukee Brewers (5/25/2007)
• N.L. Rookie of the Year, the first and only Jewish player to win the award (2007)
• Selected six times to N.L. All-Star team (2008-12, 2015)
• N.L. MVP (2011)
• Finished 2nd in MVP voting, N.L. (2012)
• Finished 3rd in MVP voting, N.L. (2008)
• Best rookie slugging percentage (.634) in MLB history, according to MLB.com (2007)
• Third-highest career HRs among Jewish players (285)
• Led N.L. in home runs, with 41 (2012)
• Reached 30 HRs and 30 stolen bases in same season two times, one of just 13 players in MLB history to do so (2011, 2012)
• Silver Slugger award (2008-12)
• Twice hit 3 HRs in a game (4/30/2012 and 4/8/2014)

MLB career bests, by statistic

• AVG: .332 (2011)
• 2B: 45 (2010)
• 3B: 7 (2008)
• HR: 41 (2012)
• RBI: 114 (2009)
• BB: 63 (2012)
• OBP: .397 (2011)
• SLG: .634 (2007)
• OPS: 1.004 (2007)
• SB: 33 (2011)
• Intentional walks: 15 (2012)
• Wins Above Replacement: 7.8 (2011)
• At bats per home run: 13.3 (2007)

2016 highlights

• Best year offensively since 2012 MVP year, hitting .305 with 30 HRs, 91 RBIs, .538 slugging
• In August, hit 10 HRs (3rd best in MLB/tied) and 28 RBIs (2nd best in MLB)
• Hit .336 and had .440 on-base percentage with runners in scoring position
• Turned three double plays, tied for 2nd best among N.L. outfielders
• Finished 23rd in N.L. MVP voting

2015 highlights

• Only MLB player with 24+ HRs and 24+ stolen bases
• Made only 2 errors entire season
• Hit two grand-slam HRs (4/29/2015, 8/16/2015)
• Had 4-hit game (6/30/2015)
• Had two 2-HR games (4/29/2015, 5/15/2015)
• Went 6-for-14 as designated hitter, with 3 HRs , 7 RBIs and 3 walks
• Ranked 2nd among N.L. rightfielders with .991 fielding percentage
• Ranked 5th in N.L. with 85.7 percent stolen-base success
• Ranked 8th in N.L. with 24 stolen bases (tied)
• Ranked 9th in N.L. with .498 on-base percentage

2011 highlights

• Won National League MVP award, the first Jew to be named MVP since Sandy Koufax in 1963
• Named to N.L. All-Star team for 4th consecutive year — was top N.L. vote-getter — but sat out due to injury
• Became third Jew and 36th player overall in MLB history to join 30/30 club, players who hit at least 30 HRs and steal at least 30 bases in a single season
• During the 2011 playoffs, hit .404 with 2 HRs and 10 RBIs in 42 at-bats
• 1st in slugging percentage, N.L. (.597)
• 1st in on-base percentage plus slugging, N.L. (.994)
• 1st in fielding percentage among left fielders, N.L. (.996)
• 2nd in batting average, N.L. (.332)
• 2nd in runs scored, N.L. (109)
• 2nd in wins above replacement, N.L. (7.7)
• 2nd in runs created, N.L. (138)
• 3rd in range factor per 9 innings among left fielders, N.L. (1.92)
• 4th in doubles, N.L. (38)
• 4th in RBIs, N.L. (111)
• 5th in on-base percentage, N.L. (.397)
• 6th in home runs, N.L. (33)
• 7th in stolen bases, N.L. (33)
• 9th in at-bats per home run , N.L. (17.1)
• Note: During the 2011 playoffs, Braun tested positive for a performance-enhancing drug and faced a possible 50-game suspension for 2012, but the suspension later was reversed

2010 highlights

• Starting left fielder in All-Star game, where he went 0-for-2
• 2nd in doubles, N.L. (45)
• 3rd in range factor per 9 inningsas a left fielder, N.L. (1.93)
• 5th in total bases, N.L. (310)
• 6th in runs scored, N.L. (101)
• 7th in runs batted in, N.L. (103)
• 9th in batting average, N.L. (.304)

2009 highlights

• 7^th in batting average, N.L. (.320)
• 1^st in hits, N.L. (203)
• 11^th in home runs, N.L. (32)
• 4^th in RBIs, N.L. (114)
• 9^th in slugging percentage, N.L. (.551)
• 8^th in OPS, N.L. (.937)
• 2^nd in runs, N.L. (113)
• 18^th in stolen bases, N.L. (20)
• Had three 2-home-run games, including one in which he went 5-for-5 (April 21)
• Had grand-slam HR and six RBIs in Brewers’ 15-3 win over Cincinnati (May 6)
• Ejected from game for first time
• Named to All-Star team
• Hit .395 against left-handed pitching, .302 against right-handers
• Batted .328 with runners in scoring position, .291 in “close and late” situations, and .450 with bases loaded 

On being Jewish

• “Braun, a native of Mission Hills, Calif., grew up in a tight-knit, mixed-religion household. His Israeli-born father, Joe, is Jewish, and his mother, Diane, is Christian. Braun also has a younger brother, Steve, who is playing shortstop for the University of Maryland Terrapins.” (Wisconsin Jewish Chronicle; June 15, 2007)
• Braun’s father emigrated to the U.S. from Israel at age 7 (New Jersey Jewish Standard; Aug. 30, 2007)
• “Being Jewish is something I take great pride in. There aren’t too many Jewish athletes that have achieved success at the highest level, so it’s something I am very proud of,” said Braun. (Wisconsin Jewish Chronicle; June 15, 2007)
• “In a very ‘small world’ story, Ryan told me that he lived with his grandfather for a while in the same house that once belonged to Hank Greenberg.” (Rabbijason.com; Sept. 18, 2007)
• Braun, whose mother is Catholic, played on Yom Kippur in 2007. “I don’t really celebrate the (Jewish) holidays so it won’t be much of an issue with me. Growing up half-Jewish, half-Catholic, I’ve never really celebrated one holiday over the other.” (Milwaukee Journal-Sentinel; Sept. 17, 2007)

For more information

• Baseball-Reference page
• Jewish Baseball Museum bio
• Baseball cardsxxxx