Do You Know Jesus?

Born: August 30, 1981 – Brunswick, Georgia

Height: 6′ 7″

Baseball Pitcher: throws right handed, bats right handed

An academic standout and multi-sport athlete, Wainwright was named to Georgia’s All-State football team as a wide receiver his junior and senior years as well as All-Region honours as a placekicker. However, throwing a fastball over 90 mph and batting over .500 earned Wainwright the 2000 Gatorade Georgia Player of the Year Award and numerous academic and baseball scholarship offers from colleges and universities.

Draft & Minor Leagues

Selected 29th overall in the first round of MLB’s 2000 Amateur draft by Atlanta Braves Wainwright elected to forgo college and signed a contract that included a $1.25 million bonus.

• 2000 – Class A Danville Braves, Appalachian League
• 2001 – Macon Braves, South Atlantic League
• 2002 – Carolina League, named to that season’s All-Star Futures Game
• 2003 – Greenville, Double A

December 2003 was traded from Atlanta Braves to St. Louis Cardinals.

MLB Career

• 2005
  • Wainwright made his MLB debut on September 11 against New York Mets
• 2006
  • A starter for his entire minor-league career Wainwright made the Cardinals’ Opening Day roster as a relief pitcher.
  • On May 24, he homered in his first major league at bat, becoming the 22nd batter in Major League history to hit a home run off the first pitch thrown in his first at-bat.
  • He is also one of only three players in MLB to homer in his first at-bat and also win the game as a pitcher.
  • October 27, in game five of the 2006 World Series, Wainwright struck out Detroit Tiger third baseman Brandon Inge with a slider to win the World championship.
• 2008
  • Signed a four-year deal with the Cardinals worth $21 million, with club options for 2012 & 2013 that potentially could push his salary to $36 million.
• 2009
  • Leading the National League with a 19-8 record Wainwright won the NL Most Outstanding Pitcher (Player’s Choice) Award and his first Golden Glove Award.
• 2010
  • Finished the season with a 20-10 win-loss record and pitched in his first All-Star Game.
• 2011
  • As a result of suffering ulnar collateral ligament damage in his right elbow in late February Wainwright underwent Tommy John surgery and missed the entire season. However, records show Adam as a member of the Card’s 2011 World Series Championship team
• 2012
  • Fully recovered from TJS and rehab Adam pitched his 1,000th inning after 2 1/3 IP on July 29.
• 2013
  • March 28 Wainwright agreed to a five-year contract extension reportedly in the rage of $97.5 million.
  • April 18 he became the first pitcher in baseball since 1900 to achieve 28 strikeouts and 0 walks in his first four starts of a season.
  • June 13 Wainwright achieved the 1,000th strike out of his career.
  • Selected a National league All-Star for the second time (2010)
  • September 7 he struck out eight batters to reach 1,103 in his career, passing Dizzy Dean (1,095) for second place among Cardinal pitchers, second only to Bob Gibson’s 3,117 SO in 528 games.

Personal Life

Adam Wainwright is active in the Fellowship of Christian Athletes.

Memorable Quote

Wainwright summarizes what he feels is his purpose in playing ball and in life by paraphrasing Acts 20:24:

“My life means nothing to me unless I carry out the work given to me by God, the work of telling others the good news of the gospel of Jesus Christ and God’s mighty kindness and love.“