Tim Anderson

Timothy Devon Anderson Jr. (born June 23, 1993) is an American professional baseball shortstop for the Miami Marlins of Major League Baseball (MLB).

He has previously played in MLB for the Chicago White Sox.

However, he received no interest from Major League Baseball (MLB) teams, and was not selected in the 2012 MLB draft.

Returning to East Central for his sophomore year, Anderson had a breakout season, leading all junior college baseball players with a .495 batting average.

He was named a first-team National Junior College Athletic Association Division II All-American.

He committed to transfer to the University of Alabama at Birmingham (UAB).

Anderson played college baseball at East Central Community College, and was selected in the first round of the 2013 MLB draft by the White Sox.

The Chicago White Sox selected Anderson in the first round, with the 17th overall selection, in the 2013 MLB draft.

Anderson opted to sign with the White Sox, rather than enroll at UAB, for a signing bonus of $2,164,000.

Though expected to make his professional debut with the Bristol White Sox of the Rookie-level Appalachian League, the White Sox assigned Anderson to the Kannapolis Intimidators of the Single–A South Atlantic League instead, a higher level than rookie ball.

He batted .277 with one home run, 21 RBIs, and 24 stolen bases in 68 games for Kannapolis.

In 2014, Anderson began the season with the Winston-Salem Dash of the High–A Carolina League.

He broke his wrist in late June, requiring surgery.

In 68 games, Anderson had a .297 batting average, six home runs, and 10 stolen bases.

He also committed 31 errors.

When he returned in August, the White Sox promoted him to the Birmingham Barons of the Double–A Southern League, where he batted .364 in 10 games.

The White Sox assigned Anderson to the Glendale Desert Dogs of the Arizona Fall League after the regular season.

The White Sox invited Anderson to spring training in 2015.

He spent the season with Birmingham, batting .312 with five home runs and 49 stolen bases, while also committing 25 errors.

He made his MLB debut in 2016.

Invited to spring training again in 2016, the White Sox assigned him to the Charlotte Knights of the Triple–A International League at the beginning of the season.

In 55 games for Charlotte, Anderson batted .304 with four home runs, 20 RBIs, and 11 stolen bases.

On June 10, 2016, the White Sox designated Jimmy Rollins for assignment and promoted Anderson to the major leagues.

Anderson made his MLB debut that day, hitting a double off of Ian Kennedy of the Kansas City Royals in his first at bat.

Anderson led the American League in batting average in 2019, won the Silver Slugger Award in 2020, and was an All-Star in 2021 and 2022.

Anderson was born in Tuscaloosa, Alabama.

His father, Tim Sr., was arrested on drug trafficking charges before he was born and served the first 15 years of Tim Jr.'s life in prison.

His birth mother was already raising four children and was unable to care for Anderson as well, so he was raised by his aunt and uncle along with their three children.

His grandfather took him to visit his father often, so that they could have a relationship.

Anderson attended Hillcrest High School in Tuscaloosa, Alabama.

Anderson played little league baseball as a kid but eventually cut the sport out of his life up until his junior year of high school.

He focused on basketball in his first two years of high school, but broke both of his legs during his sophomore year.

In his junior year, he played both baseball and basketball.

As a junior, Anderson batted .333 as a left fielder.

In his senior year, Anderson played as an infielder and batted .420.

He was a part of the state basketball championship winning team in his senior year.

Standing at 6 ft, Anderson decided that he was likely too short to play professional basketball.

Anderson enrolled at East Central Community College in Decatur, Mississippi, to play college baseball.

East Central was the only school to offer Anderson a baseball scholarship.

In his freshman season, Anderson batted .360 with four home runs, 37 runs batted in (RBIs), and 30 stolen bases without being caught stealing.