Austin Riley Bio
Michael Austin Riley, born on April 2, 1997, is an American professional baseball third baseman for the Atlanta Braves of Major League Baseball. The Braves selected him in the first round, 41st overall, of the 2015 MLB draft, and he has since become one of the franchise’s most productive sluggers. A two-time All-Star and Silver Slugger Award winner, Riley helped Atlanta capture the 2021 World Series title and later signed a franchise-record ten-year contract extension worth $212 million.
Early Life and Background
Austin Riley was born on April 2, 1997, in Coldwater, Mississippi, to Mike and Elisa Riley. He grew up in nearby DeSoto County and attended DeSoto Central High School in Southaven, where he starred on the diamond as both a shortstop and a pitcher. His father, Mike Riley, had played football as a punter at Mississippi State University, and Austin followed a similar athletic path during his early teen years.
In high school, Riley also played American football, suiting up at quarterback during his freshman and sophomore seasons. Although he wanted to focus solely on baseball, his football coach kept him on the roster as a punter, drawing on the family connection to Mississippi State. By his junior year, Riley had shifted his full attention to baseball, and Mississippi State ultimately offered him a chance to play both sports at the collegiate level.
Path to Baseball
Riley quickly developed into one of the top amateur position players in the country, and the Atlanta Braves made him a first-round pick, 41st overall, in the 2015 MLB draft. Although he had committed to the Mississippi State Bulldogs baseball program, Riley chose to begin his professional career immediately, signing with Atlanta for $1.6 million.
He made his professional debut that summer with the Gulf Coast Braves and was promoted to the Danville Braves of the Appalachian League after 30 games. Across 60 total games in his first season, Riley batted .304/.389/.544 with 12 home runs, flashing the offensive potential that had intrigued Atlanta’s scouting staff.
Austin Riley Career
Early Career (2016–2018)
Riley spent the 2016 season with the Rome Braves of the Class A South Atlantic League, where he hit .271/.324/.479 while continuing to refine his defense at third base. Atlanta invited him to major league spring training as a non-roster player the following year, signaling that the organization viewed him as a fast-rising prospect.
In 2017, Riley split the year between the Florida Fire Frogs of the Class A-Advanced Florida State League and the Mississippi Braves of the Double-A Southern League. He combined to hit .275/.339/.446 with 20 home runs and 74 RBIs, and he finished the year with the Peoria Javelinas of the Arizona Fall League. By the start of 2018, Riley was a consensus top-100 prospect, and after a strong start at Double-A Mississippi he was promoted to the Triple-A Gwinnett Stripers, where he hit .282 with 12 home runs.
MLB Debut and Rookie Season (2019)
The Atlanta Braves called Austin Riley up to the majors on May 15, 2019, prior to a game against the St. Louis Cardinals, replacing the injured Ender Inciarte. In his second major league at-bat that night, Riley launched a home run off Michael Wacha, announcing his arrival with authority. He continued to make an immediate impact, becoming the fourth player in MLB history to hit eight home runs in his first 16 games and earning the National League Rookie of the Month Award for May despite playing only 15 games.
A right knee sprain, later revealed to be a partial tear of his lateral collateral ligament, interrupted his rookie campaign in August, but Riley returned in September to finish the year with a .226 average, 18 home runs, and 49 RBIs in 297 plate appearances. Atlanta used him at multiple defensive positions, including 58 games in left field, while also giving him looks at first and third base.
Breakthrough and World Series Title (2020–2021)
Riley endured a tough 2020 shortened season, batting .239 with eight home runs, and he struggled again at the start of 2021, going 8-for-44 with no extra-base hits early on. Working with minor league hitting coach Mike Brumley to better recognize off-speed pitches, Riley made a mental adjustment at the plate and was promoted to the cleanup spot in Atlanta’s batting order. He responded by hitting .303 with 33 home runs and 107 RBIs, joining Eddie Mathews and Chipper Jones as the only Atlanta third basemen to bat .300 with at least 30 home runs and 100 RBIs in a season at age 24 or younger.
In the 2021 postseason, Riley delivered a walk-off hit in Game 1 of the National League Championship Series against the Los Angeles Dodgers, and he helped Atlanta close out the NLCS with two hits and an RBI in Game 6. The Braves went on to win the 2021 World Series, and after the season Riley was awarded a Silver Slugger Award, the first of his career, alongside teammates Freddie Freeman, Max Fried, and Ozzie Albies.
All-Star Years and Contract Extension (2022–2023)
Eligible for salary arbitration for the first time before the 2022 season, Riley settled at $3.95 million, and he soon played his way onto the All-Star stage. He was added to the 2022 National League All-Star team as an injury replacement for Nolan Arenado, set a franchise record with 26 extra-base hits in July, and won National League Player of the Month honors for the first time in his career. On August 1, 2022, the Braves announced that Riley had signed a ten-year contract extension worth $212 million, the largest in franchise history, exceeding the value of the extension given to Matt Olson.
In 2023, Riley earned his second consecutive All-Star selection and captured his second career Silver Slugger Award, cementing his status as one of the premier offensive third basemen in the National League.
Atlanta Braves Era (2024–Present)
Injuries tested Riley in 2024, as a strained intercostal muscle cost him 14 games in May, and a pitch off his right hand in August resulted in a fracture that ended his season. In 110 games that year, he hit .256 with 19 home runs and 56 RBIs. The 2025 campaign was similarly difficult, as a right abdominal strain and a lower abdominal injury suffered during the MLB Speedway Classic limited him to 102 appearances. Riley underwent core injury surgery on August 21, 2025, and was transferred to the 60-day injured list on September 1, finishing the year with a .260/.309/.428 line, 16 home runs, and 54 RBIs.
Driving Style and Strengths
Riley is a right-handed power hitter whose calling card is damage against both fastballs and breaking balls, especially once he improved his pitch recognition working with the Braves’ coaching staff. He pairs that bat with strong arm strength at third base, leading National League third basemen in assists in 2021, and he has shown a willingness to make lineup-altering adjustments in pressure situations.
Notable Events and Milestones
Among the highlights of Riley’s career are his 2021 World Series championship, his franchise-record ten-year contract extension signed in 2022, and his pair of All-Star and Silver Slugger selections in 2022 and 2023. He joined Eddie Mathews and Chipper Jones in a rare Atlanta third-base club, becoming just the third Braves third baseman to bat .300 with 30 home runs and 100 RBIs in a season at age 24 or younger.
Austin Riley Career Wins
Austin Riley’s career has been defined less by traditional win totals and more by championship success, awards, and postseason impact. Through the 2025 season, his most prized team accomplishment is the 2021 World Series title won with the Atlanta Braves, a run that included his walk-off hit in the National League Championship Series against the Los Angeles Dodgers.
Postseason and Award Highlights
Riley earned his first career walk-off hit in Game 1 of the 2021 NLCS, driving in Ozzie Albies to give Atlanta a 3–2 victory over the Dodgers. He added two hits and an RBI in Game 6 of that series, helping the Braves advance to the World Series. He has since added two All-Star selections, two Silver Slugger Awards, and two All-MLB First Team honors to his resume.
Other Performances
Beyond the major leagues, Riley was a top-100 prospect entering 2018 and a consensus top-40 prospect by 2019, a recognition that reflected his standout production across the Braves’ farm system, including his time with the Rome, Florida, Mississippi, and Gwinnett affiliates. His postseason debut in 2020, when he hit one home run in 12 games during the National League Championship Series, laid the groundwork for his bigger October moments a year later.
Austin Riley Family
Family Background and Baseball Lineage
Austin Riley is the eldest son of Mike and Elisa Riley, and his father played football as a punter at Mississippi State University. Austin’s cousin, Keegan James, played college baseball at Mississippi State and was selected by the Colorado Rockies in the 25th round of the 2019 MLB draft, pitching in the minor leagues until being released in March 2024. The family ties to Mississippi State have remained a central part of Riley’s personal story.
Personal Life
Austin Riley married his wife, Anna, in November 2018, and the couple initially resided in Coldwater, Mississippi. They announced in October 2021 that they were expecting their first child, and their first son was born in April 2022. The family later moved to Riley’s hometown of Hernando, Mississippi, and their second son was born in July 2024.
2025 Season Performance
The 2025 season was a difficult one for Austin Riley and the Atlanta Braves, as injuries once again disrupted his playing time. A right abdominal strain sidelined him from July 12 to July 25, and a lower abdominal strain suffered during the MLB Speedway Classic landed him back on the injured list shortly after his return. In 102 appearances on the year, Riley batted .260/.309/.428 with 16 home runs and 54 RBIs, a step back from his 2021 peak but still a steady contribution when healthy.
On August 21, 2025, Riley underwent core injury surgery, and the Braves transferred him to the 60-day injured list on September 1, officially ending his season. The injury cast uncertainty over his offseason recovery and his readiness for spring training.
Looking ahead to 2026, the focus for Riley and the Braves will be his full recovery from core surgery and a return to the offensive form that earned him back-to-back All-Star and Silver Slugger honors in 2022 and 2023. With a contract that runs through 2032, he remains a cornerstone of Atlanta’s lineup and a central figure in the franchise’s long-term plans.
