Fernando Tatis Jr. Bio
Fernando Gabriel Tatís Medina Jr., born on January 2, 1999, in San Pedro de Macorís, Dominican Republic, is a Dominican professional baseball right fielder and second baseman for the San Diego Padres of Major League Baseball (MLB). Nicknamed “El Niño” and “El Bebo,” he debuted in 2019 and has since earned multiple All-Star selections and major awards for his offensive and defensive play. He is the son of former MLB player Fernando Tatís Sr. and signed a historic 14-year, $340 million contract extension with the Padres before the 2021 season, the third-richest deal in MLB history at the time. Recognized for his dynamic style, Tatís remains one of the most talked-about players of his generation.
Early Life and Background
Fernando Tatis Jr. was born in San Pedro de Macorís, a city in the Dominican Republic long known for producing major league talent. His father, Fernando Tatis Sr., was already in his third season in Major League Baseball at the time of his son’s birth, playing for the St. Louis Cardinals. His mother is named Maria, and the family background gave young Fernando direct exposure to professional baseball from infancy.
Growing up around big league clubhouses, Tatis developed an early passion for the game. He spent much of his childhood around players and was often seen practicing with Robinson Canó, a fellow San Pedro de Macorís native. That constant contact with elite athletes helped sharpen his natural athleticism and fueled his ambition to reach the majors himself.
Path to Professional Baseball
Tatis entered professional baseball in 2015 when the Chicago White Sox signed him as an international free agent out of the Dominican Prospect League. On June 4, 2016, before he had played a professional game, he was traded, along with pitcher Erik Johnson, to the San Diego Padres for James Shields. The deal immediately placed Tatis on a new developmental path.
He began his minor league career in 2016 with the Arizona League Padres and the Tri-City Dust Devils, batting a combined .273 with four home runs and 25 RBIs in 55 games. In 2017, he played 117 games for the Fort Wayne TinCaps and 14 games for the San Antonio Missions, posting a combined .278 average with 22 home runs, 75 RBIs, and 32 stolen bases. Entering 2018, he was ranked among the top prospects in baseball, and that year he batted .286 with 16 home runs in 88 games for San Antonio before a broken thumb and ligament damage ended his season in July.
Fernando Tatis Jr. Career
Early Career (2019)
Tatis opened 2019 as one of the top three prospects in baseball, according to MLB Pipeline, ESPN, Baseball America, and Baseball Prospectus. On March 26, 2019, the Padres announced that he had made their Opening Day roster, and in his major league debut against the San Francisco Giants he recorded two hits. He hit his first major league home run on April 1, 2019.
His rookie season was cut short in August by a back injury, but he still finished 2019 batting .317 with 22 home runs, 61 runs, and 106 hits over 84 games. He placed third in National League Rookie of the Year voting behind Pete Alonso and Mike Soroka, establishing himself as a rising star.
National League Breakthrough (2020-2021)
In the shortened 2020 season, Tatis led the National League in power-speed number (13.4) and batted .277 with 17 home runs, 42 RBIs, and 11 stolen bases in 224 at-bats. He finished with the highest average exit velocity, the highest percentage of hard-hit balls, and the highest percentage of barrels per plate appearance among all major league hitters. He also helped the Padres win their Wild Card Series against the St. Louis Cardinals with two home runs in Game 2 before they fell to the Dodgers, and he won his first Silver Slugger Award while finishing fourth in NL MVP voting.
Before the 2021 season, Tatis signed a 14-year, $340 million contract extension with the Padres, then the third-richest deal in MLB history. He battled left shoulder subluxations in April and July, spent time on the COVID-19 injured list in May, and was named National League Player of the Month for May after batting .353 with nine home runs and 26 RBIs. On June 25, 2021, he hit his first three-homer game against the Arizona Diamondbacks, and on July 1 he was selected to start the All-Star Game, becoming the first Padres starter since Tony Gwynn. He finished 2021 batting .282 with an NL-leading 42 home runs and 25 stolen bases, won a second Silver Slugger Award, and placed third in NL MVP voting.
Setbacks and Return (2022-2023)
Tatis’s momentum was halted in March 2022, when he underwent surgery for a fractured scaphoid bone suffered during the offseason, with general manager A. J. Preller referencing a motorcycle accident in the Dominican Republic. On August 12, 2022, he received an 80-game suspension after testing positive for Clostebol, an anabolic steroid, and Adidas later ended his sponsorship. The suspension, combined with injury, caused him to miss the entire 2022 major league season.
Tatis returned to the Padres in 2023 and was moved to right field after the team signed shortstop Xander Bogaerts. In 141 games he batted .257 with 25 home runs and 78 RBIs, and his defense in right field earned him a Gold Glove Award and the Platinum Glove Award after he led all National League defenders with 27 defensive runs saved.
San Diego Padres Era (2024-Present)
In 2024, Tatis played 102 games and batted .276 with 21 home runs and 49 RBIs after a stint on the injured list for a femoral stress reaction in his right quadricep. In Game 2 of the National League Division Series against the Los Angeles Dodgers, he hit two home runs in a single game and helped set a Padres franchise postseason record of six home runs in a single postseason game. He also earned another All-Star selection.
In 2025, Tatis played 155 games and batted .268 with 25 home runs and 71 RBIs, earning another All-Star nod. On May 3, 2025, he stole his 100th career base, and on May 13, 2025, he hit his first career walk-off home run, a two-run shot off Kenley Jansen that gave the Padres a 6-4 victory over the Los Angeles Angels. He also appeared at second base for the first time on April 11, 2026, while continuing to play right field and earning additional Gold Glove and Platinum Glove honors.
Driving Style and Strengths
Tatis has been described by MLB.com as a five-tool player because of his skills in hitting, hitting for power, fielding, throwing, and running. He combines high-end bat speed with elite hard-hit contact, leading all of MLB in average exit velocity in 2020. On the bases, he posted a sprint speed near 29.3 feet per second through his first three seasons, and his 25 stolen bases in 2021 underscored his baserunning threat alongside his 42-homer power.
Notable Events and Milestones
One of the most memorable moments of his career came on April 23, 2021, when Tatis hit two home runs off Clayton Kershaw and two more off Trevor Bauer, all at the same venue where his father had once hit two grand slams in one inning. His first career three-homer game against the Arizona Diamondbacks on June 25, 2021, and his franchise-record six home runs in a single postseason in 2024 further cemented his reputation for delivering in big moments.
Fernando Tatis Jr. Career Wins and Awards
Across his major league career, Tatis has earned three All-Star selections, two All-MLB First Team honors, two Gold Glove Awards, two Platinum Glove Awards, and two Silver Slugger Awards. He also led the National League in home runs during the 2021 season, when he hit 42.
MLB Highlights
Tatis’s first Silver Slugger Award came in 2020, and he added a second in 2021, the same year he was selected as an All-Star starter for the first time. His two Gold Glove and two Platinum Glove Awards both came during his time in right field, with the first of each awarded after the 2023 season and the second after the 2025 season. In the postseason, his two-homer performance in Game 2 of the 2024 National League Division Series set a Padres franchise record for home runs in a single postseason game.
Other Performances
In the minors, Tatis was named to league top-prospect lists from 2017 through 2019, and in 2017 he batted .278 with 22 home runs and 32 stolen bases across Class A and Class A-Advanced. He also played in the Dominican Winter League for the Estrellas de Oriente in the 2017-18 and 2018-19 seasons, gaining additional experience against veteran competition.
| Series | Wins | Top Tens | Poles |
|---|---|---|---|
| MLB Career Totals (through 2025) | 154 Home Runs | 419 RBI | 142 Stolen Bases |
Fernando Tatis Jr. Family
Family Background and Baseball Lineage
Tatis comes from one of the most recognizable baseball families in the Dominican Republic. His father, Fernando Tatís Sr., played third base in the major leagues from 1997 to 2010 and remains the only player in MLB history to hit two grand slams in a single inning. His mother, Maria, raised the family in San Pedro de Macorís, the same hometown that produced stars like Robinson Canó. His younger brother, Elijah, signed with the Chicago White Sox in 2019 and was an infielder in their organization.
Personal Life
Off the field, Tatis was featured as the cover athlete of MLB The Show 21 at age 22, making him the youngest player ever to be featured on the cover. He has continued to live primarily in the Dominican Republic and San Diego, and he remains one of the most marketable stars in baseball despite past setbacks.
2025 Season Performance
Tatis’s 2025 campaign was defined by durability and late-inning heroics, as he played 155 games and batted .268 with 25 home runs, 71 RBIs, and an on-base percentage of .368. He reached the 100-career-stolen-base milestone on May 3 against the Pittsburgh Pirates, was ejected for the first time in his career on May 5 after arguing a strike call, and on May 13 delivered his first career walk-off home run against the Los Angeles Angels. He also earned a spot in the All-Star Game for the third time.
Defensively, his second season in right field reinforced his value in the outfield, and he added Gold Glove and Platinum Glove Awards to his trophy case. With his long-term contract running through 2035, Tatis remains the centerpiece of the Padres’ plans and one of the faces of National League baseball.
