1. Early life
Evan Longoria was born on October 7, 1985, in Downey, California. His father is of Mexican descent, and his mother is of Ukrainian descent.
1.1. Childhood and education
Longoria attended St. Raymond Catholic School in Downey, California, which notably did not have a baseball team. He later graduated from Saint John Bosco High School in Bellflower, California. During his time there, he was a two-year letterman in baseball and, as a senior, earned a first-team All-League selection. Despite his high school performance, Longoria did not receive any scholarship offers to play college baseball. The University of Southern California was the only program that considered recruiting him, but they ultimately decided against it. At 6 in and 170 lb (170 lb), many baseball recruiters felt Longoria was too slim by NCAA Division I baseball standards. Consequently, he began his collegiate career at Rio Hondo Community College for his freshman season before Long Beach State University offered him a scholarship.
2. College career
After graduating from high school, Longoria enrolled at Rio Hondo Community College, where he played shortstop. In his freshman season, he earned first-team All-State honors, which led to a scholarship offer from Long Beach State University. He transferred to Long Beach for his sophomore year, where he batted .320 and received All-Conference honors. Due to the presence of an established shortstop, Troy Tulowitzki (who later became a five-time All-Star in a 13-year MLB career), Longoria transitioned to playing third base.
2.1. Collegiate achievements
Following a successful summer in 2005, where he was named the Most Valuable Player (MVP) of the Cape Cod League while playing second base for the Chatham A's, Longoria continued to excel. In his junior year at Long Beach State, he shared the Big West Conference Player of the Year honors with Justin Turner.
2.2. Transition to professional baseball
Longoria initially pursued a major in kinesiology at Long Beach State University. However, he later switched to criminal justice because it was less time-consuming, allowing him to better manage his academic commitments alongside his demanding baseball schedule. Over two years at Long Beach State, Longoria significantly transformed his physique, growing from a thin stature to 6 in and 210 lb (210 lb) by the end of his tenure, which helped him prepare for professional baseball.
3. Professional career
Longoria's professional baseball journey began with his selection in the MLB draft, followed by a rapid ascent through the minor leagues, and a distinguished 16-season career in Major League Baseball with three different teams.
3.1. Draft and minor leagues
Longoria was selected by the Tampa Bay Rays as the third overall pick in the 2006 Major League Baseball draft. Baseball America acclaimed him as the "best pure hitter" among college players in that draft class, making him the highest draft selection in Long Beach State University's history. Upon signing with the Rays, he received a 3.00 M USD signing bonus.
After joining the Rays organization, Longoria quickly advanced through the minor leagues. In 2006, after playing just eight games with the short-season Single-A Hudson Valley Renegades, he was promoted to the Visalia Oaks. He impressed the organization with his rapid success, batting .327 with a .402 OBP and a .618 SLG, along with eight home runs and 28 RBIs in 28 games. This performance earned him another promotion to the Double-A Montgomery Biscuits, where he hit .267/.266/.486 with six home runs through the end of the season. In the postseason, he batted .345, including a walk-off two-run home run in the Southern League Division Playoffs that propelled Montgomery into the championship. In 2007, he was named the Most Valuable Player with the Biscuits, earning a postseason all-star selection and a player of the week award. He was widely considered the top third base prospect in the minor leagues and one of the top prospects at any position.
Longoria continued his strong performance in 2007, starting the year with Montgomery. He hit .307/.403/.528 with 21 home runs and 76 RBIs in 105 games for the Biscuits before a late-season promotion to the Triple-A Durham Bulls. In 31 games with the Bulls, he batted .269/.398/.490 with five home runs and 19 RBIs, though he also recorded 29 strikeouts. He concluded the 2007 season with a combined average of .299/.402/.520, 26 home runs, 95 RBIs, 110 strikeouts, and 73 walks. In October 2007, sportswriter Ken Rosenthal suggested that Longoria "might be next season's Ryan Braun, making a rapid ascent to the majors," with some scouts noting that the way the ball "explodes off his bat" reminded them of Braun. Although he was expected to start at third base for Tampa Bay in 2008, he ultimately did not make the opening day roster and was optioned back to Triple-A Durham to complete his development, with comparisons drawn to other highly touted third-base prospects who had similar short stints in Triple-A.
3.2. Tampa Bay Rays (2008-2017)
Longoria's impactful tenure with the Tampa Bay Rays spanned from his debut in 2008 to his departure in 2017, during which he achieved numerous milestones and became a franchise icon.
3.2.1. 2008
On April 12, 2008, the Rays called up Longoria from Triple-A Durham to replace Willy Aybar on the major league roster. Longoria made his MLB debut that night, going 1-for-3 with an RBI. He hit his first career home run on April 14 against the New York Yankees at Tropicana Field. On May 24, he had his first career two-homer game and drove in six runs as the Rays defeated the Baltimore Orioles 11-4, with both home runs coming off Orioles pitcher Steve Trachsel, also a Long Beach State alumnus. On July 19, 2008, Longoria hit his first career grand slam off Toronto's Roy Halladay in the fifth inning, contributing to a 6-4 victory.
On April 18, the Rays signed Longoria to a six-year, 17.50 M USD contract with team options for 2014, 2015, and 2016. The first six years covered his arbitration-eligible seasons, with the options potentially extending the deal to 44.00 M USD. This contract was widely regarded as one of the most team-friendly deals in Major League Baseball, particularly in terms of dollars per Wins Above Replacement.
On July 10, Longoria won the 2008 All-Star game American League Final Fan vote, beating out Jermaine Dye, José Guillén, Jason Giambi, and Brian Roberts. In the All-Star Game, Longoria went 1-for-4, hitting a game-tying ground-rule double in the bottom of the eighth inning. He also participated in the Home Run Derby that year, hitting three home runs. On August 11, Longoria was placed on the disabled list with a fractured wrist.
On September 18, Longoria had his first three-home run game against the Minnesota Twins at Tropicana Field. On September 20, Longoria caught the game-ending out from Joe Mauer in foul territory, securing the Rays' first playoff spot in team history.
In his first postseason game on October 2, Longoria hit two home runs in his first two at-bats, helping the Rays defeat the Chicago White Sox 6-4. He became the first rookie and second player overall to homer in his first two postseason at-bats, a feat previously achieved by Gary Gaetti in 1987. On October 14, 2008, Longoria set a rookie record for most home runs (4) hit in a postseason series, surpassing Miguel Cabrera's record from 2003. The Rays advanced to the 2008 World Series, their first in franchise history, but were defeated by the Philadelphia Phillies.
Following the 2008 season, Longoria was honored with the Sporting News Rookie of the Year Award for the American League, as well as the American League Rookie of the Year Award. He became the fourth third baseman to win the award and the sixth player overall, and the first since Nomar Garciaparra in 1997, to win a Rookie of the Year Award unanimously. He was also named the third baseman on the Topps Rookie All-Star Team.
3.2.2. 2009
In April, Longoria recorded his 100th career RBI in his 135th game. At that time, only Ryan Braun (118 games) and Albert Pujols (131 games) among active players had reached 100 RBIs more quickly. By the end of April, Longoria became the first player in Rays franchise history to be named the American League Player of the Month. He also secured two of the four Player of the Week awards for April. Longoria drove in 131 runs in his first 162 major league games, which was the third-highest total among active players through May 2009. Fans selected Longoria to start the 2009 MLB All Star Game on July 5, 2009, but he was unable to play due to a finger injury.
On November 10, Longoria won the American League Gold Glove Award for his position. Two days later, he was awarded a Silver Slugger Award.
3.2.3. 2010
In 2010, Longoria achieved the highest batting average of his career at .294 and was selected to play in the All-Star Game for the third consecutive season. He performed well in the game, getting a hit in his only official at-bat, along with a walk and a run scored. Statistically, Longoria's 2010 season was impressive, including 96 runs scored and 46 doubles, as well as 5 triples. However, his home run and RBI production saw a decrease from 33 home runs and 113 RBIs in 2009 to 22 home runs and 104 RBIs in 2010. After the season, Longoria won the Gold Glove Award at third base for the second straight year.
3.2.4. 2011
During the 2011 season, Longoria missed 30 games at the start of the year. On September 28, 2011, in a dramatic turn of events, Longoria hit a walk-off home run in extra innings against the New York Yankees, securing an 8-7 victory for the Rays and, more importantly, a spot in the playoffs. Earlier in the month, the Rays faced a nine-game deficit in the wild card race against the Boston Red Sox. However, an epic collapse by the Red Sox, who went 7-20 in their final games, combined with a strong surge from the Rays, allowed Tampa Bay to overtake Boston and eliminate them on the final day of the regular season. Longoria's decisive home run came just three minutes after the Red Sox suffered their own walk-off loss to the Baltimore Orioles.
3.2.5. 2012
On April 30, 2012, Longoria suffered a partially torn hamstring while sliding into second base during an attempt to steal, which placed him on the 60-day disabled list. He missed 13 weeks of play and returned to the lineup on August 7, 2012. In the 85 games Longoria missed, the Rays recorded a 41-44 record. For the remainder of the season after his return, the Rays achieved a significantly better record of 49-28, reflecting a 63.6% winning percentage. On October 3, 2012, Longoria concluded the season by hitting three home runs in the final game.
On November 26, 2012, Longoria signed a six-year, 100.00 M USD contract extension that could have kept him in Tampa Bay through 2018. At the time, Longoria expressed his desire to play his entire career with the Rays, stating, "I always wanted to be kind of a benchmark player ... the guy that you could think about or associate with the organization. My goal from day one was to be the first player that played their whole career here, to be the first guy that came into the organization and went out in the organization, and played all the years in between. There's no better place for me."
3.2.6. 2013
On August 19, 2013, Longoria hit his 25th home run of the season, marking his fourth season with 25 or more home runs, which tied him with Carlos Peña for the most such seasons in Tampa Bay history. He recorded his 500th career RBI on June 20, 2013, with a sacrifice fly against the New York Yankees that scored Sean Rodriguez. In the same 8-3 victory, he also hit two home runs.
On September 25, 2013, Longoria hit two home runs against the Yankees at Yankee Stadium, bringing his season total to 31 home runs and marking his third career season with 30 or more home runs. The Rays won the game 8-3. During the 2013 American League Wild Card tie-breaker game against the Texas Rangers, Longoria hit a two-run home run in the third inning, which proved to be the go-ahead run, securing the Rays' fourth playoff berth in franchise history.
Highlights of his 2013 season included playing in a career-high 160 games, missing only two due to a foot injury. He also hit a walk-off home run against the San Diego Padres on May 11, when the Rays were down 6-7. This was his first walk-off home run since the dramatic Game 162 walk-off against the New York Yankees in 2011.
3.2.7. 2014
The 2014 season marked Longoria's seventh year as a Major League player. On Opening Day, he went 0-for-4, but on April 4, 2014, he hit his 163rd career home run, tying Carlos Peña for the Rays franchise record for most home runs. After a 14-game stretch without a home run, Longoria hit his 164th career homer on April 19, 2014, claiming the all-time Rays record for home runs, surpassing Peña.
Longoria struggled in the first half of the season, batting only .257 with 11 home runs and 44 RBIs. On July 18, in the first game after the All-Star Break against the Minnesota Twins, Longoria hit a bases-clearing double that sealed the win for the Rays. Two days later in the same series, he hit a double off Kevin Correia in the third inning, tying Carl Crawford for the franchise record in doubles with 215. In the same game, he hit his second double, driving in Matt Joyce, thereby breaking Crawford's doubles record and simultaneously tying Crawford's all-time Rays RBI mark at 592. Facing St. Louis Cardinals reliever Jason Motte two days later, Longoria hit a solo home run off a 1-1 fastball, making him the team's all-time RBI leader.
3.2.8. 2015
On September 2, Longoria hit his 200th career home home run. He finished the season with a .270 batting average, 21 home runs, and 73 runs batted in over 160 games played. Longoria was also a finalist for the Gold Glove Award at third base for the American League.
3.2.9. 2016
Longoria started the 2016 season strongly, belting 19 home runs in the first half with a .526 slugging percentage. His first-half performance earned him a spot in the 2016 All-Star Final Vote, though he ultimately lost to Michael Saunders of the Toronto Blue Jays. For the second consecutive year, Longoria appeared in all but two of the Rays' regular season games. He finished 2016 batting .273/.318/.521 with a career-high 36 home runs and 98 RBIs over 685 plate appearances.
3.2.10. 2017
On April 2, Longoria hit his fourth career Opening Day home run. Entering August 1, Longoria was hitting .328 with a .919 OPS after the All-Star Break. That night, he continued his hot streak, becoming just the second Tampa Bay Ray to hit for the cycle, a feat previously achieved by B. J. Upton in 2009. Longoria homered in the first inning, tripled in the third, singled in the seventh, and doubled in the ninth. In the ninth inning, Longoria was initially called out at second base before replay overturned the call. According to the Elias Sports Bureau, Longoria became the first player to hit for the cycle while having one of his hits reviewed. Offensively, Longoria had a statistically down year, slashing .261/.313/.414 with 20 home runs; however, he excelled defensively and won his third career Gold Glove Award.
3.3. San Francisco Giants (2018-2022)
Longoria's tenure with the San Francisco Giants was marked by significant milestones, but also injuries that impacted his playing time.
3.3.1. 2018-2019 seasons
On December 20, 2017, the Rays traded Longoria and cash considerations to the San Francisco Giants in exchange for Christian Arroyo, Denard Span, Matt Krook, and Stephen Woods.
On May 5, 2018, Longoria hit a double, marking his 1,500th career hit in an 11-2 victory over the Atlanta Braves. On June 14, Longoria was hit by a pitch on his left hand and left the game. It was later revealed that he had a fractured fifth metacarpal in his left hand. Two days after the injury, it was announced that Longoria would require surgery, which was expected to keep him out for 6-8 weeks. Longoria experienced a disappointing 2018 season with the Giants, hitting a career-low 16 home runs (though this led the team), a career-low 54 RBIs, and tying his career-low batting average of .244.
In 2019, he batted .254/.325/.437, with 20 home runs and 69 RBIs in 453 at-bats.
3.3.2. 2020-2022 seasons
On August 21, 2020, at Oracle Park, in a 6-2 win over the Arizona Diamondbacks, Longoria hit his 300th career home run off of Robbie Ray with one out in the bottom of the third inning. He became the 150th player in Major League history to reach this milestone. In 2020, he batted .254/.297/.425 with 7 home runs and 28 RBIs in 193 at-bats. He ranked second among National League third basemen with a .984 fielding percentage.
On July 16, 2021, Longoria was placed on the 60-day injured list with a left shoulder sprain, causing him to miss half of the season. In the 2021 regular season, he batted .261/.351/.482 with 13 home runs and 46 RBIs in 253 at-bats.
On March 30, 2022, it was announced that Longoria would miss Opening Day and be out for six weeks following surgery to repair a torn ligament in his finger. In 2022, in addition to a 24-at-bat stretch with AAA Sacramento where he batted .333, he played 68 games at third base and 17 as a designated hitter for the Giants, batting .244/.315/.451 in 266 at-bats with 14 home runs and 42 RBIs. On November 10, 2022, the Giants declined their 13.00 M USD contract option on Longoria, making him a free agent for the first time in his career.
3.4. Arizona Diamondbacks (2023)
On January 5, 2023, Longoria signed a one-year, 4.00 M USD contract with the Arizona Diamondbacks. On June 27, Longoria homered off of Taj Bradley of the Tampa Bay Rays, giving him the distinction of having hit home runs against all 30 MLB teams. Longoria batted .223 in 74 games during the season. The Diamondbacks made it into the playoffs with 84 wins, and Longoria made an appearance in every game of their run to the National League pennant. He collected three RBIs combined during the postseason, which included one in Game 6 of the NLCS that contributed to a 3-0 lead in a 5-1 victory where Arizona was facing elimination. The 15 years between his first World Series appearance (2008) and his second (2023) is the longest gap for a position player in MLB history. He became a free agent following the season.
3.5. Career batting statistics
The following table details Evan Longoria's batting statistics during his first seven seasons in Major League Baseball, from 2008 to 2014.
| Year | Team | G | PA | AB | R | H | 2B | 3B | HR | TB | RBI | SB | CS | SH | SF | BB | IBB | HBP | SO | GDP | AVG | OBP | SLG | OPS |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2008 | TB | 122 | 508 | 448 | 67 | 122 | 31 | 0 | 27 | 238 | 85 | 7 | 0 | 0 | 8 | 46 | 4 | 6 | 122 | 8 | .272 | .343 | .531 | .874 |
| 2009 | TB | 157 | 671 | 584 | 100 | 164 | 44 | 0 | 33 | 307 | 113 | 9 | 0 | 0 | 7 | 72 | 11 | 8 | 140 | 27 | .281 | .364 | .526 | .889 |
| 2010 | TB | 151 | 661 | 574 | 96 | 169 | 46 | 5 | 22 | 291 | 104 | 15 | 5 | 0 | 10 | 72 | 12 | 5 | 124 | 15 | .294 | .372 | .507 | .879 |
| 2011 | TB | 133 | 574 | 483 | 78 | 118 | 26 | 1 | 31 | 239 | 99 | 3 | 2 | 0 | 5 | 80 | 6 | 6 | 93 | 11 | .244 | .355 | .495 | .850 |
| 2012 | TB | 74 | 312 | 273 | 39 | 79 | 14 | 0 | 17 | 144 | 55 | 2 | 3 | 0 | 3 | 33 | 6 | 3 | 61 | 14 | .289 | .369 | .527 | .896 |
| 2013 | TB | 160 | 693 | 614 | 91 | 165 | 39 | 3 | 32 | 306 | 88 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 6 | 70 | 10 | 3 | 162 | 16 | .269 | .343 | .498 | .842 |
| 2014 | TB | 162 | 700 | 624 | 83 | 158 | 26 | 1 | 22 | 252 | 91 | 5 | 0 | 1 | 9 | 57 | 11 | 9 | 133 | 15 | .253 | .320 | .404 | .724 |
| Career (7 years) | 959 | 4119 | 3600 | 554 | 975 | 226 | 12 | 184 | 1777 | 635 | 42 | 10 | 1 | 48 | 430 | 60 | 40 | 835 | 106 | .271 | .351 | .494 | .845 | |
- Note: The statistics in this table reflect data up to the 2014 season.
4. Major awards and honors
Evan Longoria received numerous significant individual awards and recognitions throughout his career:
- American League Rookie of the Year: 2008 (unanimous selection, becoming the fourth third baseman to win)
- Sporting News AL Rookie of the Year: 2008
- Players Choice AL Most Outstanding Rookie: 2008
- Topps Rookie All-Star Team (Third Baseman): 2008
- GIBBY/This Year in Baseball Rookie of the Year Award: 2008
- American League Player of the Month: April 2009 (first player in Rays franchise history to receive this)
- American League Player of the Week: April 5-12, 2009
- American League Gold Glove Award (Third Baseman): 2009, 2010, 2017
- American League Silver Slugger Award (Third Baseman): 2009
- Fielding Bible Award (Third Baseman): 2010
- MLB All-Star: 2008, 2009, 2010
- Southern League Most Valuable Player: 2007
- Big West Conference Co-Player of the Year: 2006
- Cape Cod League MVP: 2005
5. International career
Longoria has represented the United States national baseball team in several international competitions. He was selected for the national team at the 2007 Baseball World Cup. He also participated in the 2009 World Baseball Classic, where he was called upon on March 19, 2009, to replace Chipper Jones on the roster. Additionally, Longoria was chosen as one of the MLB All-Stars to play in the 2014 MLB Japan All-Star Series.
6. Player characteristics and evaluation
Evan Longoria was renowned for his acrobatic and exceptional defense at third base, a skill that earned him three Gold Glove Awards in 2009, 2010, and 2017. Beyond his defensive prowess, he was a significant offensive contributor for the Tampa Bay Rays. He holds numerous Rays franchise records, including career records for games played, runs, doubles, home runs, runs batted in, walks, and Wins Above Replacement. Consequently, Longoria is often considered the best player in the franchise's relatively short history.
7. Personal life
The similarity of Evan Longoria's name to that of actress Eva Longoria has frequently led to playful comparisons between the two. While both are Americans of Mexican descent, they are not related. In 2005, during his college baseball career, Longoria acknowledged that he was "ragged on it a lot, but I don't mind. My friends and I think she's hot." However, by 2008, he expressed a desire to move past the topic, stating he was "done talking about that." After his selection to the 2008 Major League Baseball All-Star Game, Eva Longoria sent him a bottle of champagne and a note thanking him for "doing the Longoria name proud." In return, Evan sent Eva three signed jerseys. Despite the lighthearted exchanges, the name similarity has also led to some heckling from opposing fans during games.
7.1. Family and relationships
In February 2012, Longoria confirmed he was dating Jaime Edmondson, who was named Playmate of the Month in January 2010 and was a contestant on the 14th and 18th seasons of The Amazing Race. Longoria and Edmondson were married on December 31, 2015. They have three children. Longoria notably watched the birth of his firstborn son via FaceTime.
7.2. Business and other activities
Longoria was named the cover athlete for Major League Baseball 2K10, succeeding Tim Lincecum. He also appeared in a commercial for the game, which advertised a 1.00 M USD prize for the first person to pitch a perfect game in MLB 2K10; in the commercial, Longoria is depicted breaking up a perfect game with a home run. Coincidentally, on August 8, 2010, Longoria actually broke up a no-hitter in the ninth inning with two outs, spoiling Brandon Morrow's attempt with a soft hit that the second baseman could not make a play on, leaving Morrow with a 17-strikeout one-hitter.
He has also been featured in television commercials for Gillette and for New Era hats, which aired during the 2010 season. Longoria is an avid self-taught drummer and maintained a drum kit at Tropicana Field. He owns a drumhead signed by members of the Canadian rock band Rush. In December 2013, Longoria opened his own restaurant in South Tampa called "Ducky's".
7.3. Notable incidents
On March 8, 2011, two of Longoria's classic cars were reported stolen from an Arizona lot where they were undergoing work. The vehicles included a 1967 black and white Camaro RS, valued at 75.00 K USD, and a Buick GSX, valued at 125.00 K USD.
On March 28, 2011, a rental property in Port Charlotte, Florida, shared by Longoria, David Price, and Reid Brignac, was burglarized while they were away at the nearby Charlotte Sports Park stadium for a game. According to police estimates, approximately 56.00 K USD worth of property was stolen, including Longoria's AK-47 rifle.
8. Viral video incident
A video showing Evan Longoria being interviewed during batting practice, when a foul ball unexpectedly flies towards the reporter and is caught barehanded by Longoria, was published on YouTube on May 6, 2011. The video quickly gained widespread attention, accumulating 10 million views by November 2021 and reaching 22 million views by February 2025.
Following the video's release, Longoria initially told the Tampa Tribune that the catch was real. However, a decade later, in a May 10, 2021 interview on the "Chris Rose Rotation" podcast, Longoria acknowledged that the catch was staged. He stated, "I did the five minute video clip of the fake catch ... and that's the one that went viral."
Upon its initial release, many sources suspected the video was not genuine. Mashable suggested it was likely an advertisement for Gillette, noting the prominent display of the company's logo in the background and Longoria's prior involvement in Gillette commercials. CBS News cited several pieces of evidence indicating the video's staged nature, including the unnamed reporter, the absence of any television channel logo, and the fact that no channels claimed ownership of the highly popular video. The fact-checking website Snopes also concluded the video was a fake, pointing to the lack of safety equipment and the reporter's close proximity to the field as inconsistencies. It was later revealed that both the flying baseball and the Gillette logos in the background were generated by computers. To date, Gillette has never publicly acknowledged whether the viral video was indeed an advertisement.
9. Retirement and post-career
In an interview conducted on July 16, 2024, Evan Longoria stated that although he had not officially announced his retirement from professional baseball, he was unlikely to continue playing.