Martín Prado
A versatile and consistent hitter known as the 'professional hitter,' who valued team success and defensive flexibility over individual stardom.
Born 1983 (age 43)·Venezuelan baseball player·Birthday: October 27·Millennials
Biography
Martín Prado built a 14-year major league career not on overwhelming power or speed, but on a simple, repeatable skill: hitting the baseball hard, everywhere. The Venezuelan infielder, who signed with the Atlanta Braves as a teenager, became the embodiment of a clubhouse leader and a manager's dream. He didn't have a set position; he had all of them, starting at every spot except pitcher, catcher, and center field, providing invaluable flexibility. His 2010 All-Star selection was a recognition of his pure hitting prowess and his importance to a Braves team that consistently contended. Prado was the steady, reliable piece traded for stars, moving from Atlanta to Arizona, then to New York and Miami, where his veteran presence and line-drive bat remained productive until his retirement.
Millennials
1981–1996
The first digital natives. Grew up with the internet, came of age during 9/11 and the 2008 crash. Highly educated, deeply indebted, slower to marry and buy houses. Redefined work, identity, and what it means to be an adult.
Martín was born in 1983, placing them squarely in the Millennials. The events that shaped this generation — the internet revolution, 9/11, and the 2008 financial crisis — shaped the world they entered and the choices available to them.
#1 When Martín Was Born
The biggest hits of 1983
#1 Movie
Return of the Jedi
Best Picture
Terms of Endearment
#1 TV Show
60 Minutes
Martín's Life & Times
The world at every milestone
1983Born
Internet adopts TCP/IP, creating the modern internet
Gas: $1.16/galHome: $57,700Min wage: $3.35/hrPresident: Ronald Reagan"Every Breath You Take" — The PoliceBest Picture: Terms of Endearment
1988Started school
Pan Am Flight 103 bombed over Lockerbie
Gas: $0.90/galHome: $74,800Min wage: $3.35/hrPresident: Ronald Reagan"Faith" — George MichaelBest Picture: Rain Man
1996Became a teenager
Dolly the sheep cloned
Gas: $1.23/galHome: $99,700Min wage: $4.75/hrPresident: Bill Clinton"Macarena" — Los del RioBest Picture: The English Patient
1999Could drive
Columbine shooting; Y2K panic builds
Gas: $1.17/galHome: $113,900Min wage: $5.15/hrPresident: Bill Clinton"Believe" — CherBest Picture: American Beauty
2001Could vote
September 11 attacks transform the world
Gas: $1.46/galHome: $126,400Min wage: $5.15/hrPresident: George W. Bush"Hanging by a Moment" — LifehouseBest Picture: A Beautiful Mind
2004Turned 21
Indian Ocean tsunami kills over 230,000
Gas: $1.88/galHome: $157,300Min wage: $5.15/hrPresident: George W. Bush"Yeah!" — UsherBest Picture: Million Dollar Baby
2013Turned 30
Edward Snowden reveals NSA surveillance programs
Gas: $3.53/galHome: $152,800Min wage: $7.25/hrPresident: Barack Obama"Thrift Shop" — Macklemore & Ryan LewisBest Picture: 12 Years a Slave
2023Turned 40
ChatGPT goes mainstream; Israel-Hamas war begins
Gas: $3.52/galHome: $361,600Min wage: $7.25/hrPresident: Joe Biden"Flowers" — Miley CyrusBest Picture: Oppenheimer
2026Age 43 today
Gas: $3.91/galPresident: Donald Trump
Key Achievements
- Selected as a National League All-Star in 2010 while with the Atlanta Braves.
- Recorded a career batting average of .287 with over 1,500 hits across 14 MLB seasons.
- Started games at seven different defensive positions, demonstrating exceptional versatility.
- Won the 2010 National League Player of the Month award for July.
Did You Know?
He led the National League in doubles with 42 during the 2013 season.
Prado was known for his intense pre-game routine and was considered a fitness fanatic.
He finished in the top 10 in the NL batting title race three times (2008, 2009, 2010).
He and his wife founded the Prado Family Foundation, which supports children's health and education.
“My job is to put the ball in play and be ready.”
