Vladimir Guerrero Jr.
Carrying the weight of a Hall of Fame name, he erupted as a generational hitting talent, mashing home runs with a joyful, powerful swing that captivated baseball.
Born 1999 (age 27)·Dominican-Canadian baseball player·Birthday: March 16·Generation Z
Biography
Vladimir Guerrero Jr. arrived in the majors bearing an immense legacy, but he was determined to carve his own. The son of a free-swinging icon, Vladdy showcased a more disciplined, yet equally destructive, approach at the plate. His 2021 season was a masterpiece: he led the American League in home runs, on-base percentage, and slugging, engaging in a historic home run race and finishing as the MVP runner-up. More than just statistics, he brought a palpable joy to the game, his mammoth blasts and infectious smile making him the face of a resurgent Toronto Blue Jays lineup and fulfilling the prophecy of his bloodlines on his own terms.
Generation Z
1997–2012
Born into smartphones, social media, and school shootings. The most diverse generation in history. Pragmatic about money, fluid about identity, anxious about the climate. They do not remember a world before the internet.
Vladimir was born in 1999, placing them squarely in the Generation Z. The events that shaped this generation — social media, climate anxiety, and a pandemic — shaped the world they entered and the choices available to them.
#1 When Vladimir Was Born
The biggest hits of 1999
#1 Movie
Star Wars: Episode I
Best Picture
American Beauty
#1 TV Show
ER
Vladimir's Life & Times
The world at every milestone
1999Born
Columbine shooting; Y2K panic builds
Gas: $1.17/galHome: $113,900Min wage: $5.15/hrPresident: Bill Clinton"Believe" — CherBest Picture: American Beauty
2004Started school
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
2012Became a teenager
Curiosity rover lands on Mars; Sandy Hook shooting
Gas: $3.64/galHome: $143,200Min wage: $7.25/hrPresident: Barack Obama"Somebody That I Used to Know" — GotyeBest Picture: Argo
2015Could drive
Paris climate agreement; same-sex marriage legalized in the US
Gas: $2.43/galHome: $171,900Min wage: $7.25/hrPresident: Barack Obama"Uptown Funk" — Mark Ronson ft. Bruno MarsBest Picture: Spotlight
2017Could vote
#MeToo movement; solar eclipse crosses the US
Gas: $2.42/galHome: $195,000Min wage: $7.25/hrPresident: Donald Trump"Shape of You" — Ed SheeranBest Picture: The Shape of Water
2020Turned 21
COVID-19 pandemic shuts down the world
Gas: $2.17/galHome: $248,800Min wage: $7.25/hrPresident: Donald Trump"Blinding Lights" — The WeekndBest Picture: Nomadland
2026Age 27 today
Gas: $3.91/galPresident: Donald Trump
Key Achievements
- Finished as runner-up for the American League MVP award in 2021.
- Won the American League Hank Aaron Award in 2021 for best offensive performer.
- Led the Major Leagues in home runs (48), runs scored (123), and total bases (363) in 2021.
- Selected as an MLB All-Star three times (2021, 2022, 2023).
Did You Know?
He hit a 468-foot home run in the 2021 Home Run Derby, the longest measured in the event's history at that time.
He was born in Montreal, Canada, while his father was playing for the Expos.
He signed with the Blue Jays at age 16 for a bonus of $3.9 million.
“I'm not my dad. I'm Vladimir Guerrero Jr. I want to make my own name.”
