Kurt Suzuki's journey from being a standout player at Cal State Fullerton, leading them to consecutive College World Series victories, to making his debut for the Oakland Athletics in 2007 is a testament to his hard work and dedication. His time with the Athletics marked his peak in baseball, with his best seasons both offensively and defensively. From 2008 to 2010, he consistently delivered at least 120 Hits and a Defensive bWAR of 1.5. Suzuki’s defensive work trailed off after, but he still had decent offensive years ahead of him.
Suzuki dealt with injuries over the rest of his career and bounced around the Majors after he was traded to Washington in 2012. He would later play in Oakland a second time, Minnesota, Atlanta, Washington, and the Los Angeles Angels. He had some significant highlights, making his only All-Star in 2014 as a Twin and winning a World Series Ring with Washington in 2019.
He retired with 1,421 Hits and 143 Home Runs over 16 Seasons.