How a Curaçaoan baseball prodigy became a cornerstone of the Atlanta Braves franchise
In short: Born in Willemstad, Ozzie Albies rose from an international free agent to a four-time MLB All-Star. Beyond his prowess at second base and his role in the 2021 World Series title, Albies is a polyglot who manages a sophisticated home aquarium system from the road using internet-connected cameras.
Ozhaino Jurdy Jiandro Albies, known as Ozzie, signed with the Atlanta Braves in 2013 for $350,000. His path to the major leagues was influenced by fellow Curaçaoan players Andruw Jones and Andrelton Simmons. After debuting in 2017, Albies quickly established himself as a versatile offensive threat. By 2018, he became the youngest player in MLB history to record two grand slams, and by 2021, he had cemented his status as a premier second baseman, becoming the first in franchise history to hit 30 home runs and record 100 RBIs in a single season.
The 2021 season proved to be a defining year for Albies and the Braves. He won his second Silver Slugger Award and the Heart & Hustle Award, playing every inning of the postseason as the team secured its first World Series championship since 1995. His career has been marked by both high-level production and significant physical challenges, including multiple fractures to his thumb, foot, finger, toe, and wrist, as well as a hamate bone injury in 2026. Despite these setbacks, he reached his 1,000th career hit in 2026 and earned his fourth All-Star selection.
Off the field, Albies maintains a unique hobby rooted in his childhood in Curaçao, where his grandfather kept a koi pond. He now keeps large fish tanks at his home in Marietta, Georgia, housing tropical fish, turtles, and a freshwater shark. He manages these aquariums remotely through an internet-connected camera system, even documenting his aquatic collection on dedicated social media channels. A fluent speaker of English, Spanish, Dutch, and Papiamento, Albies continues to balance his professional commitments with his personal interests, including representing the Netherlands national baseball team, for whom he hit the first walk-off home run in World Baseball Classic history in 2026.
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