Yahoo Sports Braves’ Sean Kazmar Jr. makes it back to MLB after 12 years in minor league

Nearly every baseball player on Earth would be happy to have an MLB career spanning 12 years. Sean Kazmar Jr. did it the hard way.

Kazmar, who is currently 36 years old, made his Atlanta Braves debut on Saturday, appearing as a pinch hitter against the Chicago Cubs. It was his first appearance in the majors since Sept. 23, 2008, when he was a San Diego Padres rookie.

That adds up to 12 years, six months and 25 days between MLB appearances.

In the decade-plus in between, Kazmar played in the minor league systems of the Padres, Seattle Mariners, New York Mets and Braves. For the last eight years, he has played for the Triple-A Gwinnett Braves. Primarily a second baseman for his career, Kazmar has hit .263/.311/.369 in his Triple-A career.

There are very few baseball players willing to stick it out that long in the minors, where pay and facilities are abysmal. Per ESPN’s Jeff Passan, Kazmar did it not only because of an obvious love of the game, but because he wanted his kids to see him in an MLB uniform and believed that day would come. And now it has, thanks to the Braves’ need for infield depth and a supernova performance in spring training.

Braves manager Brian Snitker said giving Kazmar the call to the big leagues was “probably one of the greatest moments I’ve had as a manager at all levels.”