Milwaukee’s Best, Part 3: The 50 Best To Play For Braves, Brewers: 30-21

Prince Fielder, shown on a 2009 poster.

24. Prince Fielder, 1B

Brewers 2005-11

The son of former 50-homer slugger Cecil Fielder, Prince Fielder was taken seventh overall by the Brewers in the 2002 amateur draft out of Eau Gallie High School in Melbourne, Fla., and rocketed through the farm system.

He debuted with Milwaukee in June 2005 and became the regular first baseman in 2006. By 2007, Fielder was an All-Star and a member of the 50-homer club in his own right, finishing third in the MVP race that season after leading the National League with 50 home runs.

Fielder led the National League with 141 RBI in 2009, finishing fourth in the MVP voting and earning another All-Star berth and in 2011, Fielder was again an All-Star, finishing third behind teammate Ryan Braun in the MVP race.

Fielder hit at least 28 home runs in all six of his full seasons in Milwaukee and had four home runs in the 2008 and 2011 postseasons. In 2008, however, the home run was his only hit against the Philadelphia Phillies as he was 1-for-14 in the Division Series.

Fielder was second in the NL in on-base percentage in 2011, third in 2010 and fifth in 2009 and he twice finished second in the league in slugging (2007 and 2009) and was third in 2011. He finished in the top 10 in runs scored and RBI three times each, was ninth in doubles in 2011 and was in the top 10 in home runs five different seasons.

Fielder became a free agent after the 2011 season and in January 2012 signed one of the largest contracts in history with the Detroit Tigers (nine years, $214 million).

In November 2013, Fielder was traded to the Texas Rangers, where he remains today.

Here are Fielder’s statistics from his seven seasons with the Brewers:

Provided by Baseball-Reference.com: View Original Table
Generated 3/19/2015.

Next: 23. A 1950s Speed Merchant