Christian Yelich is a native of Thousand Oaks, California, and presently resides in Paradise Valley, Arizona.
In the 2010 MLB Draft, the Miami Marlins drafted Christian as the 23rd selection of the first round. He went on to play with the Marlins for more than seven years until January 2018, when he was traded to the Milwaukee Brewers. That same year, Yelich was named to the 2018 MLB All-Star Game, finishing the season batting .326 with 36 homers and 110 RBIs and winning the first National League batting title in Brewers history. That same year, he was named the NL Most Valuable Player, falling one vote shy of a unanimous selection.
After the 2019 season, Christian became the only player in Major League Baseball history to have consecutive seasons hitting .325 or higher with 35 or more homers and 20 or more steals. Christian hit his third career cycle in May 2022, becoming the sixth player in MLB history to do so, and the first player to accomplish three cycles against the same team -- the Reds.
Off the field, Christian has supported service men and women throughout the entirety of his baseball career. Having a brother who is a former Marine, he knows first-hand the pride of having a family member in the military. He continues to show gratitude and support for the brave men and women who have made sacrifices for our country. Annually, he supports the Brewers Community Foundation, where the money is earmarked to local military organizations. In addition to supporting the military, he also regularly donates to the Children’s Hospital of Wisconsin.
In 2019, after the tragic wildfires in California, Christian co-founded “California Strong” with other professional ballplayers in partnership with the Southeast Venture County YMCA. The program provides financial aid to individuals and groups across the state of California affected by natural disasters and other tragic and extraordinary events. Since the inception of the program, California Strong has raised more than $1 million through online fundraising auctions and a celebrity softball game. One hundred percent of the money raised was granted to those directly impacted by the tragedies.
In 2023, Christian and his family hosted the inaugural Christian Yelich Home Plate Charity Event in Milwaukee, raising more than $100,000 for economically-disadvantaged Little League baseball teams in Milwaukee County. During the season, he makes surprise visits to Children’s Hospital of Wisconsin to gift the patients toys to help lift their spirits.
In addition to his notable contributions on and off the field, Christian maintains a positive attitude and uses his platform to inspire others within the baseball community.