Resides in Roswell, Ga., with his wife Lauren...The couple has three sons, Cole, Grant and Penn...Attended Westwood High School in Austin, Texas...Was named 1999 Central Texas Player of the Year as a junior.
2015
In his 16th professional season returned to the Atlanta Braves organization as a non-roster invitee to Major League spring training camp and was a member of the team's Opening Day roster…Made his first trip to the World Series (with the New York Mets) after joining their organization in a four player trade with Mets on July 24, 2015…Opened the season with Atlanta and batted .275 (50-for-182) with five doubles, nine home runs, 34 RBI and 20 runs scored in 62 games for the Braves before joining the Mets on 7/24…At the time of the trade, ranked second on the team in home runs…Drove in the 500th run of his career with a three-run home run on 7/10 at COL…Collected his 1,000th career hit on 5/5 vs. PHI with a single in the sixth inning…Made his Mets debut on 7/25 and was the first Met to homer in his debut since Taylor Teagarden on 6/10/14…Hit a pinch-hit, game-tying home run in the eighth inning on 9/9 at WSH off Stephen Strasburg for his second career pinch-hit home run and his first since 4/5/08 vs. the Mets as a member of the Braves (off Jorge Sosa)…While with NYM, batted .385 (5-for-13) as a pinch hitter. Also, batted .350 (7-for-20) with runners in scoring position and two outs with NYM…Played shortstop for the first time in his career on 9/27 at CIN…Batted .317 (13-41) during the month of September with nine runs scored, two doubles, two home runs and seven RBI in 22 games.
2014
Played in 106 games between the New York Yankees, Boston Red Sox and Baltimore Orioles...Batted a combined .215 (57-for-265) with 23 extra-base hits, including seven home runs and 27 RBI...Opened the season with NYY and batted .219 (44-for-201) over 77 games before being traded to BOS in exchange for SS Stephen Drew and cash considerations on 7/31...Prior to his trade to BOS, was placed on NYY's disabled list with a left groin strain on 7/23. Played in two rehabilitation games (0-for-6) with BOS's Triple-A Portland Sea Dogs. Activated off the DL on 8/7 and played in his first game with BOS on 8/10 at LAA (0-for-4)...Had a brief stint with BOS, 7/31-8/31. Appeared in 10 games, going 4-for-25 (.160), before being traded to BAL as part of a four-player trade. Made his BAL debut on 9/2 and batted .231 (9-for-39) in 19 games through the end of the season...Collected 11 multi-hit efforts, including a season-high three-hit contest on 9/23 at NYY...His seven home runs were a career low and snapped his four-season streak of double-digit homers...Defensively, started 73 games, including 41 at third base, 27 at first base, three at second base and one each in left field and right field. Made 98 total appearances on defense...Posted a .969 fielding percentage (11 errors in 353 total chances).
2013
Batted .235 (86-for-366) with 41R, 12 doubles, 16HR and 52RBI in 118 games with Tampa Bay… started at four different defensive positions (50 starts in LF, 14 at 2B, 12 at 3B and two at 1B), as well as 18 starts at DH… marked his first action at any position other than second base since his 2005 rookie season when he played in 79 games in LF... Hit all 16 home runs off right-handed pitchers, the only AL player to hit as many homers vs. righties without hitting one against a left-hander... Hit .291 (25-for-86, 0HR) against left-handed pitching and .218 (61-for-280, 16HR) off righties... Batted in seven different spots in the starting lineup (second, third, fifth, sixth, seventh, eighth and ninth)… was the Rays' Opening Day DH after starting each of his previous six season openers at 2B... Started eight games at second base with Yunel Escobar at shortstop, making the Rays the third different Major League team to feature the duo as a double play combination… they started 191 games together for the Braves from 2007-09 and 131 games together for the Blue Jays in 2011-12… according to Elias, the last duo to start together at 2B and SS for three different teams was 2B Jeff Kent and SS Jose Vizcaino (with the Mets, Indians, Giants and Astros)... Broke up Clay Buchholz's no-hit bid with a broken-bat single to right to lead off the eighth inning on 4/14 at Boston... Batted .330 (30-for-91) with 7HR and 26RBI in May… the 26RBI represented half of his season total (52) and marked his most ever for any calendar month in his career… tied with Toronto's Edwin Encarnacion for the second-most RBI in the Majors in May, trailing only Detroit's Miguel Cabrera (33)... Hit a pair of three-run home runs on 5/27 vs. Miami, going 4-for-5 with 2R, 1 double, 2HR, 6RBI and 1SB… tied his career highs in home runs and RBI… became the first Rays player to drive in at least six runs in a game since Ben Zobrist on 4/28/11 at Minnesota (Game 1)… became the first player in Rays franchise history to hit 2HR-each of at least three runs-in the same game.
2012
Spent his first full season in the American
League with Toronto...appeared in more than
140 games for the third time in his career...appeared in 136 at 2B, including 133 starts, and
the balance at DH or as a PH...His 59 BB as a second baseman ranked second in the AL to CLE Jason Kipnis (66), while his 15 HR tied BOS Dustin Pedroia for fourth behind NYY Robinson Cano (30), CWS Gordon Beckham (16) and TEX Ian Kinsler (16)...Struck out 159 times, tying the Blue Jays single-season record...joined Jose Canseco (1998)...Through May batted .256 with nine HR, 26 RBI and a .784 OPS in 46 games...reached base in 20 consecutive games from May 5-28...from June through season's end batted .208 with seven HR, 29 RBI and a .619 OPS in 96 games...after the All-Star break batted just .195 (41-for-210) with six HR, 18 RBI and a .617 OPS...Was involved in 100 double plays at 2B, tied with BOS Dustin Pedroia for third most among all major league second basemen...only CWS
Gordon Beckham (110) and ATL Dan Uggla (103) were involved in more...Lefty hitter batted a career-low .201 (28-for-139) against left-handed pitching and has now batted .213 (62-for-291) with a .341 SLG vs. LHP over the last two seasons...in his career, has actually fared better against southpaws (.274) than right-handed pitching (.247)...entered 2011 with a career .302 (195-for-646) avg. and .488 SLG vs. lefties...Made his sixth consecutive Opening Day start, all at 2B. Is a career .352/.371/.704 (19-for-54) hitter with the bases loaded...has four grand slams, seven doubles and 55 RBI with the bases juiced.
2011
Acquired from the Arizona Diamondbacks on Aug. 23, in exchange for 2B Aaron Hill and SS John McDonald... Appeared in 147 games between Arizona and Toronto, posting a .222 average with 21 home runs and 58 RBI... Batted only .224 vs. LH pitching after posting a career mark of .302 coming into 2011... AMONG THE LEADERS: Among Major League second basemen, ranked T-3rd in triples (7), T-4th in home runs (21) and 4th in walks (59)... IN THE HEAT: Began the season in Arizona, his second season with the club... In 114 games recorded a .209 average with 18 home runs, 49 RBI and 13 stolen bases... Had an eight-game hit streak from May 24-June 1, going 14-35 (.400) with 3-2B, 2-3B, 5HR and 9RBI... Outside of this streak posted a .192 average with the Diamondbacks... In his final 16 games with Arizona, batted .140 with four extra base hits... UP NORTH: Returned to form in Toronto batting .270 with a .364 OBP, including four doubles, two triples and three home runs... BLUE JAYS DEBUT: Made his first appearance with Toronto on Aug. 25 vs. KC... Went 1-2 with two walks... Added his first home run as a Blue Jay on Aug. 31 at BAL... THE FINAL 10: Posted a .351 average with three doubles and one home run over his final 10 games with five multi-hit games... Recorded nine multi-hit games with Toronto, including three 3-hit contests... On Sept. 16 vs. NYY reached base all four times, with three hits and a walk... LOAD 'EM UP: In eight appearances with the bases loaded, recorded four hits, including one double and two grand slams, the 3rd and 4th of his career... Is now a career .370 hitter with the bases loaded (17-46)... LEADING OFF: In 22 games as the #1 hitter, all with Arizona, recorded a .292 average with 8-2B, 2-3B, 8HR and 17 RBI... Totaled 19 extra base hits in 89 at-bats.
2010
Rebounded from an injury plagued season with the Braves in 2009 and established career-highs in hits (166), home runs (26), RBI (71), stolen bases (13), slugging percentage (.496) and OPS (.865) in his first season with the D-backs...Among D-backs' second basemen all-time single-season totals, set a new mark with 36 doubles...finished second in
home runs, walks (77), extra-base hits (66), stolen bases, total bases (286) and slugging percentage, third in hits and
runs scored (92) and fourth in on-base percentage (.370)...Led the team with 45 multi-hit games, including 12 games with at least 3 hits and 4 games with at least 4 hits...reached
base safely via a hit or walk in 129 of his 154 games played and collected a hit in 105 of those contests...Hit .311 (91-for-293) with 52 runs scored, 21 doubles, 5 triples, 16 home runs and 48 RBI at Chase Field...his .976
OPS at home ranked fifth among all NL batters...Committed just 8 errors to post a .988 fielding percentage, which ranked fifth among all NL second basemen and is
second only to Craig Counsell's .990 fielding percentage (2005) among second basemen in D-backs' history...Named National League Player of the Month for April after leading the league with 9 home runs, 17 extra-base hits
and a .750 slugging percentage...he also led all league second basemen in doubles (8), home runs, slugging percentage
and OPS (1.154)...from April 6-25, also reached base via a hit or walk in 16 straight games, batting .345 (19-for-55)
with 14 runs scored, 8 doubles, 7 home runs, 12 RBI and 11 walks over that stretch...Became the fourth D-backs' player to hit for the cycle on July 23 vs. Giants, tying his career-high with 4 hits for the
fourth time of the season and eighth time overall...Snapped an 0-for-7 skid to open the season by connecting for 2 home runs on April 7 vs. Padres...also connected for
2 homers on April 23 vs. Phillies for the sixth time in his career...His 15 extra-base hits through the D-backs' first 18 games tied Matt Williams for the most extra-base hits to start a
season in franchise history...Along with Mark Reynolds, became the second duo in D-backs history to hit at least 7 home runs through the first 18
games of the season, joining Luis Gonzalez (11) and Reggie Sanders (7), who accomplished the feat in 2001...Tied a franchise record after drawing a career-high 4 walks on June 4 vs. Rockies...Hit his third leadoff homer of the season (eighth career) on June 8 vs. Braves...Had a season-long 10-game hitting streak from June 4-13, batting .385 (15-for-39) with 10 runs scored, 5 doubles, a
homer, 8 RBI, 9 walks and a 1,190 OPS in those games...Homered in a season-and team-high-tying 3 straight games April 23-25 and Sept. 21-23...Became the 13th player in franchise history to reach the 25-homer mark with his solo shot on Sept. 23 vs. Rockies.
2009
In his third full season with the Braves, hit .325 (26-for-80) against lefties and .188 (42-for-223) vs. righties...In his 16 multi-hit games, posted a .535 batting average (38-for-71) with 15 doubles, 5 home runs, 13 RBI and .566 on-base and .958 slugging percentages...As a pinch hitter, batted .368 (7-for-19) with 6 walks and a .520 on-base percentage...Hit leadoff home runs on April 7 @ Phillies (Jamie Moyer) and May 24 vs. Blue Jays (Scott Richmond)...On April 22 @ Nationals, drew a bases-loaded walk in the top of the ninth to plate Omar Infante with the eventual game-winning run in a 1-0 victory...Placed on the disabled list from July 3-23 with right wrist tendinitis, necessitating a 13-game rehab assignment to Triple-A Gwinnett...Homered in back-to-back games on Aug. 7-8 @ Dodgers, including a go-ahead, 2-run homer in the 10th inning of a 2-1 win on Aug. 8.
2008
Set career highs in games (150), at-bats (547), hits (157), doubles (39), RBI (69) and SB (11).
...Had a career-high 22-game hitting streak 9/1-24. During the streak he hit .402 (35-for-87, 3 HR), including 10 multi-hit games, and also had 15 XBH (3 HR, 9 2B, 3 3B) and 18 RBI. ...His .333 Avg. vs. LHP was second in majors among all LH hitters (min. 140 AB).
...Tied for team lead with 44 multi-hit games.
...Ranked second on the team and second among NL second basemen with 39 2Bs.
...Hit LHP at a .333 pace while hitting .270 with 11 of his 12 home runs off RHP.
...Hit .308 after the All-Star break after hitting .272 before the break.
...Ripped division rivals NYM (.339, 20-for-59, 2 HR) and PHI (.327, 18-for-55, 3 HR).
...Hit .398 (39-for-98) with 3 HR in September. Hit .355 (33-for-93) with 2 HR in May.
...Knotched his third career two-homer game 9/10 vs. COL. It was also his first HR since 7/27, a span of 141
at-bats. His second HR, a solo shot in the seventh inning, gave him his fourth GW-RBI of '08.
...Recorded his third three-hit game of the season 8/5 at SF. Had his streak of four consecutive multi-hit
games (8/2-5: 9-for-15, .600) snapped 8/6.
...Had career-high 13-game hitting streak (19-for-49, .388) snapped 5/28 at MIL.
...Over his last 126 games (since 5/3), he hit .298 (136-for-435) with 37 doubles and 8 HRs.
2007
After making only rehabilitation stops in 2006 due to "Tommy John" surgery in his right elbow, Kelly played his first full major league season while also making the transition to 2B. He was an OF in 2005 and came up through the minor leagues as a shortstop and third baseman.
In 133 games at second base (127 starts), he had a .978 fielding pct., with 14 errors in 624 total chances.
Ranked third in the NL with 10 triples.
Ranked T-20th with 36 two-out RBIs, T13th with 79 BB and T19th with .375 OB%.
Reached base safely via hit or walk in 109 of his 126 starts this season.
Hit safely in 88 of his last 115 starts (14 HRs/59 RBIs).
Against RHP, he hit .278 with 14 HR and 51 RBI and hit .272 with 2 HR and 17 RBI off LHP.
Hit a solid .282 with runners in scoring position and an impressive .333 with RISP/two outs.
Had a great April, hitting .326 with 24 R, 5 HR and 15 RBI.
His best month was July when he hit .356 with 4 HR and 16 RBI.
Had career-high tying 11-game hitting streak snapped 5/7 (14-for-40, .350).
Went 4-for-4 with 2 HR and 5 RBI on 7/31, matching his career-high in hits (also on 4/17 at WSH) and his
second career multi-HR game (also on 4/22 at NYM).
Went 3-for-6 with a homer (#6) and 5 RBIs in 5/19 nightcap at BOS.
Reached base safely five times on 6/29 at FLA with three singles and two walks.
Had his third career leadoff home run (all in 2007) off S. Olsen on 4/25 at FLA.
Came back from a four-strikeout game on 4/21 to go 3-for-4 with two homers and four RBI on 4/22 at NYM.
It was his first two-homer game and his second career leadoff homer (off Tom Glavine).
Hit first-career leadoff home run off O. Hernandez on 4/8 vs. NYM.
2006
Missed the entire Major League season with right elbow problems that led to "Tommy John" surgery...Started the season on the disabled list with a sprained right elbow...Went on a rehabilitation assignment to Rome (A) on 5/13 and transferred to Richmond (AAA) on 5/19...Was recalled from his injury rehab on 5/30 and he was transferred to the 60-day disabled list when he
underwent his season-ending surgery on 6/1. Dr. James Andrews performed the surgery in Birmingham...Hit a combined .379 (22-for-58) in his 15 rehabilitaion games with two home runs and 10 RBI.
2005
Opened the season at Richmond (AAA) and batted .310 in 44 games...Batted .241 with nine homers
and 47 RBI in 87 games as a Braves rookie...Was recalled from Richmond (AAA) on 5/29 and made his Major League debut by starting in LF and batting third in the lineup...Went 0-3 with a walk, run and RBI...Collected first big-league hit 6/3 at PIT off Kip Wells...It snapped an 0-for-15 spell to start his career..Went 69-for-260
(.265) after starting his career 1-for-30, but was just 36-for-162 (.222) in his last 51 games...Had first multi-hit
game (3 hits) and first homer (off P. Astacio in the 5th) 6/14 at TEX...Had breakout game 6/17 with a career-high
six RBI coming and his first career two-HR game, including his first grand slam...Was named NL Player
of the Week for 6/13-19, with a league-leading 11 RBI...Also went 10-for-24 (.417) with three homers, six runs,
six walks and 20 TB in the week (which followed his 1-for-30 start)...Had an 11-game hitting streak snapped
on 6/26...Went 17-for-44 (.386) with three HRs during the streak.
2004
Tied for the Southern League lead with 35 doubles and ranked second with 54 extra-base hits...Led Greenville (AA) with 70 runs, 135 hits and 35 doubles and was second with 16 home runs...Hit .310 (76-for-245) with nine homers and 28 RBI at home...Hit .391 (27-for-69) in 19 games as a rightfielder...Was a .330 hitter in July and a .304 hitter in April...Had a seven-game hitting streak 8/13-20 (.448, 13-for-29, 2 HR, 6 RBI)...Had a season-high four hits 8/26 vs. CAR and 9/3 vs. WTE.
2003
Opened season on AA Greenville's roster...On the disabled list from July 10-August 10 with a sore right elbow (rehabbed with GCL Braves)...Was named G-Braves Player of the Month in August (.299-2-21)...Finished 1st on club in triples (5), 2nd in batting (.275) and slugging % (.425), 4th in runs scored (46), OBP
(.340), doubles (22), 5th in hits (92), steals (10), RBI (45), games played (98) and strikeouts (81)...Hit safely in 9 of 10 games April 23-May 4, going 14 x 37 (.378) with 3 doubles, 2 triples and a HR...Batted .310 in May with 12 of his 27 hits going for extra bases...Homered in back-to-back games May 25-26 at Orlando...Returned from DL on August 10, going 2 x 3 vs. Jacksonville with a double, 3 runs and 2 RBI...Hit safely in 7 of his first 8 games off DL August 10-16, going 13 x 28 (.464) with 1 HR, 6 doubles and
10 RBI...Went a combined 5-for-6 with 3 doubles, 1 HR & 5 RBI in a doubleheader August 16 vs. Carolina...Had 5 RBI on August 23 at Jacksonville, going 2-for-4 with a home run...Named as one of the Braves organization's top prospects by SportsWeekly.
2002
At Single-A Myrtle Beach, named by Baseball America as the Braves' 11th-best prospect... Hit safely in 24 of 26 games in July at a .340 clip (35-for-103) with 4 home runs and 14 RBI, highlighted by a 14-game hitting streak (.396, 21-for-53) from July 8-25.
2001
Hit a team-high 23 home runs in earning Single-A Macon's Player of the Year honours... Named by Baseball America as the Braves' third-best prospect... Voted as the South Atlantic League's top Major League prospect, as voted on by SAL managers.
2000
Named the Rookie-level Gulf Coast Braves' Player of the Year.
