Table of Biography
Mike Piazza is an American Former Professional Baseball Catcher. Mike Piazza is a 12-time MLB All-Star and Hall of Famer who was able to set the record for most career home runs hit by a catcher with 396. He is popular for his time with the New York Mets and Los Angeles Dodgers.
Birth Facts and Education
Mike Piazza was born on September 4, 1968, in Norristown, Pennsylvania, USA. He is 55 years old and is under the astrological sign, Virgo. He holds American nationality and his full name is Michael Joseph Piazza.
His father’s name is Vince and his mother’s name is Veronica. He has four brothers and their names are Vince Jr., Dan, Tony, and Tom. He also has a godfather and his name is Tommy Lasorda a former MLB manager. Likewise, Mike grew up a Philadelphia Phillies fan and admired Hall of Fame’s third baseman Mike Schmidt. Also, his father was the person who encouraged him to play baseball.
Regarding Mike’s educational background and qualifications, Piazza attended Phoenixville Area High School. He then was able to graduate from Phoenixville Area High School in the year 1986. After his graduation, he went to South Florida and joined the Miami Hurricanes his freshman year; receiving no playing time that season, Piazza transferred to Miami-Dade Community College.
Caption: Mike’s childhood picture (Source: Instagram)
Mike Piazza – Career and Professional Life
Mike Piazza was drafted by the Dodgers in the 62nd round of the 1988 MLB amateur draft as the 1,390th player picked overall after his father’s request. He was able to become an excellent hitter, especially for a catcher. Piazza’s MLB debut came with the Dodgers on September 1, 1992, against the Chicago Cubs. He was able to draw a walk in his first plate appearance. He also was able to win the NL Rookie of the Year Award in the year 1993 after appearing in 149 games.
Moreover, Mike was able to play seven seasons for the Dodgers until he was traded to the Florida Marlins on May 15, 1998. However, he only was able to appear in five games with the Marlins. Then, only after a week, he was traded from the Marlins to the New York Mets. During his time there, Piazza also set the record for most home runs in a season without ever hitting more than one in a game. He even was able to load the Mets to an NL pennant and a World Series appearance in the 2000 Subway Series.
Mike Piazza’s game-winning 8th-inning home run in the first professional baseball game played in New York following the 9/11 attacks has been called iconic, therapeutic, and symbolic. Moreover, even though he was recognized as a great hitter, he did have some notable defensive accomplishments. Among them, he caught two no-hitters thrown by Ramón Martínez and Hideo Nomo while playing with the Dodgers. He was able to play his final game in a Mets uniform in the year 2005. And, following the 2005 season, he signed a one-year contract with the San Diego Padres on January 29, 2006.
Caption: Mike in an interview about his career (Source: Instagram)
More About Career
In the year 2006, Mike Piazza was able to play his first game at Shea Stadium since leaving the Mets. Throughout the three-game series, he was able to draw frequent standing ovations from New York fans. Likewise, he then signed as a free agent with the Oakland Athletics in December 2006. Then, after not being signed to any MLB team for the 2008 season, Mike announced his retirement on May 20, 2008. However, he did make a return to Shea Stadium during the “Shea Goodbye” closing ceremony in September 2008, where he was able to receive the final pitch in the history of the stadium from Hall of Famer Tom Seaver.
Moreover, Mike Piazza was inducted into the New York Mets Hall of Fame on September 29, 2013, and his autobiography, Long Shot, was released in February 2013. He is popular among the best-hitting catchers of all time.
Furthermore, Mike appeared in the movie “Two Weeks Notice”. He also has acted in various TV shows as well as commercials. Despite his popularity and fame, he has not received any brand endorsement deals as of now. However, it is possible that shortly, he might start to endorse brands.
Mike Piazza – Relationship Status
Mike Piazza tied the knot with Playboy Playmate Alicia Rickter at St. Jude’s Catholic Church in Miami, Florida, on January 9, 2005. The couple has three children together and their names are Nicoletta, Paulina, and Marco. His wife is popular as an American model as well as an actress.
Caption: Mike along with his wife and their children (Source: Instagram)
Body Measurements
Mike has a height of 6 feet 3 inches but his weight and other body measurements are still under review. Moreover, Piazza has brown hair and brown eyes.
Social Media
Mike is pretty active on all of his social accounts. He has garnered 87.6K followers on Instagram, 109.1K followers on Twitter, and 73K followers on Facebook.
Mike Piazza – Net Worth 2024
According to Celebritynetworth, Mike has a net worth of $70 million, and his main income source is his baseball career.