Ozzie Albies credits new Angels manager Ron Washington for career success: "[He] helped me become the player I am today"
Ozzie Albies is one of the best infielders in the MLB. However, the superstar has not let that success change him, remaining gracious and level-headed as he continues to excel. Even though the 26-year-old has earned plenty of coveted accolades in his young career, he has not overlooked those who helped him reach this level.
One of the people whom he has credited with helping him achieve this level of success is former Atlanta Braves third base coach and new manager of the Los Angeles Angels, Ron Washington.
"Ozzie Albies, Austin Riley and other Braves players took to social media to express the impact Ron Washington has had on their career." - @wsbtv
The 71-year-old had been a member of the Atlanta Braves coaching staff since 2017, which coincidentally happened to be the rookie season for Albies. During their time together, the second baseman has attributed Washington's coaching as a reason for his improvements at the major league level.
"[He] helped me become the player I am today," Albies said of Washington.
"He's a teacher, he's a developer of players, he's a good communicator..." Greg, Dan O'Dowd & @YonderalonsoU discuss the @Angels ' hiring of Ron Washington." - @MLBNetwork
Together in Atlanta, Ron Washington and Ozzie Albies not only developed a strong relationship, but they also managed to win the 2021 World Series. Now, Washington will look to bring his decades of experience to the Los Angeles Angels, who may be in the middle of the most important offseason in franchise history.
Ozzie Albies has steadily improved every season with Ron Washington
Since making his MLB debut, it was clear that Ozzie Albies was a special talent. However, the native of Willemstad, Curacao, has continued to improve every season in the majors. While it is unclear what adjustments the second made with the Atlanta Braves coaching staff, what is clear is his statistical improvements every year.
Last season with the Atlanta Braves, Albies earned his third All-Star selection thanks to another incredible year. The 26-year-old set new career highs in multiple categories, including home runs (33), RBIs (109), and Slugging % (.513).
Whether this jump in his power numbers is a direct result of the Los Angeles Angels' new skipper or not remains to be seen. However, it's undeniable that Albies is a bona fide star