"I’m ready for summer" - Kate Upton, the wife of Houston Astros pitcher Justin Verlander posts a stunning throwback picture from a 2013 Vogue shoot

Kate Upton, Houston Astros pitcher Justin Verlander's wife, shared a sultry throwback photo from a 2013 Vogue shoot on Instagram and stole the show. In the picture, Kate can be seen wearing a black monokini and holding a baseball with the ocean as a backdrop. Her gorgeous smile is on display, and a pair of aviator sunglasses complete the look. Upton captioned the shot, stating she enjoyed the Vogue shoot's cheerful summer vibe. By glancing at the photo, it's clear that Kate was being herself during the photoshoot and thoroughly enjoyed the session. Mario Eduardo Testino, the world-renowned Peruvian fashion and portrait photographer, photographed Kate during this 2013 Vogue shoot. James Kaliardos did her makeup, and Christiaan styled her hair.

"I’m ready for summer. 😎 Flashback to my 2013 Vogue shoot - loved the fun summer vibes from this shoot!" - @Kate Upton

In an era when models mandatorily needed to be skinny, Kate was a breath of fresh air with her curves. The best part is that the photos were left natural and not heavily edited, which would have led to the loss of originality. However, Kate received a lot of flak for not being skinny and having healthy curves.

Shutting down her critics, Kate said, "I can work out and I can stay healthy and motivated, but I can’t change some things. I really just live my life. I love my body. It’s what God gave me! I feel confident with myself, and if that inspires other women to feel confident with their bodies, great."

"Kate Upton thanks the critics who called her fat for giving her body confidence." - @People

Kate Upton looked drop-dead gorgeous on the June 2013 cover of American Vogue

Kate on the Vogue cover of June 2013.

The June 2013 cover of American Vogue introduced Kate as the "American Dream Girl" and called her the hottest supermodel on Earth. Twenty-one-year-old Upton wore a printed swimsuit with black strapped stilettos and posed with grace for the cover photo. Back in 2013, Kate sported a bob haircut.

"VOGUE US June 2013 Cover | Kate Upton by Mario Testino." - @Fusbow

Another photo of Kate from the Vogue 2013 shoot.

"'I was going to quit all my bad habits for the new year, but then I remembered that nobody likes a quitter." An unknown (to me) No Quitter. Kate Upton by Mario Testino for Vogue US, June 2013." - @Petra

Nine long years have gone by since that photo shoot, but Kate's beauty has remained. Now she is a wife to Houston Astros pitcher Justin Verlander and mother to a baby girl, and she is aging like fine wine.