Is Tommy Edman Korean? Get to know about the Braves star's heritage

St. Louis Cardinals utility man Tommy Edman has been continuously proving his worth to his team since joining the Birds in 2019. He recently signed an extension with the team to avoid arbitration and set a personal contract value record.

Edman was born in Pontiac, Michigan, and raised in San Diego. He attended Stanford University in California, where he was first noticed for his baseball abilities. After his freshman year, Edman transferred to the New England Collegiate League, where he was named the best defensive player.

Edman was drafted by the Cardinals in the 6th round of the 2016 Draft. He was the best player on the Cardinals' AA affiliate, the Springfield Cardinals, in 2018. Edman reached base for Springfield in 32 straight games that year, setting a franchise record, and was named a Texas League All-Star.

He made his MLB debut in early June of that year against the Chicago Cubs at Wrigley Field. His first career home run came two weeks later, on June 20th, against the Miami Marlins.

Tommy Edman had a breakout season in 2019, finishing with 11 home runs and 36 RBIs. Edman also finished 2019 with a.304 batting average and the fastest sprint speed of any MLB third baseman, moving at 29.4 feet per second.

"Tommy Edman makes it look easy." - @ MLB

Edman further solidified his role as the leadoff man for the St. Louis Cardinals in 2021, appearing in all but three games for the Cards. Edman finished 2021 with 641 plate appearances, the most in the National League, and was named a Gold Glover.

Edman's mother, Maureen Kwak, was born in South Korea and moved to the United States as a child. Earlier this month, Edman made clear his intention to represent South Korea at the 2023 World Baseball Classic, which is due to take place from March 8th to March 21st.

"Tommy Edman on playing for South Korea in the World Baseball Classic' “To get to be the first Korean-American player to play for the [Korean] national team is a very special honor, and I’m really looking forward to it.” - @ Shawn

Tommy Edman goes into 2023 with a fresh contract

The Cardinals and Edman agreed to a 1-year deal worth $4.2 million to avoid arbitration earlier this month. The signing represents a big step up from the $722,000 that Edman was earning next year. The Cardinals look poised to be a real player in the NL Central this year, and Edman will undoubtedly play a big part.