With the average baseball game lasting three hours, and each season taking place over 162 games, there’s plenty of downtime for fans and players to be checking their phones. They might be updating their Facebook status, tweeting at each other, or taking and posting photos to Instagram. In fact, there’s several current MLB players that are engaging on the social network, sharing everything from family photos to sponsored content and everyone’s favorite: artsy food shots. When they’re not on deck or up to bat, these stars are sharing their lives with fans as an extended family.
But just which of your players are leading the charge into owning Instagram like they own the plate or mound? We reviewed the data to understand which MLB players are the top athletes on Instagram.
Ground Rule Double Taps
When examining who is the most prolific poster, it’s a three-way tie at the top. First you have the Dominican first baseman of the Boston Red Sox, Hanley Ramirez, who is showing fans he works hard – posting videos of his workout routines – and plays hard – sharing his fishing trips and late-night chill time with all of us. On deck is Miami Marlins’ second baseman Dee Gordon, sharing lots of action photos and videos to bring you closer to the game. In addition to enjoying baseball, he’s playing paintball too! In the hole, rounding out our 1-2-3 is “Go-Go” Carlos Gomez, centerfielder for the Houston Astros. He’s reposting a lot of his Snapchat videos (he seems to really love the face-swap filters)!
Leading Likers
Just because you’re throwing the most pitches, doesn’t mean you’re leading the league in strikeouts. The same is true for baseball players on Instagram – posting more frequently doesn’t earn you the most likes (but it can help). Hanley Ramirez is finding more time to upload new photos and videos to Instagram than other baseball players, but his ranking for total likes is fourth. Matt Kemp, outfielder for the San Diego Padres, is earning more likes than any of his peers. Taking second and third place are Los Angeles Angels’ centerfielder Mike Trout and Seattle Mariners’ second baseman Robinson Cano.
Beloved Baseballers
If you’re wondering who receives the most likes on an average post – you’re looking no further than Mike Trout. Closing in on 300 posts to Instagram, the Los Angeles Angels player is continuing to stand apart in comparison to his peers on social media in the same way he does on the field. Appearing behind Matt Kemp, one of our leaders in overall likes, is a fresh face: Washington Nationals’ sensation Bryce Harper, right fielder and the NL’s 2015 MVP. Even with fewer posts than most players, he’s driving likes by posting something everyone can agree on – food. Bryce shares his meals of bagels, ice cream, waffles, burgers, donuts, and Fruity Pebbles on Instagram.
Instagram’s Most Valuable Players
Assuming that Instagram is a young player’s game would be a mistake. Just as baseball is counting to find ways to lead in the digital realm (e.g., MLB.tv and digital ticketing at every stadium), its players are joining them in a quest to dominate the digital arena. Individually connecting to their fans – local to the team, on the other side of the United States, or across the globe – is driving a more connected, and engaged, supporter of the player and their team.
Matt Kemp, Bryce Harper, Hanley Ramirez, and Mike Trout aren’t just making their teams better off the field; they’re actually helping to make them better on the field. When scouting a player today, MLB teams are usually looking at the stats (OBP, RBI, HR, BB, SO, etc.), but we’re approaching an era where they might also be looking at their players’ social profiles to see their likes and views.
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Also find the Top Followed Athletes on Instagram
