‘A movie waiting to happen’: Braves infielder Sean Kazmar Jr. makes first MLB appearance since 2008

Drafted in the fifth round of the 2004 MLB Draft, infielder Sean Kazmar Jr. made his last MLB appearance on September 23, 2008 for the San Diego Padres. He played in 19 games that year and never made it back to the Major Leagues, until today. 

Called up by the Atlanta Braves on Saturday, Kazmar Jr. entered the Braves' game against the Chicago Cubs in the 5th inning as a pinch hitter, grounding out into a double play.

With his appearance, the 12-year, 206-day gap between Major League appearances since Minnie Miñoso in 1976, per ESPN's Jeff Passan and the Elias Sports Bureau. 

What separates Kazmar Jr. from Miñoso is that Kazmar Jr. has been playing every year since the last time he saw MLB action. The 36-year-old infielder has been in the farm systems of the Padres, Seattle Mariners, New York Mets and Braves since 2009. 

For the first time since 2008, Sean Kazmar Jr. is back in the big leagues!#ForTheApic.twitter.com/oTEPdCS6D7

Braves manager Brian Snitker, who was Kazmar Jr.'s manager for Atlanta's Class AAA Gwinnett Braves from 2014-2016, said calling up the infielder was one of the greatest moments in his managerial career.

"I thought about this is whenever I got this job, I said one of the greatest things that could happen to me was have Kaz up here," Snitker told reporters before Saturday's game. "It's a book or a movie waiting to happen."

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