Marcell Ozuna’s 2024 Season Stats and Career Highlights

Quick Answer

Marcell Ozuna's 2024 season was among the best of his career. He hit .302 with 39 home runs, 104 RBIs, and a .925 OPS for the Atlanta Braves, finishing fourth in National League MVP voting and earning his first All-Star Game selection.

The 2025 season represented a significant decline, as he batted .232 with 21 home runs and 68 RBIs in 145 games. As of August 2026, Ozuna is with the Pittsburgh Pirates, hitting .205 with 8 home runs and 28 RBIs through 224 at-bats.

Key Facts

• Ozuna is a right-handed batter and thrower, born November 12, 1990, in Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic
• He is currently 35 years old, listed at 6'1" and 251 lbs
• Career MLB statistics through August 1, 2026: .267 batting average, 1,678 hits, 304 home runs, 977 RBIs
• His 2024 season: .302 average, 39 HR, 104 RBI, .925 OPS, fourth place in NL MVP voting
• His 2025 season with Atlanta: .232 average, 21 HR, 68 RBI in 145 games
• His 2026 season with Pittsburgh: .205 average, 8 HR, 28 RBI in limited action
• Ozuna signed a one-year, $12 million contract with Pittsburgh in February 2026, including a $1.5 million buyout
• He has played for the Miami Marlins (2013–2017), St. Louis Cardinals (2018–2019), Atlanta Braves (2020–2025), and Pittsburgh Pirates (2026–present)

The 2024 Resurgence That Defined His Late Career

Marcell Ozuna's 2024 campaign stands as the clear peak of his career's second half. After signing a four-year, $65 million deal with Atlanta before the 2021 season, Ozuna experienced significant turbulence—including a 20-game suspension in 2021 for violating the league's Domestic Violence policy and a difficult 2023 start that tested the organization's patience.

The Braves' willingness to remain patient with him during that 2023 slump paid off handsomely in 2024. What made the 2024 season so remarkable was the combination of volume and efficiency.

Ozuna posted a .925 OPS while driving in 104 runs, numbers that placed him among the National League's most productive designated hitters. His .394 on-base percentage reflected both his power and his improved plate discipline.

The 39 home runs were his highest total since his breakout 2017 season with Miami, when he hit 37. The recognition came quickly.

Ozuna earned his first career All-Star Game selection during the 2024 season, a testament to his first-half production. He batted .307 with 12 doubles, five triples, 17 home runs, and 47 RBIs before the break.

That performance made the All-Star nod feel earned rather than ceremonial. His fourth-place finish in NL MVP voting signaled that voters viewed him as a legitimate candidate, not merely a compiler.

Players who finish that high in MVP balloting typically combine elite offensive numbers with some defensive value or positional scarcity. Ozuna, primarily a designated hitter, had to overcome the positional penalty that usually applies to DH-only candidates.

Looking at the Statcast data from 2024 provides additional context for why the season was so successful. Ozuna posted a 31.4% hard-hit rate with a 54.3% barrel rate on certain pitch types, numbers that indicate he was squaring up the baseball consistently.

His expected batting average against four-seam fastballs was .281, and his expected slugging percentage against cutters was .818—elite marks that showed he was punishing mistakes. The 2024 season also extended a broader trend.

From the start of the 2022 season through the end of his Atlanta tenure, Ozuna hit 123 home runs, a figure that placed him among the league's most consistent power hitters. This sustained production over multiple seasons helped the Braves justify exercising his $16 million club option for 2025 in November 2024.

Why 2025 Represented a Step Back

The 2025 season brought a noticeable decline in Ozuna's production, though the underlying numbers suggest the drop was more about consistency than a complete collapse. His .232 batting average represented a 70-point drop from his 2024 mark, and his OPS fell from .925 to .756.

The 21 home runs and 68 RBIs in 145 games were roughly half of his previous season's power output. Several Statcast metrics from 2025 explain the decline.

Against four-seam fastballs, Ozuna's expected batting average was .261 with an expected slugging percentage of .544—still respectable but down from his 2024 levels. His performance against sliders was particularly problematic, with an expected batting average of just .209.

Changeups gave him even more trouble, as his expected batting average against that pitch dropped to .182. The pitch-type splits tell a story of a hitter whose timing had eroded.

Against cutters, Ozuna still showed elite power—his expected slugging percentage was .818—but he saw cutters only 6.3% of the time, limiting the impact of that strength. Meanwhile, he saw four-seam fastballs 27.6% of the time and sliders 16.6% of the time, meaning pitchers could attack him with the pitches he handled less effectively.

There was also a significant drop in his walk rate and quality of contact. His 2025 numbers showed a 22.3% strikeout rate and a 15.9% walk rate, compared to more favorable ratios in 2024.

The hard-hit rate fell, and his overall expected slugging percentage dropped by roughly 50 points. Perhaps most telling was the decline in his isolated power.

His .168 isolated slugging percentage in 2025 was down from .244 in 2024, indicating that even when he made contact, he was generating less damage. The Braves remained patient, hoping for a repeat of his 2023 second-half breakout, but the production never arrived.

The season ended with Ozuna becoming a free agent after the Braves declined to bring him back. His 2025 line—.232/.355/.400—was respectable for a role player but far below the standard he had set in 2024.

The drop-off raised legitimate questions about whether his best years were behind him.

The Move to Pittsburgh and the 2026 Situation

When the Pittsburgh Pirates signed Ozuna to a one-year, $12 million contract in February 2026, the deal represented a calculated bet. The Pirates were getting a veteran designated hitter with a proven track record of power production, coming off a down year but still capable of providing lineup protection and veteran leadership.

The contract structure reflected the uncertainty. Ozuna received $10.5 million guaranteed with a $1.5 million buyout, and the deal included a mutual option for 2027.

The incentive package—$250,000 for an MVP first-place finish, $150,000 for second, $100,000 for third, plus bonuses for Silver Slugger, World Series MVP, All-Star selection, and LCS MVP—suggested the Pirates were comfortable paying for performance but not overcommitting. The 2026 season has not gone according to plan.

Through 224 at-bats, Ozuna is hitting .205 with 8 home runs and 28 RBIs, producing an OPS of just .623. These numbers represent a continued decline from his already-diminished 2025 output.

His on-base percentage has fallen to approximately .260, and he has not attempted a stolen base all season. Several factors explain the struggles.

Ozuna dealt with a hip injury during the season, undergoing an MRI that showed inflammation but no serious structural issues. He has been listed as day-to-day, and his playing time has become inconsistent.

Through the first seven games of July, he had started only twice, indicating that the Pirates have been managing his workload carefully. The Statcast data from 2026 shows a hitter whose bat speed appears to have slowed.

His sprint speed percentile has dropped, and his expected batting average has fallen across all pitch types. The power that made him dangerous in 2024 has not translated consistently, as evidenced by the sharp drop in extra-base hits.

The Pirates' patience has limits. At 35 years old, Ozuna is no longer a player a rebuilding team can afford to carry indefinitely if the production does not improve.

The team has already demonstrated a willingness to reduce his role, and the mutual option for 2027 looks increasingly unlikely to be exercised unless there is a dramatic second-half turnaround.

Career Trajectory and What the Numbers Reveal

Ozuna's career statistics tell the story of a player who has experienced remarkable highs and frustrating lows. His career .267 batting average through August 1, 2026, comes with 304 home runs and 977 RBIs across 14 MLB seasons.

The 1,678 career hits place him in solid company among active players, though he has never been a high-average hitter in the traditional sense. Breaking down his career by team reveals different phases.

With Miami from 2013 to 2017, Ozuna established himself as a power-hitting outfielder, culminating in a 37-home-run season in 2017 that earned him his first All-Star selection. His time in St.

Louis from 2018 to 2019 was productive but brief, as he hit 23 home runs in his first season with the Cardinals before declining to 29 in his second. The Atlanta years were the most consequential.

After signing his four-year, $65 million contract in February 2021, Ozuna's production fluctuated wildly. The 2021 season was marred by his suspension, and 2022 saw him hit 20 home runs with a .226 average.

The 2023 season started poorly enough that the Braves considered reducing his role, but a strong second half kept him in the lineup. Then came 2024, the season that seemed to justify everything.

His 39 home runs and 104 RBIs were his best marks since 2017, and his .925 OPS was the highest of his career. The fourth-place MVP finish was a career highlight, and the All-Star selection finally gave him the recognition that had eluded him during his prime years.

The 2025 and 2026 seasons have revealed the natural decline that comes with age. Ozuna's 123 home runs from 2022 through the end of his Atlanta tenure showed elite power, but the rate of production has slowed considerably.

His career .800 OPS reflects a player who was consistently above average at the plate but rarely elite for extended stretches. The defensive side of his game has also diminished.

Once a capable outfielder, Ozuna has transitioned almost exclusively to designated hitter duties. His career defensive metrics show negative value in recent seasons, which limits his flexibility and makes him dependent on his bat for playing time.

Frequently Asked Questions

What was Marcell Ozuna's best career season?

His 2024 season with Atlanta was statistically his finest. He hit .302 with 39 home runs, 104 RBIs, and a .925 OPS, earning his first All-Star selection and finishing fourth in NL MVP voting.

He also had a strong 2017 with Miami, hitting 37 home runs with a .312 average.

Why did Ozuna leave the Braves after 2025?

Ozuna became a free agent after the 2025 season when the Braves declined to bring him back. His production had declined significantly from 2024 to 2025, and the team opted to move in a different direction.

He signed with the Pittsburgh Pirates in February 2026.

What is Ozuna's current injury status?

Ozuna is dealing with hip inflammation, confirmed by an MRI that showed no serious structural damage. He is considered day-to-day, and the Pirates have limited his playing time during stretches of the 2026 season.

How does Ozuna's 2026 performance compare to previous seasons?

His 2026 production is the worst of his career. Through 224 at-bats, he is hitting .205 with 8 home runs and 28 RBIs, producing a .623 OPS.

This represents a significant drop from his 2025 numbers and a dramatic fall from his 2024 peak.

What are the details of Ozuna's current contract with the Pirates?

He signed a one-year, $12 million contract in February 2026, with $10.5 million guaranteed and a $1.5 million buyout. The deal includes a mutual option for 2027 and performance incentives for MVP finishes, Silver Slugger, All-Star selection, and postseason awards.

Reference Notes

Information in this article is based on publicly available sources. Some details may change over time.

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