Josh Bell Bio
Joshua Evan Bell, known professionally as Josh Bell, is an American professional baseball first baseman for the Minnesota Twins of Major League Baseball (MLB). Born on August 14, 1992, in Dallas, Texas, he has built a steady career as a switch-hitting first baseman since making his major league debut in 2016. Across his career, Bell has played for the Pittsburgh Pirates, Washington Nationals, San Diego Padres, Cleveland Guardians, Miami Marlins, and Arizona Diamondbacks.
A 2019 MLB All-Star and 2022 Silver Slugger Award winner, Bell is recognized for his offensive consistency and his ability to drive in runs from both sides of the plate. His journey from a top amateur prospect in Texas to a veteran presence in the middle of MLB lineups reflects years of steady development and a reputation for durability.
Early Life and Background
Joshua Evan Bell was born on August 14, 1992, in Dallas, Texas, and grew up in the same city. He attended Jesuit College Preparatory School of Dallas, where he developed into one of the top high school baseball players in the country. In his senior season, he posted a .548 batting average and a 1.054 slugging percentage, adding 13 home runs, 54 runs batted in, and 54 runs scored.
His performance at Jesuit earned him a spot on the USA Today All-USA high school baseball team, and he was also named the Gatorade/ESPN Rise Texas Player of the Year. Bell committed to attend the University of Texas at Austin on a scholarship that would allow him to play college baseball for the Texas Longhorns in the Big 12 Conference, and Baseball America rated him as the nation’s top corner outfielder available in the 2011 Major League Baseball draft.
Before the draft, Bell sent a letter to the Commissioner of Baseball’s office indicating that teams should not select him because he intended to honor his commitment to Texas. Despite that stance, the Pittsburgh Pirates selected Bell in the second round with the 61st overall pick. He later took twelve credits at the University of Texas and worked out with the team’s strength and conditioning coach before agreeing to a professional contract.
Path to Baseball
The Pirates signed Bell shortly before the August 2011 signing deadline with a $5 million signing bonus, a record for a player drafted in the second round. The agreement allowed Bell to bypass his college baseball scholarship and begin his professional career. The Pirates’ total spending on their 2011 draft class reached a franchise-record $17 million, surpassing the $11.93 million the Washington Nationals had spent on their 2010 draft class.
Bell was assigned to work out with the State College Spikes in 2011, but as the season was ending, he did not appear in a game. He then participated in the Pirates’ fall instructional league. Before the 2012 season, MLB.com ranked Bell as the 69th best prospect in baseball, and he made his professional debut that year with the West Virginia Power of the Single-A South Atlantic League.
Josh Bell Career
Minor League Development (2011–2016)
Bell’s development was slowed in 2012 when a partial tear of the meniscus in his knee forced him to miss nearly the entire minor league season. He returned in 2013 with the West Virginia Power, batting .279 with 13 home runs, 76 RBI, and 37 doubles across 119 games. In 2014, he opened the season with the Bradenton Marauders of the High-A Florida State League and appeared in the All-Star Futures Game. After hitting .335 with nine home runs and 35 RBI in 84 games for Bradenton, the Pirates promoted him to the Altoona Curve of the Double-A Eastern League on July 17, 2014. Following the season, he was named the Florida State League Player of the Year and was assigned to the Arizona Fall League, where he played exclusively as a first baseman.
Bell returned to Altoona to start the 2015 season and was chosen to represent the Pirates at the All-Star Futures Game. He batted .307 with five home runs and 60 RBI in 96 games for Altoona before being promoted to the Indianapolis Indians of the Triple-A International League. In his time with Indianapolis, he batted .347 with two home runs and 18 RBI, drawing a .441 on-base percentage. The Pirates added him to their 40-man roster after the 2015 season, and he began 2016 with Indianapolis, batting .324 with a .407 on-base percentage before his recall.
Pittsburgh Pirates Breakthrough (2016–2020)
Bell made his major league debut with the Pirates on July 8, 2016, and hit a grand slam in his second MLB at-bat on July 9. He finished his first season batting .273 with three home runs and 19 RBI in 128 at-bats. In 2017, after left knee surgery in February that did not cause him to miss any games, he broke the National League record for most home runs by a rookie switch hitter, hitting his 24th home run off Jake Arrieta in a 12-0 victory over the Chicago Cubs. He finished third in the 2017 National League Rookie of the Year balloting behind Cody Bellinger and Paul DeJong, ending the season with a .255 average, 26 home runs, and 90 RBI.
On May 8, 2019, Bell became the fourth player in PNC Park history to hit a ball directly into the Allegheny River, a 472-foot blast with an exit velocity of 114.9 miles per hour. Two weeks later, he became the first MLB player to hit two home runs directly into the Allegheny River. He was elected to his first MLB All-Star Game on June 30, 2019, and at the break was batting .302 with 27 home runs and an MLB-leading 84 RBI. Bell also participated in the 2019 Home Run Derby, where he was eliminated in the first round, and finished the season with a .277 average, 37 home runs, and 116 RBI. In the pandemic-shortened 2020 season, he hit .226 with eight home runs and 22 RBI.
Washington Nationals and San Diego Padres (2021–2022)
On December 24, 2020, the Pirates traded Bell to the Washington Nationals in exchange for Wil Crowe and Eddy Yean. He avoided arbitration with a $6.35 million salary for 2021 and hit his first home run with the Nationals on April 20, 2021. He finished that season batting .261/.347/.476 with 27 home runs and 88 RBI across 144 games. In his final year of arbitration eligibility, he signed a $10 million contract before the 2022 season and posted a .301/.384/.493 slash line with 14 home runs in 103 games for Washington.
On August 2, 2022, Bell was traded along with Juan Soto to the San Diego Padres in exchange for C. J. Abrams, MacKenzie Gore, Robert Hassell III, James Wood, Jarlín Susana, and Luke Voit. He hit his first home run for the Padres against the Nationals on August 20, 2022. His hitting line fell to .192/.316/.271 with San Diego, and he lost playing time in the playoffs.
Cleveland Guardians and Miami Marlins (2023)
On December 12, 2022, the Cleveland Guardians signed Bell to a two-year, $33 million contract that included a player opt-out clause after the 2023 season. He batted .233 with eight home runs and 48 RBI in 97 games for the Guardians. On August 1, 2023, he was traded to the Miami Marlins in exchange for infielders Jean Segura and Kahlil Watson. In 53 games for Miami, he batted .270/.338/.480 with 11 home runs and 26 RBI.
Arizona Diamondbacks and Washington Nationals (2024–2025)
On July 30, 2024, the Marlins traded Bell to the Arizona Diamondbacks in exchange for cash considerations or a player to be named later. He debuted with the team on August 2 and homered from both sides of the plate in a 9-8 win over the Pirates. In 41 appearances for Arizona, Bell slashed .279/.361/.436 with five home runs and 22 RBI. During the 2024 offseason, he signed a one-year, $6 million contract to return to the Washington Nationals on January 5, 2025. On September 8, 2025, Bell became the second player in franchise history, after Danny Espinosa, to hit home runs from both sides of the plate in the same game, doing so in consecutive innings during a 15-7 win over the Miami Marlins.
Minnesota Twins (2026–Present)
On December 19, 2025, Bell signed a one-year, $7 million contract with the Minnesota Twins, continuing his career with his eighth major league organization. The move positioned him as a veteran switch-hitting first baseman in the middle of the Twins’ lineup.
Notable Events and Milestones
Bell’s signature moment in Pittsburgh came in 2019, when he became the first MLB player to hit two home runs directly into the Allegheny River, a feat that highlighted his rare raw power. That same year, he earned his only All-Star selection and participated in the Home Run Derby. In 2022, he added a Silver Slugger Award to his resume as one of the top offensive first basemen in the National League.
Josh Bell Career Wins
Across his major league career, Josh Bell has established himself as a reliable run producer at first base. His most decorated season came in 2019, when he set career highs with 37 home runs and 116 RBI, and he matched his career best in 2021 with 27 home runs and 88 RBI in a Nationals uniform. The 2017 season also stands out, as he set a National League record for most home runs by a rookie switch hitter and finished third in the Rookie of the Year voting.
Josh Bell Family
Personal Life
Joshua Evan Bell was raised in Dallas, Texas, and has built his adult life around professional baseball since 2011. Public details about his spouse and children are not clearly supported by the available sources.
2025 Season Performance
Josh Bell returned to the Washington Nationals in 2025 on a one-year contract, looking to provide veteran stability at first base. His most memorable moment of the season came on September 8, 2025, when he joined Danny Espinosa as the only players in franchise history to hit home runs from both sides of the plate in the same game, doing so in consecutive innings during a 15-7 win over the Miami Marlins. That performance underscored the value of his switch-hitting ability to the Washington lineup.
Throughout the 2025 season, Bell served as a steady middle-of-the-order presence, leaning on the experience gained from seven prior major league stops. His role with the Nationals also positioned him for his next chapter, as he signed a one-year, $7 million contract with the Minnesota Twins on December 19, 2025, to become their primary first baseman heading into 2026.