Steven Kwan Bio
Steven Robert Kwan is an American professional baseball left fielder for the Cleveland Guardians of Major League Baseball (MLB). He made his MLB debut in 2022 after playing three years of college baseball at Oregon State University. Selected by the Guardians in the fifth round of the 2018 MLB draft, Kwan quickly became a fixture in Cleveland’s starting lineup and earned a reputation as one of the top defensive outfielders in the American League. A two-time MLB All-Star and four-time Gold Glove Award winner, Kwan is widely respected for his plate discipline, contact hitting, and steady glove work in left field.
Early Life and Background
Steven Robert Kwan was born on September 5, 1997, in Los Gatos, California, and grew up in nearby Fremont, California. He is of Chinese and Japanese descent, with his paternal grandparents from Guangzhou, China, and his maternal grandparents from Yamagata Prefecture, Japan. This multicultural heritage gave Kwan connections to both countries, and he later expressed interest in representing Japan in international baseball competitions.
Kwan attended Washington High School in Fremont, where he batted .462 as a senior in 2015. His strong high school performance drew the attention of college baseball programs, and after graduating he enrolled at Oregon State University to play for the Beavers. The decision to join a competitive Pac-12 program set the foundation for his professional career.
Path to Baseball
At Oregon State, Kwan played three seasons of college baseball. As a freshman in 2016, he appeared in 35 games and hit .215, a slow start that led him to visit a sports psychologist to regain confidence. He later said he did not initially feel he belonged among the program’s highly recruited players.
His play improved as a sophomore in 2017, when he appeared in 55 games and batted .331 with one home run and 18 RBIs. That summer he played collegiate baseball for the Wareham Gatemen of the Cape Cod Baseball League. As a junior in 2018, Kwan hit .355/.463/.457 with two home runs, 41 RBIs, and 14 stolen bases, batting leadoff ahead of future major leaguers Nick Madrigal, Trevor Larnach, and Adley Rutschman. He helped lead Oregon State to a national championship in the 2018 College World Series. Following his junior year, the Cleveland Indians selected him in the fifth round of the 2018 MLB draft.
Steven Kwan Career
Minor League Development (2018–2021)
After signing with Cleveland, Kwan made his professional debut with the Arizona League Indians and was promoted to the Mahoning Valley Scrappers, hitting a combined .346 over 17 games. In 2019, he played for the Lynchburg Hillcats, batting .280 with three home runs and 39 RBIs in 123 games. He did not play in 2020 due to the cancellation of the minor league season caused by the COVID-19 pandemic.
Kwan began 2021 with the Akron RubberDucks and was promoted to the Columbus Clippers in late August, though he missed six weeks with a strained right hamstring. Over 77 games, he slashed .328/.407/.527 with 12 home runs and 44 RBIs. On November 19, 2021, the newly renamed Cleveland Guardians added Kwan to their 40-man roster, setting the stage for his major league debut.
Major League Debut and Rookie Year (2022)
On April 2, 2022, the Guardians announced that Kwan had been named to the Opening Day roster. He made his MLB debut on April 7 as the starting right fielder and recorded his first major league hit off Kansas City Royals reliever Scott Barlow. Kwan became just the sixth player since at least 1901 to have a five-hit game within his first three major league games, and the first player since at least 1901 to reach base safely 15 times in his first four games.
Kwan hit his first major league home run on May 5 off José Berríos, and on September 25 he hit his first career grand slam off Joe Barlow of the Texas Rangers. He was named American League Rookie of the Month for both April and September 2022. On the season, he batted .298/.373/.400 with six home runs, 52 RBIs, 19 stolen bases, and 25 doubles, walking 62 times against 60 strikeouts, making him the first rookie with more walks than strikeouts since Dustin Pedroia in 2007. He won the American League left field Gold Glove Award and was a finalist for AL Rookie of the Year alongside Adley Rutschman and Julio Rodríguez.
Establishing Himself (2023–2024)
In 2023, Kwan had the lowest strikeout percentage in the American League at 10.4% and the lowest maximum exit velocity at 105.2 mph, while batting .268/.340/.370 with five home runs, 54 RBIs, and 21 stolen bases. He won his second consecutive Gold Glove Award for American League left fielders, cementing his reputation as one of the league’s most reliable defenders.
In 2024, Kwan elevated his offensive production, batting .292/.368/.425 with 14 home runs and 83 RBIs. He also earned his third consecutive Gold Glove Award for American League left fielders and was selected to the MLB All-Star Game, the first All-Star selection of his career.
Cleveland Guardians Era (2025–Present)
In 2025, Kwan batted .272/.330/.374 with 11 home runs, 56 RBIs, and 21 stolen bases. He continued his defensive excellence by winning his fourth consecutive Gold Glove Award for American League left fielders. He was also selected to the MLB All-Star Game for the second time in his career, further establishing his place among the American League’s premier outfielders.
Driving Style and Strengths
Kwan is widely recognized for his exceptional plate discipline, low strikeout rate, and ability to make consistent contact. In 2022, he had the lowest percentage of hard-hit balls in the majors at 18.9% and the highest called-strike percentage at 24.5%, reflecting his willingness to lay off pitches outside the strike zone. Defensively, his reads, routes, and instincts in left field have made him one of the most reliable glovemen in the American League.
Notable Events and Milestones
Among Kwan’s most memorable moments are his historic debut stretch in 2022, his first career grand slam against Texas, and his four consecutive Gold Glove Awards from 2022 through 2025. He also contributed to Oregon State’s 2018 College World Series championship, batting leadoff on a star-studded roster that included Adley Rutschman and Nick Madrigal.
Steven Kwan Career Wins and Honors
Steven Kwan has earned recognition as one of the top all-around outfielders in the American League, with a trophy case that includes four consecutive Gold Glove Awards and two All-Star selections. His ability to combine contact hitting, on-base skills, and elite defense has made him a cornerstone of the Cleveland Guardians’ roster.
Major League Highlights
Kwan won the American League left field Gold Glove Award in 2022, 2023, 2024, and 2025, becoming just the third outfielder in franchise history to win the honor in four straight seasons. He was selected to the MLB All-Star Game in 2024 and again in 2025. As a rookie, he was named AL Rookie of the Month for both April and September 2022 and finished as a finalist for the AL Rookie of the Year Award.
Other Performances and Accolades
Kwan was a key contributor to Oregon State’s 2018 College World Series championship, batting leadoff for the Beavers. He also played in the Cape Cod Baseball League with the Wareham Gatemen in 2017, a prestigious summer league for top college players.
Steven Kwan Family
Family Background and Heritage
Steven Robert Kwan is of Chinese and Japanese descent. His paternal grandparents are from Guangzhou, China, and his maternal grandparents are from Yamagata Prefecture, Japan. He was nearly recruited to play for the Japanese national baseball team in the 2023 World Baseball Classic but was found to be ineligible. In 2024, he expressed his interest in representing Japan in future international competitions.
Personal Life
In February 2025, Steven Kwan married his girlfriend, Samantha Moy, in a courthouse wedding. The couple’s marriage was a small, intimate ceremony.
2025 Season Performance
The 2025 season represented another strong campaign for Steven Kwan and the Cleveland Guardians. He batted .272/.330/.374 with 11 home runs, 56 RBIs, and 21 stolen bases, continuing to serve as a catalyst at the top of Cleveland’s lineup. His plate discipline and contact-oriented approach remained central to the Guardians’ offensive identity.
Defensively, Kwan was once again among the best in the American League, earning his fourth consecutive Gold Glove Award for left field. He was also selected to the MLB All-Star Game for the second time in his career, underscoring his standing among the league’s top outfielders.
As Kwan continues to build on his early career success, he remains a foundational piece of the Cleveland Guardians’ roster. With his combination of contact hitting, on-base ability, and elite defense, he is positioned to remain a middle-of-the-order presence and a defensive anchor in left field for years to come.