Longtime Atlanta Braves catcher Javy Lopez will be inducted into the Braves Hall of Fame on May 23, 2014. Lopez made his debut in Atlanta in 1992, and enjoyed more than a decade's success in Atlanta. Before the 2004 season, Javy Lopez signed as a free agent with the Baltimore Orioles. He finished his career as a Brave 5th in hits (1,148) and RBIs (694). Among his achievements with the Braves, Javy Lopez made the National League All-Star team in 1997 and 98. He also caught a no-hitter, thrown by Kent Mercker on April 8, 1994.
Javy Lopez (left) and Andruw Jones helped open Turner Field, cutting the ceremonial ribbon to open the gates for the fans prior to the Braves' April 2, 1997, home opener against the Cubs. Javy Lopez had his best season in Atlanta in 2003, batting .328, with 43 home runs and 109 RBI in 129 games. He won the Silver Slugger Award and finished fifth in the National League MVP voting. In that same season he broke the record for the most home runs hit in a season by a catcher (41). It would be his final season with the Braves. After sharing duties with Charlie O'Brien and Eddie Perez for four seasons, he established himself as the Braves regular catcher in 1996 where he was MVP of the NLCS. Javy Lopez ranks eighth in home runs (214) in Braves franchise history. Javy Lopez returned the Braves before the 2008 season - on a minor league deal with an invitation to spring training - in an attempt to return to the majors. He did not make the squad and retired from baseball.
Javy Lopez joins a the team's Hall of Fame, which includes the likes of Hank Aaron, Bill Bartholomay, Skip Caray, Bobby Cox, Del Crandall, Tom Glavine, Tommy Holmes, Ernie Johnson, Chipper Jones, David Justice, Herman Long, Greg Maddux, Eddie Mathews, Dale Murphy, Phil Niekro, John Smoltz, Warren Spahn, Ted Turner and Pete Van Wieren.