Lázaro Armenteros | |
---|---|
Free agent | |
Outfielder | |
Born: Havana, Cuba | 22 May 1999|
Bats: Right Throws: Right |
Lázaro Robersy Armenteros Arango (born 22 May 1999), nicknamed Lazarito, is a Cuban professional baseball outfielder who is a free agent.
Armenteros played in the 2014 15U Baseball World Cup, held in Mexico, and made the All-Tournament Team after batting .462 in nine games. [1] [2]
In 2015, Armenteros was sanctioned by the Cuban government, and disallowed from playing for the 15-and-under team. [3] Armenteros defected from Cuba in an attempt to play in Major League Baseball. [3] He reached Haiti, and established residency there in May 2015. [4] He permanently settled in the Dominican Republic. [5] A team in Nippon Professional Baseball reportedly offered Armenteros a contract worth $15 million. [6] In January 2016, Armenteros was declared a free agent. [1] [7]
On 2 July 2016, Armenteros signed a minor league contract with the Oakland Athletics. [8] He made his American professional baseball debut in 2017 [9] with both the DSL Athletics and AZL Athletics, slashing .276/.377/.443 with four home runs, 23 RBIs, and 12 stolen bases in 47 games between the two teams. [10]
The Athletics assigned him to the Beloit Snappers of the Single–A Midwest League in 2018, for whom he batted .277 with 8 home runs and 39 RBI in 79 games. [11] In 2019, Armenteros played in 126 games for High–A Stockton Ports of the California League, hitting .222/.336/.403 with career–highs in home runs (17), RBI (61), and stolen bases (22). [12] In addition, he led the minor leagues in strikeouts, with 227 in 459 at–bats. [13]
Armenteros did not play in a game in 2020 due to the cancellation of the minor league season because of the COVID-19 pandemic. [14] He returned to action in 2021, splitting the year between Stockton and the High–A Lansing Lugnuts. In 71 combined contests, he hit .259/.322/.381 with 6 home runs, 26 RBI, and 21 stolen bases. Armenteros again played for Lansing in 2022, appearing in 56 games and slashing .261/.376/.479 with 10 home runs, 26 RBI, and 13 stolen bases. [15]
Armenteros once more began the 2023 season with Lansing before quickly being promoted to the Double–A Midland RockHounds. In 96 appearances for Midland, he hit .249/.380/.464 with 14 home runs, 72 RBI, and 10 stolen bases. [16] On 6 November, the Athletics added Armenteros to their 40-man roster to prevent him from reaching minor league free agency. [17]
Armenteros was optioned to the Triple–A Las Vegas Aviators to begin the 2024 season. [18] After hitting .133 in 24 games, he was designated for assignment on 7 May 2024. [19] Armenteros cleared waivers and was sent outright to Triple–A on 9 May. [20] He was released by the Athletics organization on 15 July. [21]
Armenteros was born and raised in the San Miguel del Padrón section of Havana. [3] He has three brothers and three sisters. [6] His father, Lazaro Sr., played for the Cuban national basketball team. [3]
Lázaro Armenteros | |
---|---|
Free agent | |
Outfielder | |
Born: Havana, Cuba | 22 May 1999|
Bats: Right Throws: Right |
Lázaro Robersy Armenteros Arango (born 22 May 1999), nicknamed Lazarito, is a Cuban professional baseball outfielder who is a free agent.
Armenteros played in the 2014 15U Baseball World Cup, held in Mexico, and made the All-Tournament Team after batting .462 in nine games. [1] [2]
In 2015, Armenteros was sanctioned by the Cuban government, and disallowed from playing for the 15-and-under team. [3] Armenteros defected from Cuba in an attempt to play in Major League Baseball. [3] He reached Haiti, and established residency there in May 2015. [4] He permanently settled in the Dominican Republic. [5] A team in Nippon Professional Baseball reportedly offered Armenteros a contract worth $15 million. [6] In January 2016, Armenteros was declared a free agent. [1] [7]
On 2 July 2016, Armenteros signed a minor league contract with the Oakland Athletics. [8] He made his American professional baseball debut in 2017 [9] with both the DSL Athletics and AZL Athletics, slashing .276/.377/.443 with four home runs, 23 RBIs, and 12 stolen bases in 47 games between the two teams. [10]
The Athletics assigned him to the Beloit Snappers of the Single–A Midwest League in 2018, for whom he batted .277 with 8 home runs and 39 RBI in 79 games. [11] In 2019, Armenteros played in 126 games for High–A Stockton Ports of the California League, hitting .222/.336/.403 with career–highs in home runs (17), RBI (61), and stolen bases (22). [12] In addition, he led the minor leagues in strikeouts, with 227 in 459 at–bats. [13]
Armenteros did not play in a game in 2020 due to the cancellation of the minor league season because of the COVID-19 pandemic. [14] He returned to action in 2021, splitting the year between Stockton and the High–A Lansing Lugnuts. In 71 combined contests, he hit .259/.322/.381 with 6 home runs, 26 RBI, and 21 stolen bases. Armenteros again played for Lansing in 2022, appearing in 56 games and slashing .261/.376/.479 with 10 home runs, 26 RBI, and 13 stolen bases. [15]
Armenteros once more began the 2023 season with Lansing before quickly being promoted to the Double–A Midland RockHounds. In 96 appearances for Midland, he hit .249/.380/.464 with 14 home runs, 72 RBI, and 10 stolen bases. [16] On 6 November, the Athletics added Armenteros to their 40-man roster to prevent him from reaching minor league free agency. [17]
Armenteros was optioned to the Triple–A Las Vegas Aviators to begin the 2024 season. [18] After hitting .133 in 24 games, he was designated for assignment on 7 May 2024. [19] Armenteros cleared waivers and was sent outright to Triple–A on 9 May. [20] He was released by the Athletics organization on 15 July. [21]
Armenteros was born and raised in the San Miguel del Padrón section of Havana. [3] He has three brothers and three sisters. [6] His father, Lazaro Sr., played for the Cuban national basketball team. [3]