Lázaro Armenteros
| Lázaro Armenteros | |
|---|---|
| Oakland Athletics | |
| Outfielder | |
| Born: May 22, 1999 Havana, Cuba | |
Bats: Right Throws: Right |
Lázaro Robersy Armenteros Arango (born May 22, 1999), nicknamed Lazarito, is a Cuban professional baseball outfielder in the Oakland Athletics organization.
Career
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 July 2, 2016, he 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 Class A Midwest League in 2018,[11] and to the Stockton Ports of the Class A-Advanced California League in 2019.[12] In 2019 he led the minor leagues in strikeouts, with 227 in 459 at bats.[13]
Personal life
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]
References
- ^ a b "16-year-old Cuban megaprospect Lazarito Armenteros cleared to sign with an MLB team". For The Win. Retrieved January 27, 2016.
- ^ "Lázaro Armenteros, el próximo astro cubano en Grandes Ligas" (in Spanish). Martinoticias.com. Retrieved July 13, 2018.
- ^ a b c d "Cuban 'Lazarito' Armenteros seeks free agency". Major League Baseball. Retrieved January 27, 2016.
- ^ "MLB says Cuba's Lazaro Armenteros, 16, eligible to sign". ESPN.com. Retrieved January 27, 2016.
- ^ Stiglich, Joe (March 19, 2017). "A's star prospect 'Lazarito' adjusting to American baseball, culture | NBCS Bay Area". Nbcsports.com. Retrieved July 13, 2018.
- ^ a b "Meet Lazaro Armenteros, the next Cuban baseball star". USA TODAY. December 22, 2015. Retrieved January 27, 2016.
- ^ "What you need to know about new Cuban free agent Lazaro Armenteros". Yahoo Sports. January 12, 2016. Retrieved January 27, 2016.
- ^ Townsend, Mark (July 2, 2016). "Coveted Cuban prospect Lazaro Armenteros finds home with A's". Yahoo Sports. Retrieved July 2, 2016.
- ^ Stiglich, Joe (March 25, 2017). "A's 17-year-old prospect 'Lazarito' makes Cactus League debut | NBCS Bay Area". Nbcsports.com. Retrieved July 13, 2018.
- ^ "Lazaro Armenteros Stats, Highlights, Bio - MiLB.com Stats - The Official Site of Minor League Baseball". MiLB.com. Retrieved April 27, 2018.
- ^ "Down on the farm: A's prospect Lazarito set to debut for Beloit, Luzardo continues to dominate – The Athletic". Theathletic.com. May 7, 2018. Retrieved July 13, 2018.
- ^ Kleinschmidt, Jessica (June 21, 2019). "A's prospect Lazaro Armenteros showing power potential in Stockton | NBCS Bay Area". Nbcsports.com. Retrieved November 9, 2019.
- ^ "2019 Register Batting Leaders". Baseball-Reference.com. January 1, 1970. Retrieved November 9, 2019.
External links
- Career statistics and player information from MLB, or ESPN, or Fangraphs, or Baseball Reference (Minors)