René Pinto (baseball)
René Pinto | |
---|---|
Baltimore Orioles | |
Catcher | |
Born: Maracay, Venezuela | November 2, 1996|
Bats: Right Throws: Right | |
MLB debut | |
April 26, 2022, for the Tampa Bay Rays | |
MLB statistics (through 2024 season) | |
Batting average | .231 |
Home runs | 10 |
Runs batted in | 32 |
Teams | |
René Rafael Pinto Escobar (born November 2, 1996) is a Venezuelan professional baseball catcher for the Baltimore Orioles of Major League Baseball (MLB). He has previously played in MLB for the Tampa Bay Rays.
Career
[edit]Tampa Bay Rays
[edit]Pinto signed with the Tampa Bay Rays as an international free agent on October 1, 2013.[1] Pinto spent the 2014 and 2015 seasons with the Venezuelan Summer League Rays; hitting .264/.318/.347 with one home run and 11 RBI in 40 games games and .323/.379/.552 with six home runs and 38 RBI in 2015.[2] He split the 2016 season between the rookie–level Gulf Coast League Rays and the rookie–level Princeton Rays, hitting a combined .262/.304/.483 with eight home runs and 28 RBI.[2] Pinto split the 2017 season between the GCL and the Single–A Bowling Green Hot Rods, hitting a combined .290/.339/.396 with three home runs and 39 RBI.[2] He spent the 2018 season with the High–A Charlotte Stone Crabs, hitting .301/.353/.407 with one home run and 38 RBI.[2]
Pinto spent the 2019 season with the Double–A Montgomery Biscuits, hitting .235/.303/.354 with five home runs and 30 RBI.[3] He did not play in 2020 due to the cancellation of the Minor League Baseball season because of the COVID-19 pandemic. Pinto elected free agency on November 2, 2020,[4] and re–signed with the organization on a minor league contract on November 16. Pinto split the 2021 season between Montgomery and the Durham Bulls, hitting a combined .274/.325/.500/.825 with 20 home runs and 60 RBI.[5][6]
On November 7, 2021, Tampa Bay selected Pinto's contract to the 40-man roster.[7] On April 22, 2022, Pinto was added to the Rays roster as a COVID-19 replacement for Francisco Mejía.[8] He made his MLB debut on April 26 against the Seattle Mariners. After Mike Zunino left the game with a left biceps injury, Pinto replaced him. In the same game, Pinto collected his first major league hit, a two-run home run off of Mariners reliever Matt Koch. He became the 10th player in Rays history to get a home run as his first MLB hit.[9] He appeared in 25 games for Tampa Bay in his rookie campaign, hitting .213/.241/.325 with 2 home runs and 10 RBI.
Pinto was optioned to Triple-A Durham to begin the 2023 season.[10]
Baltimore Orioles
[edit]On November 4, 2024, Pinto was claimed off waivers by the Baltimore Orioles.[11]
References
[edit]- ^ "René Pinto Stats, Fantasy & News". MLB.com. Retrieved November 7, 2021.
- ^ a b c d "Rene Pinto Minor, Amateur & Winter Leagues Statistics & History". Baseball-Reference.com. Retrieved November 8, 2021.
- ^ Tolentino, Josh (February 19, 2020). "Thoughts on all 32 position players reporting to Rays spring training". The Athletic. Retrieved November 8, 2021.
- ^ "Full List of 2020-2021 MiLB Free Agents". baseballamerica.com. Retrieved September 17, 2024.
- ^ Staff Reports (November 7, 2021). "Rays' Rene Pinto: Added to 40-man roster". CBSSports.com. Retrieved November 7, 2021.
- ^ RaysRadio (November 7, 2021). "Rays Pick Up Zunino Option, Add Catcher to Roster". Medium. Retrieved November 7, 2021.
- ^ Topkin, Marc (November 7, 2021). "Following All-Star season, Rays pick up Mike Zunino's option for 2022". Tampa Bay Times. Retrieved November 7, 2021.
- ^ McDonald, Darragh (April 22, 2022). "Francisco Mejia Test Positive For Covid-19". MLB Trade Rumors. Retrieved April 22, 2022.
- ^ "Backup Catcher Rene Pinto Makes the Most of MLB Debut With Home Run". si.com. Retrieved February 5, 2023.
- ^ "Rays' Rene Pinto: Sent to Durham". cbssports.com. Retrieved March 22, 2023.
- ^ https://www.mlbtraderumors.com/2024/11/orioles-claim-rene-pinto-thaddeus-ward.html
External links
[edit]- Career statistics and player information from MLB, or ESPN, or Baseball Reference, or Fangraphs, or Baseball Reference (Minors), or Retrosheet
- 1996 births
- Living people
- Baseball players from Maracay
- Bowling Green Hot Rods players
- Charlotte Stone Crabs players
- Durham Bulls players
- Florida Complex League Rays players
- Gulf Coast Rays players
- Leones del Escogido players
- Major League Baseball catchers
- Major League Baseball players from Venezuela
- Montgomery Biscuits players
- Navegantes del Magallanes players
- Princeton Rays players
- Tampa Bay Rays players
- Venezuelan Summer League Rays players
- Venezuelan expatriate baseball players in the United States
- Venezuelan expatriate baseball players in the Dominican Republic