Wilmer Flores

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Wilmer Flores
20150818-0208 Wilmer Flores.jpg
Flores with the New York Mets in 2015
New York Mets – No. 4
Infielder
Born: (1991-08-06) August 6, 1991 (age 24)
Valencia, Venezuela
Bats: Right Throws: Right
MLB debut
August 6, 2013 for the New York Mets
MLB statistics
(through 2015)
Batting average .253
Home runs 23
Runs batted in 101
Teams
This name uses Spanish naming customs: the first or paternal family name is Flores and the second or maternal family name is Garcia.

Wilmer Alejandro Flores Garcia (born August 6, 1991) is a Venezuelan professional baseball infielder for the New York Mets of Major League Baseball.

Career[edit]

Minor league career[edit]

Flores signed as an international free agent out of Venezuela with the Mets on August 6, 2007.[1][2] He was rated in the Top 100 prospects by Baseball America prior to the 2009 (#47), 2010 (#88) and 2011 (#59) seasons.

Flores started at second base for the World team at the 2009 All-Star Futures Game. He also has been named to the Baseball America Rookie All-Star Team (2008), the APP Post-Season All-Star Team (2008), the MiLB.com Organization All-Star Team (2010) and the South Atlantic League All-Star Team (2010).[3]

In 2011, the Mets sent Flores back to the St. Lucie Mets of the Class A-Advanced Florida State League (FSL) to convert him from a shortstop into a third baseman.[4] In 2012 Flores was selected at third base for the FSL All-Star Game. He went 3-for-4 with a run scored and three runs batted in, earning Most Valuable Player honors.[5] He also appeared in the All-Star Futures Game for the second time in his career.[4] The Mets promoted Flores to the Binghamton Mets of the Class AA Eastern League during the 2012 season.[6]

Flores began the 2013 season with the Las Vegas 51s of the Class AAA Pacific Coast League.

Major league career[edit]

2013[edit]

He gained a promotion to the Mets on August 6, on the day of his 22nd birthday.[7] On August 7, he hit a bases-loaded double against the Colorado Rockies, for his first three major league RBIs. On August 11, he hit his first career home run against the Diamondbacks.

2014[edit]

Flores started the 2014 season again in Class AAA, but was called up to make a start at second base on April 2.[8]

After making that start, he was sent back down to the Las Vegas 51s to play shortstop. He was then called up about a month later at which point he made 14 starts at shortstop and one at second base. On June 2, Flores drove in a career high of 6 RBIs in a single game, during which he also hit his first career grand slam.

2015[edit]

On July 29, 2015, rumors spread during the Padres-Mets game that Flores had been traded to the Milwaukee Brewers along with pitcher Zack Wheeler for Carlos Gomez. Despite the rumors, Flores remained in the game, and was visibly emotional when he returned to the field. However, following the game, General Manager Sandy Alderson told the media that no trade had occurred, and that "social media got ahead of the facts." It was later reported that the trade deal had fallen through.[9] Two days later, Flores hit his first career walk-off home run against Washington Nationals pitcher Felipe Rivero.[10] Since the incident, Flores has become a fan-favorite of Mets fans and was given standing ovations in the subsequent weeks, both at home and at away games.

References[edit]

  1. ^ Shpigel, Ben (March 15, 2009). "Mets Prospect Wilmer Flores Is on Fast Track to the Majors". The New York Times. Retrieved November 11, 2011. 
  2. ^ McLaughlin, Eliott C. (July 31, 2015). "Mets' Wilmer Flores weeps on field amid trade rumors -- that appear false". CNN.com. Retrieved July 31, 2015. 
  3. ^ "– Jesus Flores profile". Milb.com. Retrieved August 6, 2013. 
  4. ^ a b [1][dead link]
  5. ^ Girandola, Chris (June 17, 2012). "– Flores leads South to All-Star win". Milb.com. Retrieved August 6, 2013. 
  6. ^ "Wilmer Flores itching for promotion to the majors". Newsday.com. July 8, 2012. Retrieved August 6, 2013. 
  7. ^ Rubin, Adam. "Wilmer to join Mets on Tuesday - Mets Blog - ESPN New York". Espn.go.com. Retrieved August 6, 2013. 
  8. ^ "Parnell on DL; Mets call up Farnsworth, Flores". Associated Press. ESPN.com. April 2, 2014. Retrieved April 2, 2014. 
  9. ^ "Wilmer Flores Cries After Learning He'd Been Traded, Stays In The Game (UPDATE)". Deadspin.com. July 29, 2015. Retrieved July 30, 2015. 
  10. ^ Moon, Jason (August 1, 2015). "Mets' Flores goes from tears to cheers". CNN.com. Retrieved August 1, 2015. 

External links[edit]