Lázaro Robersy Armenteros Arango (born 22 May 1999), nicknamed Lazarito, is a Cuban professional baseball outfielder who is a free agent.
Lázaro Armenteros | |||||||||||||||
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![]() Armenteros in 2021 | |||||||||||||||
Free agent | |||||||||||||||
Outfielder | |||||||||||||||
Born: Havana, Cuba | 22 May 1999|||||||||||||||
Bats: Right Throws: Right | |||||||||||||||
Medals
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Career
editAmateur
editArmenteros 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]
Oakland Athletics
editOn 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]
Personal life
editArmenteros 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
edit- ^ a b "16-year-old Cuban megaprospect Lazarito Armenteros cleared to sign with an MLB team". For The Win. Retrieved 27 January 2016.
- ^ "Lázaro Armenteros, el próximo astro cubano en Grandes Ligas" (in Spanish). Martinoticias.com. Retrieved 13 July 2018.
- ^ a b c d "Cuban 'Lazarito' Armenteros seeks free agency". Major League Baseball. Retrieved 27 January 2016.
- ^ "MLB says Cuba's Lazaro Armenteros, 16, eligible to sign". ESPN.com. Retrieved 27 January 2016.
- ^ Stiglich, Joe (19 March 2017). "A's star prospect 'Lazarito' adjusting to American baseball, culture | NBCS Bay Area". Nbcsports.com. Retrieved 13 July 2018.
- ^ a b "Meet Lazaro Armenteros, the next Cuban baseball star". USA TODAY. 22 December 2015. Retrieved 27 January 2016.
- ^ "What you need to know about new Cuban free agent Lazaro Armenteros". Yahoo Sports. 12 January 2016. Retrieved 27 January 2016.
- ^ Townsend, Mark (2 July 2016). "Coveted Cuban prospect Lazaro Armenteros finds home with A's". Yahoo Sports. Retrieved 2 July 2016.
- ^ Stiglich, Joe (25 March 2017). "A's 17-year-old prospect 'Lazarito' makes Cactus League debut | NBCS Bay Area". Nbcsports.com. Retrieved 13 July 2018.
- ^ "Lazaro Armenteros Stats, Highlights, Bio - MiLB.com Stats - The Official Site of Minor League Baseball". MiLB.com. Retrieved 27 April 2018.
- ^ "Down on the farm: A's prospect Lazarito set to debut for Beloit, Luzardo continues to dominate – The Athletic". Theathletic.com. 7 May 2018. Retrieved 13 July 2018.
- ^ Kleinschmidt, Jessica (21 June 2019). "A's prospect Lazaro Armenteros showing power potential in Stockton | NBCS Bay Area". Nbcsports.com. Retrieved 9 November 2019.
- ^ "2019 Register Batting Leaders". Baseball-Reference.com. 1 January 1970. Retrieved 9 November 2019.
- ^ "2020 Minor League Baseball season cancelled". mlb.com. Retrieved 24 November 2023.
- ^ "Lazaro Armenteros - Stats - Batting". fangraphs.com. Retrieved 24 November 2023.
- ^ "Lazaro Armenteros Stats & Scouting Report". baseballamerica.com. Retrieved 24 November 2023.
- ^ "A's To Select Lazaro Armenteros". mlbtraderumors.com. Retrieved 24 November 2023.
- ^ "Athletics' Lazaro Armenteros: Optioned to Triple-A". cbssports.com. Retrieved 12 March 2024.
- ^ "A's Select Tyler Ferguson, Designate Lazaro Armenteros For Assignment". mlbtraderumors.com. Retrieved 7 May 2024.
- ^ "Athletics Outright Lázaro Armenteros". mlbtraderumors.com. Retrieved 11 May 2024.
- ^ https://www.milb.com/transactions/2024-07-15
External links
edit- Career statistics and player information from MLB, or ESPN, or Fangraphs, or Baseball Reference (Minors)