Lázaro Armenteros
Armenteros in 2021
Oakland Athletics
Outfielder
Born: (1999-05-22) 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 for the Oakland Athletics of Major League Baseball (MLB).

Career

Amateur

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]

Oakland Athletics

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 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 November 6, the Athletics added Armenteros to their 40-man roster to prevent him from reaching minor league free agency.[17]

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

  1. 1 2 "16-year-old Cuban megaprospect Lazarito Armenteros cleared to sign with an MLB team". For The Win. Retrieved January 27, 2016.
  2. ↑ "Lázaro Armenteros, el próximo astro cubano en Grandes Ligas" (in Spanish). Martinoticias.com. Retrieved July 13, 2018.
  3. 1 2 3 4 "Cuban 'Lazarito' Armenteros seeks free agency". Major League Baseball. Retrieved January 27, 2016.
  4. ↑ "MLB says Cuba's Lazaro Armenteros, 16, eligible to sign". ESPN.com. Retrieved January 27, 2016.
  5. ↑ Stiglich, Joe (March 19, 2017). "A's star prospect 'Lazarito' adjusting to American baseball, culture | NBCS Bay Area". Nbcsports.com. Retrieved July 13, 2018.
  6. 1 2 "Meet Lazaro Armenteros, the next Cuban baseball star". USA TODAY. December 22, 2015. Retrieved January 27, 2016.
  7. ↑ "What you need to know about new Cuban free agent Lazaro Armenteros". Yahoo Sports. January 12, 2016. Retrieved January 27, 2016.
  8. ↑ Townsend, Mark (July 2, 2016). "Coveted Cuban prospect Lazaro Armenteros finds home with A's". Yahoo Sports. Retrieved July 2, 2016.
  9. ↑ 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.
  10. ↑ "Lazaro Armenteros Stats, Highlights, Bio - MiLB.com Stats - The Official Site of Minor League Baseball". MiLB.com. Retrieved April 27, 2018.
  11. ↑ "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.
  12. ↑ Kleinschmidt, Jessica (June 21, 2019). "A's prospect Lazaro Armenteros showing power potential in Stockton | NBCS Bay Area". Nbcsports.com. Retrieved November 9, 2019.
  13. ↑ "2019 Register Batting Leaders". Baseball-Reference.com. January 1, 1970. Retrieved November 9, 2019.
  14. ↑ "2020 Minor League Baseball season cancelled". mlb.com. Retrieved November 24, 2023.
  15. ↑ "Lazaro Armenteros - Stats - Batting". fangraphs.com. Retrieved November 24, 2023.
  16. ↑ "Lazaro Armenteros Stats & Scouting Report". baseballamerica.com. Retrieved November 24, 2023.
  17. ↑ "A's To Select Lazaro Armenteros". mlbtraderumors.com. Retrieved November 24, 2023.
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