Livan Soto
Soto pictured with Corey Seager during a game on September 20,2022
Los Angeles Angels – No. 13
Shortstop / Second baseman
Born: (2000-06-22) June 22, 2000
Valencia, Venezuela
Bats: Left
Throws: Right
MLB debut
September 17, 2022, for the Los Angeles Angels
MLB statistics
(through 2023 season)
Batting average.375
Home runs1
Runs batted in9
Teams

Livan Enrique Soto (born June 22, 2000) is a Venezuelan professional baseball shortstop and second baseman for the Los Angeles Angels of Major League Baseball (MLB).

Professional career

Atlanta Braves

Soto signed with the Atlanta Braves on July 2, 2016 as an international free agent.[1] He made his professional debut for the Gulf Coast League Braves in 2017, appearing in 47 games and ending the season with a .225 batting average.[2] He was granted free agency on November 21, 2017 after Major League Baseball voided the contracts of nine Braves' minor league players after the league announced the Braves had violated international signing rules from 2015 to 2017.[3]

Los Angeles Angels

On December 15, 2017, Soto signed a minor league contract with the Los Angeles Angels organization.[1] He spent the 2018 season with the Orem Owlz of the Pioneer League. He split the 2019 season with the AZL Angels and the Burlington Bees. Soto did not play in a game in 2020 due to cancellation of the minor league season because of the COVID-19 pandemic.[4]

In 2021, he advanced to the Single-A and Double-A levels, appearing with the Tri-City Dust Devils and Rocket City Trash Pandas.[2] Soto began the 2022 season with Rocket City and was named the Southern League Player of the Week on July 11 after going 11-for-21 in six games. At the time, he was leading the league in hits and among the league leaders in batting average and on-base percentage.[2] [5]

On September 17, 2022, Soto was selected to the 40-man roster and promoted to the major leagues for the first time.[6] The following day against the Seattle Mariners, Soto collected his first career hit and home run, with both coming off of Seattle starter Marco Gonzales.[7] Soto appeared in 18 games for the Angels in his rookie campaign, slashing an excellent .400/.414/.582 with one home run and 9 RBI.

Soto was optioned to the Triple-A Salt Lake Bees to begin the 2023 season.[8]

References

  1. 1 2 "Livan Soto at Baseball America". Baseball America. Retrieved September 17, 2022.
  2. 1 2 3 "Livan Soto statistics at Baseball-Reference (Minors)". Baseball-Reference.com. Retrieved September 17, 2022.
  3. ↑ Odum, Charles (November 23, 2017). "Braves lose 13 prospects". Journal Gazette. p. B1. Retrieved September 17, 2022 – via Newspapers.com.
  4. ↑ "2020 Minor League Baseball season cancelled". mlb.com. Retrieved June 20, 2023.
  5. ↑ "Livan Soto named Southern League Player of the Week". rocketcitynow.com. 11 July 2022. Retrieved September 17, 2022.
  6. ↑ "Angels To Select Livan Soto". mlbtraderumors. Retrieved September 17, 2022.
  7. ↑ "From Double-A title to 1st MLB hit, HR: 'Pretty good week'". mlb.com. Retrieved June 20, 2023.
  8. ↑ "Angels' Livan Soto: Optioned to Triple-A". cbssports.com. Retrieved 2023-03-25.
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