Conner Menez

Conner Scott Menez (born May 29, 1995) is an American professional baseball pitcher for the Águilas Cibaeñas of the Dominican Professional Baseball League. He has previously played in Major League Baseball (MLB) for the San Francisco Giants and Chicago Cubs, and in Nippon Professional Baseball (NPB) for the Hokkaido Nippon-Ham Fighters. He played college baseball at The Master's University and was drafted by the Giants in the 14th round of the 2016 Major League Baseball draft.

Conner Menez
Menez with the Hokkaido Nippon-Ham Fighters
Águilas Cibaeñas
Pitcher
Born: (1995-05-29) May 29, 1995
Hollister, California, U.S.
Bats: Left
Throws: Left
Professional debut
MLB: July 21, 2019, for the San Francisco Giants
NPB: July 19, 2022, for the Hokkaido Nippon-Ham Fighters
MLB statistics
(through 2022 season)
Win–loss record2–1
Earned run average3.95
Strikeouts46
NPB statistics
(through 2023 season)
Win–loss record1-2
Earned run average2.13
Strikeouts47
Teams

Amateur career

Menez attended San Benito High School in Hollister, California. He then played college baseball at The Master's University from 2014 to 2016, where he had a 20–5 win–loss record and a 2.26 career earned run average (ERA), the lowest in school history.[1][2]

Professional career

San Francisco Giants

The San Francisco Giants selected Menez in the 14th round of the 2016 Major League Baseball draft.[3] He signed for a $75,000 signing bonus.[4]

Menez spent his first professional season with the Arizona League Giants, Salem-Keizer Volcanoes and San Jose Giants, pitching to a combined 4–1 record and 4.22 ERA in 53.1 innings pitched between the three teams. He pitched in 2017 with San Jose, going 7–7 with a 4.41 ERA in 23 games (22 starts), and in 2018 with San Jose, the Richmond Flying Squirrels and the Sacramento River Cats,[5] compiling a combined 9–10 record with a 4.46 ERA in 28 total starts with 171 strikeouts in 135.1 innings (averaging 11.4 strikeouts per nine innings).

He started 2019 with Richmond and was promoted to Sacramento during the season.[6][7] Between the two teams, in 2019 he was 6–4 with a 3.79 ERA in 23 games (22 starts) in which he pitched 121 innings and struck out 154 batters (averaging 11.5 strikeouts per nine innings).[8]

On July 21, 2019, the Giants selected Menez's contract and promoted him to the major leagues.[9] In his major league debut that day, he pitched five innings while allowing 2 runs and recording six strikeouts.[10] In 2019 for the Giants he was 0–1 with a 5.29 ERA in eight games (three starts) covering 17 innings in which he struck out 22 batters.[8]

In 2020 for the Giants, Menez pitched to a 2.38 ERA with 8 strikeouts in 11.1 innings of work.[11]

On August 4, 2021, Menez was designated for assignment by the Giants.[12] Menez was outrighted to Triple-A Sacramento on August 7.[13]

Chicago Cubs

On December 8, 2021, the Chicago Cubs selected Menez in the minor league phase of the Rule 5 draft.[14] He was assigned to the Triple-A Iowa Cubs to begin the 2022 season.

On May 9, 2022, Menez was selected to the 40-man and active rosters.[15] After pitching a scoreless inning in a loss to the Arizona Diamondbacks, he was optioned back to Triple-A Iowa. On June 4, Menez was designated for assignment by Chicago after Caleb Kilian had his contract selected.[16] He cleared waivers and was sent outright to Triple-A Iowa on June 6.[17]

Hokkaido Nippon-Ham Fighters

On June 24, 2022, Menez announced via Instagram that he would be signing with the Hokkaido Nippon-Ham Fighters of Nippon Professional Baseball (NPB).[18][19][20] Fighters manager Tsuyoshi Shinjo said regarding Menez's acquisition that he may come to Japan "in a week".[21] In 18 appearances for the Fighters, Menez recorded a 1.08 ERA with 28 strikeouts in 25.0 innings pitched.

In 2023, Menez pitched in 12 games for the Fighters, logging a 3.16 ERA with 19 strikeouts in 25+2⁄3 innings of work. On July 1, 2023, Menez was released by Hokkaido.[22]

Águilas Cibaeñas

On October 9, 2023, Menez signed to played winter baseball with the Águilas Cibaeñas of the Dominican Professional Baseball League.[23]

Personal life

Menez's grandfather is Bill Plummer, a former major league catcher, coach, and manager.[1]

See also

References
  1. "Baseball: For Conner Menez, reality is better than a dream - SanBenito.com". Archived from the original on July 21, 2019. Retrieved June 14, 2019.
  2. "Master's alum Conner Menez shines in MLB debut". The Master's University Athletics.
  3. "Drafted by favorite team, pitcher Conner Menez getting first Double-A experience with Flying Squirrels | Sports". richmond.com. June 19, 2018. Retrieved November 13, 2019.
  4. "Conner Menez". The Baseball Cube. June 21, 2016. Retrieved November 20, 2019.
  5. "A Cal League education has Giants prospect Conner Menez on the big league path – The Athletic". Theathletic.com. August 5, 2018. Retrieved November 13, 2019.
  6. "Left-hander Conner Menez on path to one day pitch for hometown San Francisco Giants | Flying Squirrels". Milb.com. May 16, 2019. Retrieved November 13, 2019.
  7. Pavlovic, Alex (June 7, 2019). "Giants lefty Conner Menez looks like next young pitcher to get a shot | NBCS Bay Area". Nbcsports.com. Retrieved November 13, 2019.
  8. "Conner Menez Minor Leagues Statistics & History". Baseball-Reference.com. Retrieved November 20, 2019.
  9. Henry Schulman (July 20, 2019). "NorCal strong — Giants to promote lefty Conner Menez, infielder Zach Green from Triple-A". San Francisco Chronicle. Retrieved July 20, 2019.
  10. Ali Thanawalla (July 21, 2019). "Conner Menez, Zach Green reflect on making MLB debuts with Giants". NBC Sports Bay Area. Retrieved July 22, 2019.
  11. Klopfer, Brady (November 15, 2020). "Conner Menez had an up-and-down year". McCovey Chronicles.
  12. "Major League Baseball Transactions". Major League Baseball.
  13. "Giants' Conner Menez: Outrighted to Triple-A". CBSSports.com. Retrieved December 14, 2021.
  14. "Rule 5 Draft results, pick by pick". MLB.com. Retrieved December 14, 2021.
  15. "Cubs' Conner Menez: Contract selected by Cubs". cbssports.com. Retrieved February 7, 2023.
  16. "Cubs' Conner Menez: Loses spot on 40-man roster". cbssports.com. Retrieved February 8, 2023.
  17. "Cubs' Conner Menez: Outrighted to Triple-A". cbssports.com. Retrieved February 8, 2023.
  18. "日本ハム、前カブスのメネズ獲得 稲葉GM「今のファイターズにはいない左腕」（Full-Count）". Yahoo!ニュース (in Japanese). Retrieved June 28, 2022.
  19. "Conner Menez: Heading to Japan". CBSSports.com. Retrieved June 28, 2022.
  20. "Conner Menez to sign with NPB's Nippon-Ham Fighters". Yardbarker. June 24, 2022. Retrieved June 28, 2022.
  21. "日本ハム新助っ人左腕・メネズ1週間以内に来日へ 新庄監督「1軍で投げた方がいい」と即1軍デビューも（スポニチアネックス）". Yahoo!ニュース (in Japanese). Retrieved June 28, 2022.
  22. "Nippon Ham Gantt & Menez's departure announcement Gantt 1st army no pitching, Menez has 1 win and 2 losses in total". yahoo.co.jp. Retrieved July 4, 2023.
  23. "Águilas anuncian contratación del lanzador Conner Menez". Aguilas.com. October 9, 2023.


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