Harold Ramírez

Harold Andrés Ramírez Lemus (born September 6, 1994) is a Colombian professional baseball designated hitter and outfielder for the Tampa Bay Rays of Major League Baseball (MLB). He previously played in MLB for the Miami Marlins and Cleveland Indians. Ramírez also represents the Colombian national team.

Not to be confused with Harold Ramírez (boxer).
In this Spanish name, the first or paternal surname is Ramírez and the second or maternal family name is Lemus.
Harold Ramírez
Ramírez with the New Hampshire Fisher Cats in 2018
Tampa Bay Rays – No. 43
Designated hitter / Outfielder
Born: (1994-09-06) September 6, 1994
Cartagena, Colombia
Bats: Right
Throws: Right
MLB debut
May 11, 2019, for the Miami Marlins
MLB statistics
(through 2023 season)
Batting average.289
Home runs36
Runs batted in218
Teams

Professional career

Pittsburgh Pirates

Ramírez signed with the Pittsburgh Pirates as an international free agent in July 2011.[1] He made his professional debut in 2012 with the Rookie-level Gulf Coast Pirates. In 39 games, Ramírez batted .259 with one home run and 12 RBI.[2] In 2013, he played for the Short Season-A Jamestown Jammers, and hit .285 with five home runs, 40 RBI, and 23 stolen bases in 71 games played.[2]

In 2014, Ramírez was promoted to the Class-A West Virginia Power, where he appeared in 49 games and batted .309 with one home run and 24 RBI.[2] He also set the team record for longest hitting streak.[3] Ramírez continued to make his way through the Pirates minor league system, playing the entire 2015 season with the Advanced-A Bradenton Marauders. In 80 games, he would record a .337 batting average, four home runs, 47 RBI, and 22 stolen bases.[2] The Pirates added him to their 40-man roster after the 2015 season.[4] In the offseason, Ramírez played 15 games with the Venados de Mazatlán of the Mexican Pacific League, and hit .245 with one home run and 5 RBI against pitchers that were, on average, over eight years older than he was.[2] In his first season with the Double-A Altoona Curve, he was selected to play in the 2016 Eastern League All-Star Game. He had been batting .300/.355/.401 in 70 games at the time of his selection.[5]

Toronto Blue Jays

On August 1, 2016, the Pirates traded Ramírez, along with Francisco Liriano and Reese McGuire, to the Blue Jays for Drew Hutchison.[6] Ramírez was optioned to the Double-A New Hampshire Fisher Cats. He would play in just one game for New Hampshire before being placed on the disabled list, where he finished 2016. In 99 total games, Ramírez hit .311 with two home runs and 50 RBI.[2] Ramírez appeared in 121 games for New Hampshire in 2017, and batted .266 with a career-high six home runs and 53 RBI.[2] On November 20, 2017, he was outrighted off the 40-man roster.[7][8] Ramírez spent 2018 with the Fisher Cats, appearing in 120 games and hitting .320 with 11 home runs and 70 RBI.[2] He elected free agency on November 2, 2018.[9]

Miami Marlins

On November 26, 2018, Ramírez signed a minor-league contract with the Miami Marlins.[10][11]

He began 2019 with the New Orleans Baby Cakes.[12] On May 11, his contract was selected and he was called up to the major league roster.[13] He made his debut that night versus the New York Mets, hitting a single off Edwin Diaz for his first MLB hit.[14]

Ramírez reached base safely in 18 of his first 19 MLB games and made starts at all three outfield positions during his rookie season.[15] He led the team with three walk-off plays, including walk-off home runs on August 1 and August 29.

Ramírez only had 10 at-bats for Miami in 2020, going 2 for 10 with two singles, two strikeouts and walk.[16] On February 17, 2021, Ramírez was designated for assignment following the acquisition of John Curtiss.[17][18]

After the 2020 season, Ramírez joined the Caimanes de Barranquilla in the Colombian Professional Baseball League. With Caimanes, his hometown team, he competed in the 2021 Caribbean Series, batting .238/.238/.333 with two doubles in 21 plate appearances.

Cleveland Indians

Ramírez was claimed off waivers by the Cleveland Indians on February 24, 2021.[19] Over 99 games, Ramírez batted .268/.305/.398 with 7 home runs and 41 RBIs. He was designated for assignment by the newly-renamed Cleveland Guardians on November 19, 2021.[20]

Ramírez rejoined Caimanes de Barranquilla in 2021, which again represented Colombia in the 2022 Caribbean Series. Caimanes defeated the Dominican team, Gigantes del Cibao, for the 2022 title, marking the first time a Colombian team won the tournament; Ramírez and the rest of his teammates were welcomed to the presidential palace by Colombian President Iván Duque. During the campaign, Ramírez slashed .333/.355/.400 with two doubles and three RBI.

Tampa Bay Rays

Ramírez was traded to the Chicago Cubs on November 22, 2021 in exchange for cash considerations.[21][22] On March 25, 2022, Ramírez was traded to the Tampa Bay Rays in exchange for Esteban Quiroz.[23][24] For much of the 2022 season, he was a contender for the batting title in the American League. Ramírez was hitting .329 through July 17, when a pitch from the Orioles’ Jordan Lyles fractured his right thumb and caused him to miss four weeks.[25] He ended the season with a slash line of .300/.343/.404, leading the team in batting average, and his 58 RBIs for the Rays were second only to Randy Arozarena.

Ramírez's salary for the 2023 season was determined by the arbitration process to be $2.2 million.[26]

International career

Ramírez represents Colombia in international competition. In the 2023 World Baseball Classic, he slashed .133/.188/.133 over 15 at-bats.[27]

Personal life

Ramírez has two sons: Elian, born in October 2016, and Ethan, born in 2020. They live with his ex-wife, Adriana, in Miami. Elian has autism spectrum disorder, inspiring Ramírez to dye his hair blue, the color of autism awareness. Ramírez also has a tattoo on his hand in honor of his son with a puzzle piece (a symbol of the autistic community) and a message that reads "It's okay to be different."[28]

References
  1. "Pirates land Colombian outfielder for $1.05 million". TribLIVE.com.
  2. "Harold Ramirez Register Statistics & History". Baseball-Reference.com. Retrieved August 1, 2016.
  3. Pritt, Ryan (July 19, 2014). "Pirates minor league notebook: Streaking Ramirez surpasses Marte's mark". TribLIVE.com. Retrieved August 1, 2016.
  4. "Pirates add 4 prospects to 40-man roster". Pittsburgh Pirates. Retrieved February 20, 2016.
  5. Berry, Adam (July 1, 2016). "Pirates' injured trio takes part in sim game; Around the horn". MLB.com. Retrieved July 1, 2016.
  6. "Blue Jays trade Drew Hutchison to Pirates for Francisco Liriano, prospects". Sportsnet. August 1, 2016. Retrieved August 1, 2016.
  7. "Blue Jays outright OF Ramirez, RHP Rowley from 40-man roster". Sportsnet. November 20, 2017. Retrieved February 16, 2023.
  8. "Blue Jays acquire 2nd baseman Gift Ngoepe from Pirates". CBC. Associated Press. November 20, 2017. Retrieved February 16, 2023.
  9. "Harold Ramirez Stats, Highlights, Bio". MiLB.com. Retrieved November 5, 2018.
  10. "Harold Ramirez Is Primed For A Big Role". Baseball America. February 1, 2019. Retrieved February 16, 2023. One month later, 24-year-old outfielder Harold Ramirez signed with the Marlins for a bonus of $25,000 in what could be a steal for Miami.
  11. "Marlins sign slugger with 162 big-league home runs". Miami Herald. December 3, 2018.
  12. "Mayfield, Straw lift Round Rock over New Orleans 5-4 | Sports | hastingstribune.com". Archived from the original on 2019-04-16.
  13. McPherson, Jordan (May 11, 2019). "The Miami Marlins continue to make moves with their outfield. Here's the latest". Miami Herald. Retrieved February 16, 2023.
  14. Kahn, David (May 12, 2019). "Ramirez makes MLB debut with Marlins in New York". Retrieved February 16, 2023.
  15. "Harold Ramirez Stats". Baseball-Reference.com. Retrieved 2019-12-22.
  16. "Harold Ramirez Stats, Fantasy & News | Chicago Cubs". MLB.com.
  17. "Miami Marlins acquire RHP John Curtiss from Tampa Bay". MLB.com. February 17, 2021. Retrieved February 16, 2023.
  18. "Marlins trade prospect for Rays reliever John Curtiss". Sun Sentinel. February 17, 2021. Retrieved February 16, 2023.
  19. "OF Harold Ramirez claimed". Indians.com. February 24, 2021.
  20. "Guardians Announce Series Of 40-man Roster Moves". CleGuardians.com. November 19, 2021.
  21. Hoynes, Paul (November 22, 2021). "Cleveland Guardians trade J.C. Mejia to Milwaukee, Harold Ramirez to Cubs; re-sign Sandy Leon". Cleveland.com. Retrieved February 16, 2023.
  22. Stebbings, Tim (November 22, 2021). "Cubs add outfield depth in trade with Guardians". NBC Sports Chicago. Retrieved February 16, 2023.
  23. "Cubs acquire infielder Esteban Quiroz from Tampa Bay for outfielder Harold Ramirez". MLB.com. March 25, 2022. Retrieved February 16, 2023.
  24. Berry, Adam (March 26, 2022). "Rays add righty pop, acquire Ramirez from Cubs". MLB.com. Retrieved February 16, 2023.
  25. "Rays' Harold Ramirez hopes to find more power as he makes himself at home". Tampa Bay Times. March 22, 2023.
  26. "Rays' Harold Ramirez, Angels' Luis Rengifo win salary arbitration cases". February 16, 2023. Retrieved February 16, 2023.
  27. "Stats - Colombia". MLB.com. Retrieved March 20, 2023.
  28. Horowitz, Brian (May 19, 2023). "Blue hair to make us aware: Ramírez dyes locks for autistic son". MLB.com.
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