Ildemaro Vargas

Ildemaro José Vargas (born July 16, 1991) is a Venezuelan professional baseball infielder for the Washington Nationals of Major League Baseball (MLB). He has previously played in MLB for the Arizona Diamondbacks, Minnesota Twins, Chicago Cubs, and Pittsburgh Pirates.

Ildemaro Vargas
Vargas with the Arizona Diamondbacks in 2019
Washington Nationals – No. 14
Second baseman / Third baseman
Born: (1991-07-16) July 16, 1991
Caripito, Monagas, Venezuela
Bats: Switch
Throws: Right
MLB debut
June 29, 2017, for the Arizona Diamondbacks
MLB statistics
(through 2023 season)
Batting average.246
Home runs16
Runs batted in96
Teams

Career

St. Louis Cardinals

Vargas signed with the St. Louis Cardinals as an international free agent on June 24, 2008. He made his professional debut with the VSL Cardinals. He played for the club in 2009 as well, slashing .264/.368/.374 in 52 games. In 2010, Vargas played for the GCL Cardinals, batting .239/.317/.364 with no home runs and 15 RBI. He also played for the club in 2011, hitting .289/.391/.395 with 1 home run and 18 RBI. In 2012, he split the year between the rookie ball Johnson City Cardinals, the Low-A Batavia Muckdogs, and the High-A Palm Beach Cardinals, posting a .314/.378/.443 batting line with 4 home runs and 32 RBI between the three clubs. He spent the 2013 season with the Single-A Peoria Chiefs, slashing .248/.304/.305 in 115 games. He split the 2014 season between Palm Beach and the Double-A Springfield Cardinals, batting .236/.266/.286 with 1 home run and 40 RBI.[1] On March 30, 2015, Vargas was released by the Cardinals organization.

Bridgeport Bluefish

On April 1, 2015, Vargas signed with Bridgeport Bluefish of the Atlantic League of Professional Baseball.[2] In 30 games for the club, he slashed .273/.316/.318 with 8 RBI.

Arizona Diamondbacks

On May 26, 2015, Vargas signed a minor league contract with the Arizona Diamondbacks.[3] He spent the remainder of the year with the Single-A Kane County Cougars, slashing .321/.385/.438 in 86 games. In 2016, Vargas split the year between the High-A Visalia Rawhide, the Double-A Mobile BayBears, and the Triple-A Reno Aces, posting a batting line of .305/.360/.400 with 6 home runs and 37 RBI between the three teams. The Diamondbacks added Vargas to their 40-man roster after the 2016 season.[4]

Vargas started 2017 with the Reno Aces and was called up to the Diamondbacks on June 29.[5] He hit .308 in 13 major league plate appearances in 2017 and .211 in 20 major league plate appearances in 2018. In 2019, Vargas hit .269/.299/.413 in 92 games for the big league club, notching 6 home runs and 24 RBI. On September 24, 2019, Vargas was brought in to pinch-hit in the ninth inning of a game against the St. Louis Cardinals and hit a home run that tied the game at 1–1. The game would go on for 19 innings, the longest game in Diamondbacks history, and ended when Vargas hit a walk-off single.[6] Vargas went 3-for-20 in 8 games for Arizona in 2020 before he was designated for assignment on August 6, 2020.[7]

Minnesota Twins

On August 11, Vargas was traded to the Minnesota Twins in exchange for cash considerations.[8] He was designated for assignment on September 2, 2020.[9]

Chicago Cubs

On September 5, 2020, Vargas was claimed off waivers by the Chicago Cubs.[10] He joined the team's active roster on September 7. On September 12, in a game against the Milwaukee Brewers, he hit a home run off of closer Josh Hader. In 6 games for Chicago, Vargas went 2-for-9. On March 28, 2021, Vargas was designated for assignment by the Cubs.[11] On March 31, Vargas was outrighted to the minors.[12]

On April 13, 2021, Vargas was selected to the active roster after Matt Duffy was placed on the COVID-19 injured list.[13] Vargas was removed from the 40-man roster on April 16, but was re-selected on May 4.[14] After hitting .143 in 24 plate appearances, Vargas was designated for assignment on May 15, 2021.[15]

Pittsburgh Pirates

On May 17, 2021, Vargas was claimed off waivers by the Pittsburgh Pirates.[16] Vargas hit .077 in 7 games before being designated for assignment on May 30.[17]

Arizona Diamondbacks (second stint)

On June 2, 2021, Vargas was traded to the Arizona Diamondbacks in exchange for cash considerations.[18] Vargas immediately joined the active roster, his third team of the season, taking the place of infielder Domingo Leyba, who was designated for assignment.[19] After going 3-for-17 in 9 games, Vargas was designated for assignment on June 19.[20] He was outrighted to the Triple-A Reno Aces on June 22.[21] On September 19, 2021, Vargas's contract was selected by Arizona.[22] Vargas hit .156 in 34 games in 2021, with 0 home runs and 7 RBI's. On October 8, Vargas was elected free agency.[23]

Chicago Cubs (second stint)

On December 17, 2021, Vargas signed a minor league contract to return to the Chicago Cubs.[24] He had his contract selected to the majors on May 10, 2022. He was designated for assignment on May 22, and elected free agency on May 26.

Washington Nationals

On May 27, 2022, Vargas signed a minor league deal with the Washington Nationals. He had his contract selected on August 2.

References
  1. "Ildemaro Vargas Minor, Winter & Independent Leagues Statistics & History". Baseball-Reference.com.
  2. "Bridgeport Bluefish notebook: Trio signed". www.ctpost.com. April 2, 2015.
  3. Johnson, Paul. "Ildemaro Vargas emerges as a prime-time hitter for Kane County Cougars". Chicago Tribune. Retrieved November 19, 2016.
  4. "Diamondbacks' Ildemaro Vargas: Added to 40-man roster". CBSSports.com. Retrieved 2017-06-29.
  5. "D-backs recall infielder Ildemaro Vargas, option Braden Shipley". Arizona Sports. 2017-06-29. Retrieved 2017-06-29.
  6. "19 innings later, D-backs have record-setting win". MLB.com. September 25, 2019. Retrieved May 3, 2020.
  7. "Diamondbacks Designate Ildemaro Vargas For Assignment". MLB Trade Rumors.
  8. "D-backs Trade Ildemaro Vargas To Twins". MLB Trade Rumors.
  9. "Twins Designate Ildemaro Vargas For Assignment". MLB Trade Rumors.
  10. Chicago Cubs [@Cubs] (5 September 2020). "Today's #Cubs roster moves: - Recalled RHP Adbert Alzolay from the South Bend Alternate Site to serve as 29th man for the doubleheader - Claimed INF Ildemaro Vargas off waivers from the Twins - Released RHP Jharel Cotton" (Tweet) – via Twitter.
  11. "Cubs Select Three Contracts, Designate Ildemaro Vargas". MLB Trade Rumors.
  12. "Minor MLB Transactions: 4/1/21". MLB Trade Rumors.
  13. "Cubs Place Matt Duffy On COVID IL, Select Ildemaro Vargas". MLB Trade Rumors.
  14. "Cubs Announce Series Of Roster Moves". MLB Trade Rumors.
  15. "Cubs Activate Ian Happ, Designate Ildemaro Vargas". MLB Trade Rumors.
  16. "Pirates Claim Ildemaro Vargas, Designate Troy Stokes Jr". MLB Trade Rumors.
  17. "Pirates Select Chase De Jong, Designate Ildemaro Vargas". MLB Trade Rumors.
  18. "Pirates Trade Ildemaro Vargas to Diamondbacks".
  19. Adams, Steve (June 2, 2021). "Pirates Trade Ildemaro Vargas To Diamondbacks". MLB Trade Rumors.
  20. "Diamondbacks Sign Jake Faria, Designate Ildemaro Vargas".
  21. "Minor MLB Transactions: 6/22/21".
  22. "Diamondbacks Designate Jake Faria, Select Ildemaro Vargas".
  23. "Ildemaro Vargas, Chris Devenski Elect Free Agency". MLB Trade Rumors. Retrieved October 10, 2021.
  24. "Cubs Announce Seven Minor League Deals". MLB Trade Rumors. December 17, 2021. Retrieved December 17, 2021.
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