Yairo Muñoz

Yairo Muñoz[lower-alpha 1] (Spanish: [ɟʝajˈɾo]; born January 23, 1995) is a Dominican professional baseball infielder and outfielder who is a free agent. He has previously played in Major League Baseball (MLB) for the St. Louis Cardinals, Boston Red Sox and Philadelphia Phillies. Listed at 6 feet 1 inch (1.85 m) and 201 pounds (91 kg), he bats and throws right-handed.

Yairo Muñoz
Muñoz with the Lehigh Valley IronPigs in 2022
Free agent
Infielder / Outfielder
Born: (1995-01-23) January 23, 1995
Nagua, Dominican Republic
Bats: Right
Throws: Right
MLB debut
March 29, 2018, for the St. Louis Cardinals
MLB statistics
(through 2022 season)
Batting average.268
Home runs14
Runs batted in66
Teams

Career

Oakland Athletics

Muñoz signed as an international free agent with the Oakland Athletics. He made his professional debut in 2012 when he played for the Dominican Athletics of the Rookie-level Dominican Summer League, where he batted .229 in 32 games played. In 2013, he played for the Arizona Athletics of the Rookie-level Arizona League, where he posted a .194 batting average with five runs batted in (RBIs) in 25 games. While playing for the Vermont Lake Monsters of the Low–A New York-Penn League in 2014, Muñoz batted .298 with five home runs, 20 RBIs, and 14 stolen bases in 66 games.

Muñoz batting with St. Louis in 2018.

Muñoz began the 2015 season with the Beloit Snappers of the Single–A Midwest League and received a midseason promotion to the Stockton Ports of the High–A California League.[2] He posted a combined .260 batting average, 13 home runs, and 74 RBIs in 136 total games between the two teams. In 2016, Muñoz played for the Midland RockHounds of the Double–A Texas League, where he and Franklin Barreto switched between playing shortstop and second base, while Muñoz also played third base. In 102 games, he batted .240 with nine home runs and 39 RBIs. After the 2016 season, he played for the Mesa Solar Sox of the Arizona Fall League and the Athletics added him to their 40-man roster to protect him from becoming eligible in the Rule 5 draft.[3] He spent 2017 with both Midland and the Nashville Sounds of the Triple–A Pacific Coast League (PCL), batting a combined .300 with 13 home runs, 68 RBIs, and 22 stolen bases in 112 games between both teams.[4] In addition to the infield, Muñoz played as a center fielder in 2017.[5]

St. Louis Cardinals
Muñoz with the St. Louis Cardinals in 2018

On December 14, 2017, the Athletics traded Muñoz and Max Schrock to the St. Louis Cardinals in exchange for Stephen Piscotty.[6] During 2018 spring training, he competed for a spot on the Cardinals' Opening Day 25-man roster.[7] After hitting .375/.423/.625 with 18 hits and three home runs, scoring 13 runs with 9 RBIs over 48 at-bats in spring training, the Cardinals chose Muñoz over Harrison Bader and Luke Voit for a spot on the Opening Day roster.[8] During spring training, he played shortstop, center field, right field, and second base. Manager Mike Matheny said on Muñoz's varied skills, "“I haven’t seen anyone whose two primary positions are center field and shortstop.”[9]

Muñoz made his major league debut on March 29. After batting only .111 in 11 games, he was sent back down to the Memphis Redbirds of the PCL on April 16. He was recalled once again on May 18 when Paul DeJong was placed on the disabled list.[10] On May 22, he had four hits in a loss to the Kansas City Royals. His first career walk-off home run came with two outs in the bottom of the ninth inning on May 31 at Busch Stadium against the Pittsburgh Pirates, a three-run shot off Felipe Vázquez to give the Cardinals a 10–8 win.[11] Muñoz was placed on the disabled list for the first time in his major league career on August 11, and was activated on August 22.[12] He finished his 2018 rookie campaign batting .276 with eight home runs and 42 RBIs in 108 games, spending time at six different positions.[13]

On March 7, 2020, Muñoz was released by the Cardinals after leaving spring training without telling the team.[14]

Boston Red Sox

On March 24, 2020, Muñoz was signed to a minor league contract by the Boston Red Sox;[15] he was subsequently a non-roster invitee to spring training.[16] His contract was selected on August 31,[17] and he made his first appearance with the Red Sox on September 1, against the Atlanta Braves.[18] Muñoz was placed on the 10-day injured list on September 19 with a low back strain.[19] Overall with the 2020 Red Sox, Muñoz appeared in 12 games, batting .333 with one home run and four RBIs.[20]

On December 7, 2020, Muñoz was outrighted off of the 40-man roster and assigned to Triple-A.[21] On August 14, 2021, Muñoz registered a hit to extend his hitting streak with the Worcester Red Sox to 35 games, setting a new record for the Red Sox organization, surpassing the 34-game hitting streak that Dom DiMaggio had with the major-league Red Sox in 1949.[22] Worcester later named Muñoz their MVP for the season, having batted .317 in 85 Triple-A games.[23] Muñoz was added to Boston's active roster on August 27, after two players were placed on the COVID-related list.[24] On September 1, Muñoz himself was placed on the COVID-related list.[25] Muñoz appeared in five games for Boston during 2021, batting 1-for-11 (.091).[20] On October 6, Boston assigned him outright to Triple-A.[26] Muñoz became a free agent following the season.

Philadelphia Phillies
Muñoz batting for the Lehigh Valley IronPigs in August 2022.

On February 12, 2022, Muñoz signed a minor league contract with the Philadelphia Phillies organization.[27] On June 14, 2022, Muñoz was called up from the Triple-A Lehigh Valley IronPigs to play with the Phillies against the Miami Marlins.[28] On November 9, Muñoz was removed from the 40-man roster and sent outright to Triple–A.[29] He elected free agency the following day.[30]

Arizona Diamondbacks

On January 31, 2023, Muñoz signed a minor league contract with the Arizona Diamondbacks organization.[31] In 12 games for the Triple–A Reno Aces, Muñoz batted .304/.389/.391 with 5 RBI. On June 12, he was released by the Diamondbacks.[32]

Personal life

Muñoz' father died when he was six years old. He and his two older brothers moved into his aunt and uncle's house in the village of Payita, where 12 people lived in a three-bedroom house, while his mother worked in the next town and sent them the money she earned.[7]

Notes
  1. Yairo is pronounced with a leading J-sound;[1] see voiced palatal affricate.

References
  1. "2011 DPL Prospect: Yairo Munoz SS". YouTube.
  2. "Sports News, Snappers deal with losing duo". Beloit Daily News. July 29, 2015. Retrieved March 23, 2018.
  3. Stiglich, Joe (November 18, 2016). "A's add Barreto, four others to 40-man roster | NBCS Bay Area". Nbcsports.com. Retrieved March 23, 2018.
  4. Hochman, Benjamin (February 19, 2018). "Hochman: Meet the Cardinals infielders acquired in the Piscotty trade | Benjamin Hochman". stltoday.com. Retrieved March 23, 2018.
  5. Trezza, Joe (January 20, 2016). "Cardinals prospect Yairo Munoz is versatile | St. Louis Cardinals". Mlb.com. Retrieved March 23, 2018.
  6. Langosch, Jenifer (January 20, 2016). "Cardinals acquire Yairo Munoz, Max Schrock". MLB.com. Retrieved March 23, 2018.
  7. "Ortiz: Cardinals prospect Munoz learned early about versatility | Jose de Jesus Ortiz". stltoday.com. March 2, 2018. Retrieved March 23, 2018.
  8. "Munoz makes roster as Cards send down 3". MLB.com. March 23, 2018.
  9. "Munoz, Pena make Cards' roster; Bader, Voit to Memphis; Gregerson has hamstring injury". St. Louis Post-Dispatch. March 23, 2018.
  10. Hummel, Rick (May 18, 2018). "Cardinals' Paul DeJong goes on DL with fractured left hand". St. Louis Post-Dispatch. Retrieved May 18, 2018.
  11. "Munoz homer gives Cards win". The Quad-City Times. May 31, 2018. Retrieved May 31, 2018.
  12. FOX Sports Midwest Aug 22, 2018 at 4:56p ET (August 22, 2018). "Cardinals place Ozuna on DL, activate Adams and Muñoz". FOX Sports. Retrieved March 9, 2020.
  13. "St. Louis Cardinals 2018 player grades: Infielders | Sports". kmov.com. October 5, 2018. Retrieved March 9, 2020.
  14. RotoWire Staff (March 7, 2020). "Yairo Munoz: Released by Cardinals". CBSSports.com. Retrieved March 9, 2020.
  15. "Red Sox Roster & Staff – Transactions". MLB.com. March 2020. Retrieved March 25, 2020.
  16. @byJulianMack (March 26, 2020). "Yairo Muñoz was added to the club's 2020 spring training roster as a non-roster invitee" (Tweet). Retrieved March 26, 2020 – via Twitter.
  17. Browne, Ian (August 31, 2020). "Darwinzon placed on IL with SC joint sprain". MLB.com. Retrieved September 1, 2020.
  18. "Braves vs. Red Sox". ESPN.com. September 1, 2020. Retrieved September 19, 2020.
  19. "Red Sox Roster & Staff – Transactions". MLB.com. September 2020. Retrieved September 19, 2020.
  20. "Yairo Muñoz Stats". Baseball-Reference.com. Retrieved September 10, 2020.
  21. Adams, Steve (December 7, 2020). "Red Sox Outright Yairo Munoz". mlbtraderumors.com. Retrieved December 8, 2020.
  22. Couture, Jon (August 14, 2021). "Worcester's Yairo Muñoz runs hit streak to 35 games, breaking a 70-year-old Red Sox record". The Boston Globe. Retrieved August 14, 2021.
  23. Rabasco, Nick (September 28, 2021). "Minor Notes: Munoz, Espinal receive awards from WooSox". soxprospects.com. Retrieved September 29, 2021.
  24. Withers, Tom (August 27, 2021). "Red Sox call up Muñoz, Arauz with Hernández, Arroyo on COVID-19 list". Telegram & Gazette. Worcester, Massachusetts. Retrieved August 27, 2021 – via MSN.com.
  25. "Muñoz is latest Red Sox player to test positive for COVID-19". St. Louis Post-Dispatch. AP. September 1, 2021. Retrieved September 1, 2021.
  26. "Red Sox Roster & Staff – Transactions". MLB.com. Boston Red Sox. October 2021. Retrieved October 9, 2021.
  27. "Phillies Sign Yairo Munoz To Minor League Deal". MLBTradeRumors.com. February 12, 2022. Retrieved February 12, 2022.
  28. Harris, Declan (June 14, 2022). "Philadelphia Phillies Option Moniak, Promote Yairo Munoz". Sports Illustrated Inside The Phillies. Retrieved June 14, 2022.
  29. "Phillies claim right-hander Ortiz and left-hander Vasquez off waivers from San Francisco Giants; outright five to Triple-A Lehigh Valley". mlb.com. Retrieved June 30, 2023.
  30. "2022-23 Minor League Free Agents For All 30 MLB Teams". baseballamerica.com. November 13, 2022. Retrieved June 30, 2023.
  31. "Diamondbacks' Yairo Muñoz: Latches on with Diamondbacks". cbssports.com. Retrieved February 1, 2023.
  32. "Yairo Muñoz: Released from minor-league deal". cbssports.com. June 13, 2023. Retrieved June 13, 2023.

Further reading
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