Miguel Antonio Amaya (born March 9, 1999) is a Panamanian professional baseball catcher for the Chicago Cubs of Major League Baseball (MLB). He made his MLB debut in 2023.
| Miguel Amaya | |
|---|---|
_(cropped).jpg) Amaya with the South Bend Cubs in 2018 | |
| Chicago Cubs – No. 9 | |
| Catcher | |
| Born: March 9, 1999 Chitré, Panama | |
Bats: Right Throws: Right | |
| MLB debut | |
| May 4, 2023, for the Chicago Cubs | |
| MLB statistics (through 2024 season) | |
| Batting average | .227 |
| Home runs | 13 |
| Runs batted in | 65 |
| Stats at Baseball Reference | |
| Teams | |
| |
Career
editAmaya signed with the Chicago Cubs as an international free agent in July 2015.[1] He made his professional debut in 2016 with the Dominican Summer League Cubs where he batted .245 with one home run and 22 runs batted in (RBIs) in 58 games.
Amaya played 2017 with the Eugene Emeralds where he slashed .228/.266/.338 with three home runs and 26 RBIs in 58 games,[2] and spent 2018 with the South Bend Cubs,[3] earning Midwest League All-Star honors[4] and slashing .256/.349/.403 with 12 home runs and 52 RBIs in 116 games.[5] He was selected to play in that year's All-Star Futures Game.[6]
In 2019, Amaya played for the Myrtle Beach Pelicans,[7] batting .235/.351/.402 with 11 home runs and 57 RBIs over 99 games. He was also selected to the All-Star Futures Game for the second consecutive year.[8] He was selected to play in the Arizona Fall League for the Mesa Solar Sox following the season.[9]
Following the 2019 season, the Cubs added Amaya to their 40-man roster.[10] He did not play a minor league game in 2020 due to the cancellation of the minor league season caused by the COVID-19 pandemic.[11] He underwent Tommy John surgery during the 2021–22 offseason.
The Cubs optioned Amaya to the Double-A Tennessee Smokies to begin the 2023 season.[12] In 13 games for Tennessee, he hit .273/.411/.659 with four home runs and eight RBIs. On May 2, 2023, the Cubs promoted Amaya to the major leagues for the first time.[13]
References
edit- ^ "HE YOUNG MIGUEL AMAYA SIGNS WITH THE CHICAGO CUBS". Retrieved August 3, 2018.
- ^ "Miguel Amaya Stats, Highlights, Bio - MiLB.com Stats - The Official Site of Minor League Baseball". MiLB.com. Retrieved February 21, 2018.
- ^ Noie, Tom. "Noie: Yu Darvish rehab start a major moment for South Bend's Miguel Amaya". Retrieved August 3, 2018.
- ^ King, Brendan (June 6, 2018). "Five South Bend Cubs players named Midwest League All-Stars | Cubs". Milb.com. Retrieved May 2, 2021.
- ^ "Miguel Amaya Stats, Highlights, Bio - MiLB.com Stats - The Official Site of Minor League Baseball". MiLB.com. Retrieved January 1, 2019.
- ^ Gonzales, Mark. "White Sox prospects Dylan Cease and Luis Basabe, Cubs' Miguel Amaya named to All-Star Futures Game". Chciagotribune.com. Retrieved August 3, 2018.
- ^ "Young from top to bottom, Myrtle Beach Pelicans open season in front of a packed house". The Sun News. April 5, 2019.
- ^ "Prospect Miguel Amaya will be at the All Star Game of the Future | Panama Today". Archived from the original on August 9, 2019. Retrieved August 9, 2019.
- ^ Norris, Josh. "2019 Arizona Fall League Rosters Announced". Baseballamerica.com.
- ^ "Cubs Protect Miguel Amaya, Zack Short Ahead of Rule 5 Draft – NBC Chicago". Nbcchicago.com. November 20, 2019. Retrieved May 2, 2021.
- ^ "2020 Minor League Baseball season canceled". MLB.com.
- ^ "Cubs' Miguel Amaya: Optioned to Double-A". CBSSports.com. March 10, 2023. Retrieved October 25, 2024.
- ^ "Cubs' Miguel Amaya: Gets first big-league call-up". CBSSports.com. May 2, 2023. Retrieved October 25, 2024.
External links
edit- Career statistics from MLB, or ESPN, or Baseball Reference, or Fangraphs, or Baseball Reference (Minors)