Joey Meneses
Meneses with the Nationals in 2023
Washington Nationals – No. 45
First baseman / Outfielder
Born: (1992-05-06) May 6, 1992 (age 31)
Culiacán, Mexico
Bats: Right
Throws: Right
Professional debut
NPB: March 29, 2019, for the Orix Buffaloes
MLB: August 2, 2022, for the Washington Nationals
NPB statistics
(through 2019 season)
Batting average.206
Home runs4
Runs batted in14
MLB statistics
(through 2023 season)
Batting average.288
Home runs26
Runs batted in123
Teams
Medals
Men's baseball
Representing  Mexico
World Baseball Classic
Bronze medal – third place 2023 Miami Team

Joey Meneses Ramírez (born May 6, 1992) is a Mexican professional baseball first baseman and outfielder for the Washington Nationals of Major League Baseball (MLB). He has previously played in Nippon Professional Baseball (NPB) for the Orix Buffaloes. He was the 2018 International League MVP.

Professional career

Atlanta Braves

Meneses played for several farm teams of the Atlanta Braves from 2011 through 2017.[1]

After the 2013, 2014, and 2015 seasons, he played for Tomateros de Culiacán of the Mexican Pacific League (LMP). In 2016, Meneses first reached the Double-A level, playing for the Mississippi Braves.[1] After the 2016 season, he played for Tomateros of the LMP.

For the 2017 season with Mississippi, he registered a .292 batting average with 9 home runs and 45 RBIs in 108 games;[1] he was also a mid-season Southern League all star.[2] He was named an MILB.com Organization All Star in 2014 and 2017.[2] On November 6, 2017, Meneses became a free agent.[2] After the 2017 season, he played for Tomateros of the LMP.

Philadelphia Phillies

The Philadelphia Phillies signed Meneses to a minor league contract on February 1, 2018.[2] He spent the 2018 season with the Triple-A Lehigh Valley IronPigs. He went on to win the 2018 International League MVP, registering a .311 batting average with 23 home runs and 82 RBIs in 130 games.[1] On October 29, 2018, Meneses was released by the Phillies.[2] He subsequently signed to play in Japan for 2019. After the 2018 season, he played for Tomateros of the LMP.

Orix Buffaloes

On October 29, 2018, Meneses signed a one-year contract worth an estimated 100 million yen,[3] equivalent to approximately US $950,000, with the Orix Buffaloes of Nippon Professional Baseball.[4] On March 29, 2019, he made his NPB debut. On June 27, 2019, Meneses was suspended for 12 months after testing positive for the banned substance hydroxystanozolol.[5] That same day, he became a free agent.[6] After the 2019 season, he played for Tomateros of the LMP.

Boston Red Sox

Meneses with the Sea Dogs in 2021

On January 23, 2020, Meneses signed a minor league deal with the Boston Red Sox.[2] After the 2020 minor league season was canceled, he was re-signed by the Red Sox in early November to a minor-league deal.[7] After the 2020 season, he played for Tomateros de Culiacán of the LMP. He was assigned to the Portland Sea Dogs of Double-A Northeast to begin the 2021 season, and was promoted to the Worcester Red Sox of Triple-A East in early August.[2] He elected free agency following the season on November 7, 2021.[8]

Washington Nationals

On January 13, 2022, Meneses signed a minor league deal with the Washington Nationals.[9] On August 2, 2022, after trading outfielder Juan Soto and first baseman Josh Bell to the San Diego Padres, the Nationals called up Meneses from the Triple-A Rochester Red Wings, and he made his major league debut against the New York Mets. Meneses hit a home run off of Yoan López to lead off the seventh inning for his first major league hit.[10] Meneses went 0 for 4 the next game, but subsequently embarked on an 11 game hitting streak, and continued to hit well throughout August, putting up a slash line of .354/.385/.626 and hitting seven home runs through his first 25 games in the majors.[11] On September 1, Meneses hit a walk-off home run against the Oakland Athletics which gave the Nationals their first walk-off win of the year.[12][13] On September 16, with the Nationals down 4–0 to the Miami Marlins, Meneses hit an inside-the-park home run and later scored the winning run in a 5–4 Washington victory.[14]

He finished the season batting .324 with a .367 on-base percentage, .563 slugging percentage, 13 home runs, and 34 RBI.[15] Meneses was named to the MLB Pipeline All-Rookie Team.[16]

International career

Meneses has played for Mexico in the Caribbean Series of 2015, 2018, 2020, 2021, and 2022.[1]

In February 2019, Meneses was selected to the Mexico national baseball team for 2019 exhibition games against Japan.[17]

Meneses was selected for a second time to the national team in the 2020 Summer Olympics (contested in 2021), in Tokyo.[18]

In 2023, Meneses played for Mexico in the World Baseball Classic, hitting two home runs in a game against the United States in pool play.[19]

Personal life

Meneses has stated that he is big fan of Goku, and it was one reason why he joined a Japanese team.[20]

References

  1. ^ a b c d e "Joey Meneses Minor, Winter & Japanese Leagues Statistics & History". Baseball-Reference.com. Retrieved July 9, 2021.
  2. ^ a b c d e f g "Joey Meneses Stats, Fantasy & News". MiLB.com. Retrieved August 15, 2021.
  3. ^ "Orix Buffaloes reach agreement with Joey Meneses". YakyuDB. October 29, 2018. Archived from the original on November 3, 2018.
  4. ^ "新外国人選手獲得のお知らせ". オリックス・バファローズ オフィシャルサイト (in Japanese). October 29, 2018. Retrieved February 27, 2019.
  5. ^ "ジョーイ・メネセス選手のアンチ・ドーピング規定違反について". オリックス・バファローズ オフィシャルサイト (in Japanese). June 27, 2019. Retrieved August 24, 2020.
  6. ^ "2019年度 自由契約選手". NPB.jp 日本野球機構 (in Japanese). Retrieved August 24, 2020.
  7. ^ Cotillo, Chris (November 2, 2020). "Boston Red Sox re-sign 9 minor-league free agents; Josh Ockimey, Stephen Gonsalves, Caleb Simpson among those returning". masslive.com. Retrieved November 2, 2020.
  8. ^ "2021-22 Minor League Free Agents For All 30 MLB Teams". baseballamerica.com. Retrieved June 25, 2023.
  9. ^ Hilburn-Trenkle, Chris (January 13, 2022). "Minor League Transactions: Nov. 19, 2021-Jan. 15, 2022". Baseball America. Retrieved January 24, 2022.
  10. ^ "New York Mets at Washington Nationals Box Score, August 2, 2022". Baseball-Reference.com. Sports Reference. Retrieved August 3, 2022.
  11. ^ "Joey Meneses 2022 Batting Game Logs". Baseball-Reference.com. Sports Reference. Retrieved September 3, 2022.
  12. ^ Lindbergh, Ben (September 2, 2022). "Meet Joey Meneses, the Embodiment of Baseball Unpredictability". The Ringer. Archived from the original on September 3, 2022. Retrieved September 3, 2022.
  13. ^ Camerato, Jessica (September 2, 2022). "Meneses crushes 'special' walk-off after long journey". MLB.com. Archived from the original on September 3, 2022. Retrieved September 3, 2022.
  14. ^ Golden, Andrew (September 16, 2022). "The legend continues: Joey Meneses's inside-the-park HR sparks Nationals". Washington Post. Archived from the original on October 15, 2022. Retrieved October 16, 2022.
  15. ^ "Joey Meneses Stats, Height, Weight, Position, Rookie Status & More". Baseball-Reference.com. Sports Reference. Retrieved October 16, 2022.
  16. ^ Dykstra, Sam (October 16, 2022). "MLB Pipeline's 2022 All-Rookie Team". MLB.com. Archived from the original on October 21, 2022. Retrieved October 27, 2022.
  17. ^ "Roster de México para ENEOS Samurai Japan Series". MiLB.com: The Official Site of Minor League Baseball (in Spanish). February 26, 2019. Retrieved February 26, 2019.
  18. ^ "Sea Dogs Game Notes". oursportscentral.com. Portland Sea Dogs. July 4, 2021. Retrieved July 9, 2021.
  19. ^ "Meneses homers twice, Mexico clobbers U.S. in World Baseball Classic". Orange County Register. Associated Press. March 13, 2023. Retrieved August 6, 2023.
  20. ^ "オッス！オラ「メネセス」 オリの新助っ人、ドラゴンボール・孫悟空に憧れ来日". Sanspo.com (in Japanese). January 29, 2019. Retrieved February 26, 2019.

External links

Washington Nationals current roster
Mexico roster – 2020 Summer Olympics
Mexico roster – 2023 World Baseball Classic
International League MVP Award
Categories