Luis Guillorme
Guillorme with the New York Mets in 2023
Atlanta Braves – No. 15
Infielder
Born: (1994-09-27) September 27, 1994 (age 29)
Caracas, Venezuela
Bats: Left
Throws: Right
MLB debut
May 11, 2018, for the New York Mets
MLB statistics
(through 2023)
Batting average.261
Home runs5
Runs batted in49
Teams
Medals
Representing  Spain
European Baseball Championship
Silver medal – second place 2016 Hoofddorp Team

Luis Miguel Guillorme Gonzalez (born September 27, 1994), nicknamed Luismi, is a Venezuelan-American professional baseball infielder for the Atlanta Braves of Major League Baseball (MLB). He has previously played in MLB for the New York Mets. He made his MLB debut in 2018.

Guillorme with the Mets in 2019

Early life

Guillorme was born in Caracas, Venezuela.[1] His grandparents immigrated from Spain and he holds Spanish and Venezuelan citizenship.[2] As a child, he modeled his game after native Caracas infielder Omar Vizquel. In 2007, his family relocated to Davie, Florida.[1] Guillorme attended Coral Springs Charter School in Coral Springs, Florida where, as a senior, he hit .565 with 34 runs batted in (RBIs).[3] He committed to play college baseball at State College of Florida, Manatee–Sarasota.[4] In 2016, Guillorme reported that he expected to apply for naturalization as a US citizen within a year or two.[5]

Professional career

New York Mets

Minor leagues

The New York Mets selected Guillorme in the 10th round of the 2013 Major League Baseball draft.[6] He spent his first professional season with the Gulf Coast Mets where he slashed .258/.337/.283 with 11 RBIs in 41 games. He played 2014 with the Kingsport Mets and Savannah Sand Gnats, batting a combined .283 with 17 RBIs in sixty total games between both teams. He returned to Savannah in 2015 and was named the South Atlantic League MVP[7][8] after he batted .381 with 55 RBIs, 18 stolen bases and a .746 on-base plus slugging (OPS) in 122 games. In 2016, Guillorme started at shortstop for the Spanish national baseball team in the qualifying for the 2017 World Baseball Classic.[2] He spent 2016 with the St. Lucie Mets where he posted a .263 batting average with one home run and 46 RBIs, and 2017 with the Binghamton Rumble Ponies[9][10] where he batted .283 with one home run, 43 RBIs and a .706 OPS.[11]

During a spring training game in 2017, Miami Marlins infielder Adeiny Hechavarria accidentally let go of his bat while swinging at a pitch and sent it flying into the Mets dugout. Guillorme, who was standing at the dugout railing, casually reached up and caught the bat while his teammates scrambled to get out of the way. Highlights of the play went viral.[12][13]

Major leagues

The Mets added Guillorme to their 40-man roster after the 2017 season.[14] Guillorme was called up to the Mets on May 9, 2018 when Tomas Nido was optioned to the Las Vegas 51s.[15] On May 13 at Citizens Bank Park, Guillorme made his first Major League plate appearance; he singled off of Aaron Nola of the Philadelphia Phillies as a pinch hitter.[16] On August 10, 2019, Guillorme hit his first major league home run in the 8th inning off of reliever Fernando Rodney. He finished the season hitting .246/.324/.361 with three RBIs. In 2020 for the Mets, Guillorme slashed .333/.426/.439 with nine RBIs in 29 games.[17]

On March 14, 2021, Guillorme faced St. Louis Cardinals reliever Jordan Hicks in the longest at-bat in MLB history. The 22 pitch at-bat resulted in a walk. However, because this occurred during spring training, it was not official.[18] In 2021, Guillorme batted .265/.374/.311 over a career-high 69 games.

Guillorme had a hot start to the 2022 season and, on June 11, when Guillorme had a batting average of .321 and OPS of .816, Mets manager Buck Showalter told reporters that he deserved a vote for the Major League Baseball All-Star Game.[19] However, from that point until the end of the season, he hit .246 with a .620 OPS and finished the season at .273 and .691 respectively.[20]

On May 17, 2023, the Mets optioned Guillorme to the Syracuse Mets and recalled infielder Mark Vientos. It was his first time being optioned to the minors since July 2019.[21] Guillorme was recalled to the majors on June 9, 2023.[22] He was placed on the injured list with a calf strain on July 22 and reactivated on September 18.[23][24] On November 17, The Mets non-tendered Guillorme making him a free agent.

Atlanta Braves

On January 5, 2024, Guillorme signed a one-year, $1.1 million contract with the Atlanta Braves.[25] He was named to the 26-man roster as a utility infielder.[26]

International career

Guillorme played for the Spanish national baseball team at the 2016 European Baseball Championship in the Netherlands. He was named the tournament's most outstanding defensive player en route to a silver medal.[27] He also represented Spain in the qualifying round of the 2017 World Baseball Classic and in the 2018 Super 6 Tournament.[28][29]

References

  1. ^ a b Healey, Tim (March 21, 2018). "Carjacking scare shaped Mets prospect Guillorme". Newsday. Retrieved May 14, 2018.
  2. ^ a b Rubin, Adam (April 13, 2016). "Farm Report: St. Lucie gets second helping from SAL MVP Luis Guillorme". ESPN.com. ESPN. Retrieved May 14, 2018.
  3. ^ Cabrera Chirinos, Christy (June 3, 2013). "All-County baseball Class 5A-4A-3A-2A". Sun-Sentinel. Retrieved May 14, 2018.
  4. ^ "SCF Baseball well represented in MLB Draft". State College of Florida, Manatee-Sarasota. June 10, 2013. Retrieved May 14, 2018.
  5. ^ Rubin, Adam (April 13, 2016). "Farm Report: St. Lucie gets second helping from SAL MVP Luis Guillorme". ESPN.
  6. ^ Wagner, James (March 3, 2017). "Catch of the Year. No Ball Involved". The New York Times. Retrieved June 2, 2017 – via NYTimes.com.
  7. ^ "Sand Gnats' Guillorme is South Atlantic League Most Valuable Player". savannahnow.com. Retrieved June 2, 2017.
  8. ^ "Farm Report: Luis Guillorme 'a gifted defender at shortstop'". espn.com. September 2, 2015. Retrieved June 2, 2017.
  9. ^ "Heavy on shortstops, St. Lucie Mets open 2016 season Thursday at home". tcpalm.com. Retrieved June 2, 2017.
  10. ^ Tripodi, Chris (April 12, 2017). "Mets' Guillorme grinds out five hits". MiLB.com. Retrieved March 10, 2022.
  11. ^ "Luis Guillorme Stats, Highlights, Bio - MiLB.com Stats - The Official Site of Minor League Baseball". MiLB.com. Retrieved February 20, 2018.
  12. ^ DiComo, Anthony; Cosman, Ben (March 3, 2017). "Mets prospect Luis Guillorme caught a bat that flew into the dugout like it was no big deal". Cut4. MLB.com. Retrieved May 3, 2021.
  13. ^ Sanchez, Mark W. (May 27, 2017). "Mets' viral spring training sensation wants to be a lot more". New York Post. Retrieved May 3, 2021.
  14. ^ Mastracco, Abbey (November 20, 2017). "Mets add prospects to 40-man roster | Who did they protect from the Rule 5 Draft?". NJ.com. Retrieved May 14, 2018.
  15. ^ Carducci, Brendan (May 9, 2018). "Luis Guillorme called up, Tomas Nido sent down". Amazin' Avenue. SB Nation. Retrieved May 14, 2018.
  16. ^ Cranston, Mike (May 13, 2018). "Mets' Jacob deGrom Lasts 1 Inning In Loss To Phillies". Hartford Courant. Retrieved May 14, 2018.
  17. ^ Schaeffler, Steve (November 30, 2020). "2020 Mets Report Card: Luis Guillorme". Metsmerizedonline.com.
  18. ^ "First batter in 2 years? 22 pitches, 12 minutes". MLB.com.
  19. ^ Thosar, Deesha (June 11, 2022). "Mets' Luis Guillorme deserves All-Star vote, says Buck Showalter". New York Daily News. Retrieved May 18, 2023.
  20. ^ "Luis Guillorme 2022 Batting Game Logs". Baseball-Reference.com. Sports Reference. Retrieved May 18, 2023.
  21. ^ Sanchez, Mark W. (May 17, 2023). "Mets make sacrifice by optioning Luis Guillorme for Mark Vientos". New York Post. Retrieved May 18, 2023.
  22. ^ Drimalitis, Vasilis (June 9, 2023). "Mets call up Luis Guillorme and Zach Muckenhirn, DFA Stephen Nogosek". Amazin' Avenue.
  23. ^ Dicomo, Anthony (July 22, 2023). "Banged-up Mets lose Guillorme (calf) to IL". MLB.com.
  24. ^ "Mets' Luis Guillorme: Makes return from IL". CBS RotoWire. September 18, 2023.
  25. ^ "Braves sign utility INF Luis Guillorme to 1-year, $1.1M deal". ESPN.com. Associated Press. January 5, 2024. Retrieved January 6, 2024.
  26. ^ "Braves' Bryce Elder to minors; Reynaldo López makes rotation". ESPN.com. Associated Press. March 18, 2024. Retrieved March 18, 2024.
  27. ^ Chetwynd, Josh (October 4, 2019). Baseball in Europe: A Country by Country History, 2d ed. McFarland. p. 274. ISBN 978-1-4766-7912-9. Retrieved February 25, 2022.
  28. ^ Rubin, Adam (March 17, 2016). "Dilson Herrera appears in World Baseball Classic qualifier with Colombia". ESPN.com. ESPN. Retrieved February 25, 2022.
  29. ^ "Spain vs Germany (Sep 20, 2018)". WBSC Europe. September 20, 2018.

External links

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