Japhet Amador
| Japhet Amador | |||
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 Amador with the Houston Astros | |||
| Tohoku Rakuten Golden Eagles – No. 42 | |||
| First baseman/Designated hitter | |||
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Born: January 19, 1987 Mulegé, Baja California Sur, Mexico | |||
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Japhet Isidro Amador (born January 19, 1987), nicknamed "El Gigante de Mulegé" (English: The giant from Mulegé), is a Mexican professional baseball first baseman and designated hitter. He signed with the Rakuten Golden Eagles of Nippon Professional Baseball for the 2016 season. He led the Mexican League in home runs in 2015.
Biography
Amador was born in Mulegé, Baja California Sur. From 2007 through a portion of the 2013 season, Amador played in the Mexican League, last playing for the Diablos Rojos del México. In 2012, he hit 15 home runs through 81 Mexican League games; he hit 17 home runs in 61 games that year during winter baseball in the Mexican Pacific League.[1] In 104 games for the Diablos Rojos in 2013, Amador hit .368 with 36 home runs and 121 runs batted in (RBI).[1]
On August 18, 2013 the Astros signed him and assigned him to the triple-A Oklahoma City RedHawks.[2] When the Astros signed him, Amador weighed 330 pounds.[3] He played 10 games for Oklahoma City.[1] The organization then sent him to the Peoria Javelinas of the Arizona Fall League.[4]
In February 2014, the Astros reported that Amador was in Mexico dealing with a family emergency, that he would not be reporting for the beginning of spring training and that they were not sure whether he would report to the Astros at all.[3] Amador reported to camp a couple of weeks late, and reporter Evan Drellich wrote that Amador's pregnant wife had been ill. Drellich said that Amador had hurt his already low chances of playing first base with the Astros.[5]
Amador appeared in seven games with Class AAA Oklahoma City early in the 2014 season.[1][6] By May, he had been returned to the Diablos Rojos on the agreement that he would rejoin the Astros organization when the Mexican League season was finished. After returning to Mexico, Amador said that he felt good and that he looked forward to a good season that would prove him worthy of a major league opportunity.[6] He hit 13 home runs that year in 64 games with the Diablos Rojos.[1]
In 2015, Amador led the Mexican League in home runs, hitting 41 during the regular season and earning the league's Most Valuable Player award. He hit 14 more home runs during winter baseball in the Mexican Pacific League.[7] He signed with the Rakuten Golden Eagles of Nippon Professional Baseball after the 2015 season.[8]
In Mexico, the 6'4" Amador has acquired the nickname "El Gigante de Mulegé",[9] which is Spanish for "The Giant from Mulegé." Only one 300-pound player in baseball history has made the major leagues.[6]
References
- 1 2 3 4 5 Japhet Amador Register Statistics & History. Baseball-Reference.com. Retrieved February 25, 2016.
- ↑ Sickels, John. "Astros sign Mexican slugger Japhet Amador".
- 1 2 Drellich, Evan (February 19, 2014). "Japhet Amador may not report to Astros". Houston Chronicle. Retrieved May 1, 2015.
- ↑ Magruder, Jack. "Amador looks to showcase his power in AFL".
- ↑ Drellich, Evan (March 3, 2014). "Japhet Amador needs at least a week to be game-ready". Houston Astros. Retrieved May 1, 2015.
- 1 2 3 Campa, Emmanuel (May 7, 2014). "Japhet Amador sueña con llegar a Grandes Ligas" (in Spanish). Excélsior. Retrieved May 1, 2015.
- ↑ Clair, Michael (January 13, 2016). "Nobody hit more home runs in 2015 than... Japhet Amador?". MLB.com. Retrieved February 25, 2016.
- ↑ "Amador a Águilas de Rakuten en Japón" (in Spanish). milb.com. December 18, 2015. Retrieved February 25, 2016.
- ↑ Alarcón, Roberto (November 5, 2014). "El 'Gigante de Mulegé' está con el madero encendido". El Informador (in Spanish). Retrieved May 1, 2015.
External links
- Career statistics and player information from MLB, or ESPN, or Fangraphs, or The Baseball Cube, or Baseball-Reference (Minors)