Brayan Peña facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Brayan Peña |
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Peña with the Detroit Tigers in 2013
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| Catcher | |||
| Born: January 7, 1982 Havana, Cuba |
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| debut | |||
| May 23, 2005, for the Atlanta Braves | |||
| Last appearance | |||
| September 26, 2016, for the St. Louis Cardinals | |||
| MLB statistics | |||
| Batting average | .259 | ||
| Home runs | 23 | ||
| Runs batted in | 164 | ||
| Teams | |||
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Brayan Eduardo Peña (born January 7, 1982) is a Cuban-American who used to play professional baseball. He was a catcher, which is the player who squats behind home plate. Brayan played for several teams in Major League Baseball (MLB), including the Atlanta Braves, Kansas City Royals, Detroit Tigers, Cincinnati Reds, and St. Louis Cardinals. After his playing career, he became a manager. He currently manages the West Michigan Whitecaps, a team connected to the Detroit Tigers.
Contents
Early Life and Baseball Beginnings
Brayan Peña was born and grew up in Havana, Cuba. He was a talented young player. He even played for the Cuban National team for players aged 18 and under. He went to Espa Julio Trigo for school. Brayan grew up with another professional baseball player, Yunel Escobar. In 1999, Brayan left Cuba and moved to the United States.
Playing in Major League Baseball
Atlanta Braves
Brayan Peña first joined a Major League team in 2005. He was called up to the Atlanta Braves because another player was injured. His first game was on May 23, 2005, against the New York Mets. Brayan played as the catcher and got his first hit in the second inning. That year, he played in 18 games and had a batting average of .179.
For the next three years (2006-2008), he played part-time for the Braves. He hit his first Major League home run on May 28, 2006. In 2008, the Braves decided to let Peña go.
Kansas City Royals
The Kansas City Royals picked up Brayan Peña in May 2008. He didn't play for them right away. In 2009, he joined the Royals and played in 64 games. This was the most he had played in the big leagues so far. He hit six home runs and had a batting average of .273.
In 2010, Brayan earned a spot on the Royals' main roster. He was the backup catcher for most of the season. When the main catcher got injured, Brayan played more often. He played in 60 games that year. In 2011, he shared the catching duties with another player. He played a career-high 72 games. In 2012, Brayan signed a new contract with the Royals. He played in many games that year. Later in 2012, the Royals decided to let him go again.
Detroit Tigers
On December 10, 2012, Brayan Peña signed a one-year contract with the Detroit Tigers. He was the backup catcher for the 2013 season. He played in 71 games that year. He had his best batting average ever at .297. He also hit four home runs.
Cincinnati Reds
In November 2013, Brayan Peña joined the Cincinnati Reds. He signed a two-year contract with them. In 2014, he shared catching time with another player. He also played first base when the team's regular first baseman was hurt. By the middle of 2014, Brayan was having a great year. He played in 65 games and hit three home runs. He became a free agent in November 2015.
St. Louis Cardinals
Brayan Peña agreed to a two-year contract with the St. Louis Cardinals in November 2015. He was going to be the main backup catcher for Yadier Molina. In December 2015, Brayan went on a special trip to Cuba. It was with other baseball players and officials. This trip was important for helping to improve relations between Cuba and the United States.
Brayan started the 2016 season on the injured list. He had surgery on his left knee. He had an interest in serving and became an ambassador for the troops. In November 2016, the Cardinals decided to let him go.
Kansas City Royals (Second Time)
On February 7, 2017, Brayan Peña signed a minor league contract with the Kansas City Royals again. He played in 43 games for their Triple-A team. He hit .274 with no home runs. After the season, he became a free agent.
Detroit Tigers (Second Time)
Brayan Peña signed another minor league contract with the Detroit Tigers on January 9, 2018. He was released in June. On June 18, Brayan announced that he was retiring from playing professional baseball.
Coaching Career
After retiring as a player, Brayan Peña started a coaching career. In 2018, he managed the Tigers' Gulf Coast League West team. His team won the championship that year. In 2019, he managed the Low-A Connecticut Tigers. On November 12, 2019, he was named the manager of the West Michigan Whitecaps.
See also
- List of baseball players who defected from Cuba
