Raúl Mondesí facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Raúl Mondesí |
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Mondesí signing autographs at Spring Training in 1998
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| Right fielder | |||
| Born: March 12, 1971 San Cristóbal, Dominican Republic |
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| debut | |||
| July 19, 1993, for the Los Angeles Dodgers | |||
| Last appearance | |||
| May 27, 2005, for the Atlanta Braves | |||
| MLB statistics | |||
| Batting average | .273 | ||
| Home runs | 271 | ||
| Runs batted in | 860 | ||
| Teams | |||
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| Career highlights and awards | |||
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Raúl Ramón Mondesí Avelino (born March 12, 1971) is a former professional baseball player from the Dominican Republic. He played in Major League Baseball (MLB) for 13 seasons. Raúl was mostly known for playing with the Los Angeles Dodgers.
He made his MLB debut in 1993. In 1994, he was named the National League (NL) Rookie of the Year. He was also an MLB All-Star and won the Rawlings Gold Glove Award twice. Raúl was famous for hitting many home runs and stealing many bases. He even joined the 30–30 club twice, meaning he hit 30 home runs and stole 30 bases in the same season.
After his baseball career, Mondesí entered politics. He was elected to the Dominican Chamber of Deputies in 2006. Later, in 2010, he became the mayor of San Cristóbal in the Dominican Republic. He served as mayor for six years.
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Baseball Career Highlights
Playing for the Los Angeles Dodgers
Raúl Mondesí first joined the Los Angeles Dodgers in 1988 as a young player from the Dominican Republic. He played in the minor leagues, showing off his skills. In 1990, he hit .303 and stole 30 bases for the Great Falls Dodgers. He was even chosen for the Pioneer League All-Star team.
He made his big league debut with the Dodgers on July 19, 1993. He got his first MLB hit as a pinch hitter. Soon after, he hit his first home run. He played in 42 games that season, hitting .291 with four home runs.
In 1994, Mondesí became a regular player for the Dodgers. He played in 112 games, hitting .306 with 16 home runs. He also had 56 RBI and 11 stolen bases. Because of his great performance, he was named the National League Rookie of the Year.
The year 1995 was also very successful for him. He was named National League Player of the Week twice. He won his first Rawlings Gold Glove Award for his excellent fielding. He was also chosen to play in the 1995 Major League Baseball All-Star Game. That year, he hit .285 with 26 home runs and 88 RBI.
In 1997, Mondesí had an amazing season. He hit .310 with 30 home runs and 32 stolen bases. This made him the first Dodgers player ever to join the 30–30 club. He also won his second Rawlings Gold Glove Award. In 1999, he joined the 30–30 club again, with 33 home runs and 36 stolen bases.
Time with the Toronto Blue Jays
After playing for the Dodgers, Mondesí was traded to the Toronto Blue Jays in November 1999. In his first season with the Blue Jays, he played in 96 games. He had to stop playing early due to an elbow injury that needed surgery.
He played for the Blue Jays for two and a half seasons. During this time, he played in 320 games. He hit 66 home runs for the team. He also won the American League Player of the Week Award in May 2001.
Playing for the New York Yankees
In July 2002, Mondesí was traded to the New York Yankees. He played in 71 games for the Yankees that season. In 2003, he played in another 98 games. He hit .250 with 27 home runs and 92 RBI during his time with the Yankees.
Short Stays with Other Teams
Mondesí later played for a few other teams. In July 2003, he was traded to the Arizona Diamondbacks. He played 45 games with them, hitting .302 with eight home runs.
In 2004, he signed with the Pittsburgh Pirates. He later joined the Anaheim Angels that same year. In 2005, he signed with the Atlanta Braves. He played in 41 games for the Braves before his final season ended.
Career Statistics Summary
Over his 13 seasons in Major League Baseball, Raúl Mondesí played in 1525 games. He had a batting average of .273. He hit 271 home runs and had 860 RBI. He also stole 229 stolen bases. As a fielder, he was very good, especially in right field.
Life After Baseball
In May 2006, Raúl Mondesí began a new career in politics. He was elected to a seat in the Dominican Republic's Chamber of Deputies. This is like being a representative for his home area.
In 2010, he was elected mayor of his hometown, San Cristóbal. He served as mayor for a six-year term.
Family Life
Raúl Mondesí's son, Adalberto Mondesí, is also a professional baseball player. Adalberto made his MLB debut for the Kansas City Royals in the 2015 World Series.
More to Explore
- List of Major League Baseball career home run leaders
- List of Major League Baseball career stolen bases leaders
- 30–30 club
See also
In Spanish: Raúl Mondesí para niños
