Ronald Torreyes facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Ronald Torreyes |
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Torreyes with the Philadelphia Phillies in 2020
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| Infielder | |||
| Born: September 2, 1992 Barinas, Barinas, Venezuela |
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| debut | |||
| September 13, 2015, for the Los Angeles Dodgers | |||
| Last appearance | |||
| October 3, 2021, for the Philadelphia Phillies | |||
| MLB statistics | |||
| Batting average | .265 | ||
| Home runs | 11 | ||
| Runs batted in | 98 | ||
| Teams | |||
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Ronald Alcides Torreyes (born September 2, 1992) is a former professional baseball player from Venezuela. He was an infielder, meaning he played positions like second base, shortstop, or third base. Ronald played in Major League Baseball (MLB) for several teams. These teams included the Los Angeles Dodgers, New York Yankees, Minnesota Twins, and Philadelphia Phillies.
Ronald started playing baseball when he was very young. He grew up in Barinas, Venezuela, watching his dad play. Many MLB teams did not notice him at first because he was small. But the Cincinnati Reds signed him in 2010. Ronald played for different minor league teams before joining the Dodgers in 2015. He made his MLB debut that September.
He later joined the Yankees as a backup infielder. In 2017, he got to play a lot when another player was hurt. Ronald then played for the Twins. He signed with the Phillies for the 2020 season, which was affected by the COVID-19 pandemic. The pandemic also affected him in 2021. He found a steady role with the Phillies as a utility player, helping out wherever needed. After 2021, he left the team.
Early Life and Baseball Dreams
Ronald Torreyes was born on September 2, 1992, in Barinas, Barinas, Venezuela. His father, Alcides, played amateur baseball. Ronald learned the game by watching his dad. He started playing baseball at age four in a league called Compoticas or Semellitas, which means "Little Seeds."
From age seven, Ronald played for the Venezuela national baseball team in international games. He spent seven years on the national team. As a teenager, he dreamed of becoming a professional baseball player. To get ready, he trained with his father. He also watched videos of Omar Vizquel, a famous Venezuelan shortstop.
Ronald's Baseball Journey
Minor League Years (2010–2015)
Starting with the Cincinnati Reds
Many Major League Baseball (MLB) teams did not sign Ronald because he was small. But the Cincinnati Reds signed him in February 2010. He began playing for the Reds' team in the Venezuelan Summer League (VSL). There, he was the best hitter, with a .390 average. He also led the VSL in many other ways, like slugging percentage and hits.
After the VSL season, he moved to the Arizona League Reds. He hit .349 there. Ronald then joined the Class A Dayton Dragons in 2010 and 2011. He played second base and was a strong hitter. He and Billy Hamilton were known for their speed. In 2011, Ronald batted .356 with 41 runs batted in (RBIs).
Moving to the Chicago Cubs
In December 2011, the Reds traded Torreyes to the Chicago Cubs. He played for the Daytona Cubs in 2012. He batted .264 in 115 games. He hit six home runs and had 47 RBIs. The next year, he moved up to the Double-A Tennessee Smokies. In one game, he almost hit for the cycle, getting a single, double, and triple.
Time with the Houston Astros
In July 2013, the Cubs traded Torreyes to the Houston Astros. He finished that season with the Double-A Corpus Christi Hooks. He batted .278 in 28 games. In 2014, Ronald moved to the Triple-A Oklahoma City RedHawks. He was a strong hitter there. He rarely struck out, which is very good for a baseball player. He batted .298 for the year.
A Short Stop with the Toronto Blue Jays
Ronald started the 2015 season with the Triple-A Fresno Grizzlies. In May 2015, the Astros traded him to the Toronto Blue Jays. The Blue Jays sent him to the Double-A New Hampshire Fisher Cats. He played 16 games there.
Major League Debut (2015)
Los Angeles Dodgers
In June 2015, the Blue Jays traded Torreyes to the Los Angeles Dodgers. He played for the Double-A Tulsa Drillers. He quickly became a key player for Tulsa. He batted .298 with four home runs. In August, he moved up to the Triple-A Oklahoma City Dodgers.
Ronald made his MLB debut on September 13, 2015. He played for the Dodgers in a game against the Arizona Diamondbacks. He played in eight games that season. He got two hits in six tries. In January 2016, the Dodgers decided to let him go.
New York Yankees (2016–2018)
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Ronald was traded many times between 2015 and 2016. In January 2016, the New York Yankees got him. He was then traded and claimed by other teams, but the Yankees got him back.
In March 2016, the Yankees announced Ronald would be their backup infielder. He was only 23 years old, one of the youngest players on the team. He quickly showed he was a good hitter. He played in 72 games for the Yankees in 2016. He batted .258 with 12 RBIs. He hit his first major league home run in August.
In 2017, Ronald became the Yankees' starting shortstop for the beginning of the season. This happened because Didi Gregorius was hurt. Ronald hit the team's first home run of the year. When Gregorius returned, Ronald continued to play at other positions. He filled in for other players when they were injured. He played in 108 games in 2017. He batted .292 with three home runs. This was his most playing time in the major leagues.
In 2018, Ronald was sent to the Triple-A team, the Scranton/Wilkes-Barre RailRiders. This happened when Greg Bird returned from an injury. Ronald stayed positive about going to the minor leagues. He missed some time in July to help his wife with a medical issue. He played 41 games for the Yankees that year. He batted .280. In November 2018, the Yankees traded him to the Chicago Cubs. The Cubs then let him become a free agent.
Minnesota Twins (2019)
In December 2018, the Minnesota Twins signed Ronald. He was expected to be a backup infielder. He started the 2019 season with the Triple-A Rochester Red Wings. He played most of the season there. He batted .256 with 11 home runs. He also played a short time with the Class A Fort Myers Mighty Mussels.
In September, he was called up to the Twins' main roster. He helped the Twins win a game in extra innings. He was hit by a pitch, which brought in the winning run. He played in seven games for the Twins. After the season, he left the team.
Philadelphia Phillies (2020–2022)
The Philadelphia Phillies signed Ronald to a minor league contract in January 2020. He was invited to spring training. The 2020 Minor League Baseball season was canceled due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Ronald spent the season at a training site. In September 2020, he was called up to the Phillies. He played a few games but was then sent back down.
In December 2020, Ronald signed another minor league deal with the Phillies. He made the Phillies' opening day roster in 2021. He spent almost a month on the COVID-19 injured list. He tested positive for the virus but had no symptoms. When he returned in May, he got his first RBI hit since 2018. He also hit his first home run in four years in June.
Ronald played very well in 2021. He filled in for other players who were injured or sick. He played in 31 out of 46 games after returning from the COVID-19 list. He batted .270 in that time. He finished the season batting .242 in 111 games. He played many different positions, including third base, shortstop, and second base. In November, he chose to become a free agent.
The Phillies signed Ronald to another minor league contract in March 2022. He hoped to make the major league team. But he did not. He played less with the Triple-A team. He asked to be released from the team in April 2022, and they agreed.
Personal Life
Ronald Torreyes married Anarelys Melo Delgado on November 4, 2010. They have two sons. Their names are Moises David, born in 2013, and David Moises, born in 2019.
See Also
- List of Major League Baseball players from Venezuela
