Rubén Tejada facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Rubén Tejada |
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Tejada with the Baltimore Orioles in 2017
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| Olmecas de Tabasco | |||
| Shortstop | |||
| Born: October 27, 1989 Santiago de Veraguas, Panama |
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| debut | |||
| April 7, 2010, for the New York Mets | |||
| MLB statistics (through 2019 season) |
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| Batting average | .250 | ||
| Hits | 530 | ||
| Home runs | 10 | ||
| Runs batted in | 158 | ||
| Teams | |||
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Rubén Darío Tejada (born October 27, 1989) is a professional baseball player from Panama. He plays as a shortstop for the Olmecas de Tabasco team in the Mexican League. Rubén has also played for several teams in Major League Baseball (MLB), including the New York Mets, St. Louis Cardinals, San Francisco Giants, and Baltimore Orioles.
Contents
Early Life and Baseball Dreams
Rubén Tejada was born in Santiago de Veraguas, a city in western Panama. His father, Rubén Sr., worked as a mechanic, and his mother, Donaji, was a secretary. Rubén also has a younger brother named Ernie.
Rubén grew up very close to Omar Torrijos Herrera Stadium. His father was a pitcher for a local team called Los Indios de Veraguas. This meant Rubén was around baseball from a very young age.
When he was a kid, Rubén looked up to famous shortstops like Derek Jeter and Omar Vizquel. In 2001, when he was just 11 years old, Rubén played for the Santiago de Veraguas Little League team. They even represented the Latin American region at the 2001 Little League World Series, which is a huge event for young baseball players! By age 13, in 2003, Rubén was already playing for the junior team of Los Indios de Veraguas.
Rubén's Professional Baseball Journey
Starting in the Minor Leagues
Rubén Tejada began his professional baseball career when he signed with the New York Mets in 2006. He was an international free agent, meaning he was signed from outside the United States. He started playing in minor league games in 2007.
He played for several Mets minor league teams, including the Gulf Coast Mets and the St. Lucie Mets. These teams help young players develop their skills before they reach the major leagues.
Playing for the New York Mets
Making His MLB Debut in 2010
In 2010, Rubén Tejada was invited to spring training with the Mets. He was the youngest position player on the Mets' Opening Day roster that year since 1971!
On April 7, 2010, Rubén played his first-ever Major League Baseball game. A few days later, on April 9, he got his first major league hit off pitcher Tyler Walker. Later that season, on September 5, 2010, Rubén hit his first major league home run. It was a big moment for the young player!
Becoming a Starter in 2011 and 2012
In 2011, Rubén was called up to play second base for the Mets. He finished the season with a good batting average of .284.
When star shortstop Jose Reyes left the Mets in 2012, Rubén Tejada became the team's main starting shortstop. On August 1, 2012, he hit his second career home run against Matt Cain of the Giants.
Dealing with Injuries in 2013
In 2013, Rubén had to go on the disabled list because of a leg injury. Another player, Omar Quintanilla, took his spot. After Quintanilla played surprisingly well, Rubén was sent to the Mets' Triple-A team in Las Vegas.
A Tough Moment in 2015
During a playoff game on October 10, 2015, Rubén Tejada was involved in a collision at second base. Another player slid into him, and Rubén broke a bone in his right leg. It was a very difficult injury that ended his season.
Leaving the Mets in 2016
After his injury, the Mets decided to release Rubén Tejada on March 16, 2016.
Playing for Other MLB Teams
After leaving the Mets, Rubén Tejada played for a few other Major League Baseball teams.
St. Louis Cardinals in 2016
He signed with the St. Louis Cardinals in March 2016. However, he got injured again during a pre-season game. He played only a few games for the Cardinals before becoming a free agent.
San Francisco Giants in 2016
Later in 2016, Rubén signed with the San Francisco Giants. He played some games at third base for them before being released.
Baltimore Orioles in 2017
In 2017, the Baltimore Orioles acquired Rubén. He played in 55 games for the Orioles that season. After the season, he became a free agent again.
Returning to the Mets and Other Teams
Second Time with the New York Mets in 2019
Rubén Tejada signed a minor league contract to return to the New York Mets organization in 2019. He played for their Triple-A team, the Syracuse Mets. On June 19, he achieved a rare feat by hitting for the cycle, which means he hit a single, double, triple, and home run in the same game! He was called up to the Mets again briefly in August.
Later Career Teams
After his second time with the Mets, Rubén continued his career. He signed with the Toronto Blue Jays in 2020, but the minor league season was canceled due to the COVID-19 pandemic. He then played for the Philadelphia Phillies organization in 2021 and the Chicago White Sox organization later that year.
In 2023, Rubén played for the Long Island Ducks in an independent league. In 2023 and 2024, he played for the Leones de Yucatán in the Mexican League. Most recently, in December 2024, he was traded to the Olmecas de Tabasco, where he plays now.
Playing for His Home Country: Panama
Rubén Tejada has proudly represented his home country, Panama, in international baseball tournaments.
He played for the Panama national baseball team in the 2009 World Baseball Classic and the qualifying tournament for the 2013 World Baseball Classic.
In 2022, Rubén was part of the Panama team that qualified for the 2023 World Baseball Classic for the first time ever! In the tournament, he was one of Panama's best hitters. Even though Panama played well, they were eliminated by tiebreaker rules.
Rubén was also chosen to play for Panama in the 2024 WBSC Premier12 tournament.
See also
- List of Major League Baseball players from Panama
