Sandy León facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Sandy León |
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León with the Cleveland Indians in 2020
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| Atlanta Braves | |||
| Catcher | |||
| Born: March 13, 1989 Maracaibo, Venezuela |
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| debut | |||
| May 14, 2012, for the Washington Nationals | |||
| MLB statistics (through 2024 season) |
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| Batting average | .208 | ||
| Home runs | 31 | ||
| Runs batted in | 149 | ||
| Teams | |||
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| Career highlights and awards | |||
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Sandy David León López, born on March 13, 1989, is a professional baseball catcher from Venezuela. He currently plays for the Atlanta Braves organization. Sandy has played for several teams in Major League Baseball (MLB), including the Washington Nationals, Boston Red Sox, Cleveland Indians/Guardians, Miami Marlins, Minnesota Twins, and Texas Rangers. He has also represented the Colombia national baseball team.
Contents
Sandy León's Baseball Journey
Starting with the Washington Nationals
Sandy León began his professional baseball career when he signed with the Washington Nationals on January 17, 2007. He made his first professional appearance with the Gulf Coast Nationals later that year. Sandy spent a few years playing in the minor leagues, moving up through different teams like the Vermont Lake Monsters and the Hagerstown Suns.
He was called up to the major leagues for the first time on May 13, 2012. His MLB debut was on May 14, 2012. During this game, Sandy unfortunately sprained his right ankle in a collision at home plate.
Playing for the Boston Red Sox
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On March 30, 2015, Sandy León was traded to the Boston Red Sox. He played in 41 games for Boston that season. In 2016, he started in the minor leagues but was called up to the Red Sox in June. He had a great season, batting .310 in 78 games. He also hit seven home runs and had 35 RBIs.
In 2017, Sandy played in 85 games for the Red Sox. He batted .225, hitting seven home runs and getting 39 RBIs. The 2018 season was a big one for Sandy and the Red Sox. He shared catching duties and played in 89 games. The Red Sox had an amazing year, winning 108 games. They went on to win the 2018 World Series against the Los Angeles Dodgers. Sandy played well in the World Series, getting 3 hits in 6 tries.
In 2019, Sandy continued with the Red Sox. He played in 65 games, batting .192 with five home runs and 19 RBIs.
Time with the Cleveland Indians and Guardians
On December 2, 2019, Sandy was traded to the Cleveland Indians. In the 2020 season, he played in 25 games for the Indians. After that season, he became a free agent.
In 2022, Sandy returned to the Cleveland team, now called the Cleveland Guardians. He played in a doubleheader for them on June 28. He later moved to another team but returned to the Guardians organization on July 1, 2023. He played 16 games for their Triple-A team, the Columbus Clippers.
Other MLB Teams
After leaving the Indians in 2020, Sandy signed with the Miami Marlins on January 3, 2021. He played in 84 games for the Marlins, batting .183 with 4 home runs.
In 2022, he briefly signed with the Cincinnati Reds before being traded back to the Cleveland Guardians. Later that year, on August 2, 2022, Sandy was traded to the Minnesota Twins. He played in 25 games for the Twins. Towards the end of the season, he had surgery on his right knee.
On January 11, 2023, Sandy signed with the Texas Rangers. He played in 22 games for them, batting .146. He later left the Rangers organization in June 2023.
Pitching Appearances
Interestingly, Sandy León has also pitched a few times during his career. He pitched in 6 games for the Miami Marlins in 2021. In 2022, he pitched one game for the Cleveland Guardians. He also pitched one inning for the Texas Rangers in 2023. Overall, he has pitched 9 innings in his MLB career.
Joining the Atlanta Braves
On April 2, 2024, Sandy León signed a minor league contract with the Atlanta Braves. As of the end of the 2024 season, he is still with the Gwinnett Stripers, which is the Braves' Triple-A team. He re-signed with the Braves for 2025.
International Baseball
Even though Sandy is from Venezuela, he chose to play for the Colombia national baseball team in the 2023 World Baseball Classic. He was able to do this because he lives in Colombia and his wife is Colombian.
Personal Life
Sandy León is married and has a son, who was born in 2017. He also has a daughter, who was born in May 2019. Sandy is a Christian.
See also
- List of Major League Baseball players from Venezuela
