Luis González (outfielder, born 1995)

In this Spanish name, the first or paternal surname is González.

Luis González
González with New Mexico in 2017
Acereros de Monclova – No. 50
Outfielder
Born: (1995-09-10) September 10, 1995 (age 29)
Hermosillo, Mexico
Bats: Left
Throws: Left
MLB debut
August 18, 2020, for the Chicago White Sox
MLB statistics
(through 2022 season)
Batting average.253
Home runs4
Runs batted in36
Stats at Baseball Reference Edit this at Wikidata
Teams

Luis Fernando González (born September 10, 1995) is a Mexican professional baseball outfielder for the Acereros de Monclova of the Mexican League. He played college baseball at the University of New Mexico. He was drafted by the Chicago White Sox in the third round of the 2017 Major League Baseball Draft, and made his MLB debut with them in 2020. He has also played in Major League Baseball (MLB) for the San Francisco Giants.

Early life

González was born in Hermosillo, Sonora, Mexico, to Luis and Lisa González, and has an older sibling named Paloma.[1] He started playing baseball when he was six years old, in the local Liga Unison (Unison League), a youth baseball league sponsored by the University of Sonora in Hermosillo.[2] He is bilingual and moved to Arizona with his family when he was 10 years old.[3]

Amateur career

González attended Catalina Foothills High School in Tucson, Arizona. He batted .400 for Foothills with a 9-4 pitching record, and was named a Division 2 MVP in his senior year when he batted .500 with 10 home runs.[4][5]

Gonzalez then enrolled at the University of New Mexico, where Gonzalez played college baseball for the New Mexico Lobos as a center fielder and a weekend starting pitcher for three years (2015–17).[1] As a sophomore in 2016, González had a .381 batting average (4th in the Mountain West Conference), 21 doubles (3rd), five triples (4th), six home runs (8th), 63 runs (2nd), 43 walks (2nd), a .470 on-base percentage (3rd), a .694 slugging percentage (6th), and 18 stolen bases (2nd) without being caught, and was named to the Second-Team All-Mountain West.[6] González was also named co-MVP of the 2016 Mountain West Conference tournament after going 3-for-5 in the Championship game.[7] The win qualified the Lobos for the 2016 NCAA Regionals.[8] While the Lobos lost to #1 seed Texas Tech before being eliminated by Dallas Baptist the following morning, González had three hits against Texas Tech, with one article saying: "If there's a bright side for the Lobos, it's that center fielder Luis Gonzalez might be the hottest hitter in the entire regional."[9] As a junior in 2017, he slashed .361/.500/.589 with 62 runs (4th), 22 doubles (4th), 14 stolen bases (4th) in 18 attempts, and 58 walks (leading the conference).[10] For his New Mexico career, he batted .353/.468/.564 in 598 at bats, had 153 runs, 54 doubles, 8 triples, 18 home runs, and 113 RBIs, stole 35 bases while being caught five times, walked 124 times but only struck out 71 times, and made 22 starts as a pitcher.[11][12]

Professional career

Chicago White Sox

The Chicago White Sox selected Gonzalez in the third round of the 2017 Major League Baseball draft.[13][14] He signed in June 2017 for a $517,000 signing bonus.[15]

González spent his first professional season in 2017 with the Rookie League Great Falls Voyagers and the Single–A Kannapolis Intimidators.[16] He batted .236/.351/.348 with 29 runs, two home runs and 15 RBIs in 250 at bats over 67 games.[12]

He played 2018 with Kannapolis and the High–A Winston-Salem Dash,[3] slashing a combined .307/.368/.498 in 482 at bats with 85 runs, 40 doubles (the most in the organization, and 4th-most in the minor leagues), 14 home runs, and 71 RBIs (3rd among White Sox minor leaguers) in 117 games between the two clubs.[6][17][18][19] He was named a 2018 South Atlantic League Mid-Season All Star, and a 2018 MiLB Organization All Star.[6]

He spent 2019 with the Double–A Birmingham Barons.[20] González slashed .247/.316/.359 with 63 runs (4th in the Southern League), nine home runs, 59 RBIs (10th), 10 sacrifice flies (leading the league), and 17 stolen bases and 9 caught stealing in 473 at bats over 126 games.[21]

On August 17, 2020, González was promoted to the major leagues for the first time.[22] On August 18, he made his MLB debut, and in the season he had two plate appearances.

In 2021, he batted .241/.352/.423 in 137 at bats for the Triple–A Charlotte Knights, and hit two doubles in eight at bats for the White Sox.[12] On August 9, 2021, González was released by the White Sox.[6]

San Francisco Giants

On August 11, 2021, González was claimed off of release waivers by the San Francisco Giants.[23] On November 30, 2021, González was non-tendered by the Giants, making him a free agent.[24] On January 13, 2022, González re-signed with the Giants.[25] On April 22, González's contract was selected by the Giants after an injury to Steven Duggar.[26]

On April 25, González hit his first major league home run off of Jake Cousins in the top of the 9th inning.[27] His two-run homer gave the Giants a 4-2 lead against the Milwaukee Brewers, and the Giants went on to win the game.[27] On May 15, González hit a 3-run home run off of the St. Louis Cardinals’ Albert Pujols. Coincidentally, González had also been brought in to pitch in the game, marking a position player pitcher homering off of another position player pitching.[28] González was named the NL Rookie of the Month in May 2022.

In 2022 with the Giants, he batted .254/.323/.360 in 311 at bats, with four home runs, 36 RBIs, and 10 stolen bases in 12 attempts.[12] He played 69 games in right field, 52 in left field, six in center field, five (and 6.1 innings) as a relief pitcher, and three as a DH.[12] With Triple-A Sacramento, he batted .290/.402/.540 in 92 at bats, with six home runs and 32 RBIs.[12]

On February 26, 2023, it was announced that González would miss 4-6 weeks with a lower back strain.[29] On March 10, it was announced that González would require surgery to repair a herniated disc in his lower back, and miss 16 weeks in recovery.[30] On August 7, González was activated from the injured list and optioned to the Triple–A Sacramento River Cats.[31] On August 14, he was designated for assignment by the Giants following the promotion of Wade Meckler.[32] He cleared waivers and was sent outright to Sacramento on August 21.[33] On September 12, González was released by the Giants organization.[34]

New York Yankees

On December 21, 2023, González signed a minor league contract with the New York Yankees.[35] In 22 appearances for the Triple–A Scranton/Wilkes-Barre RailRiders, he batted .282/.374/.397 with no home runs, five RBI, and three stolen bases. González was released by the Yankees organization on May 9, 2024.[36]

Acereros de Monclova

On July 5, 2024, González signed with the Acereros de Monclova of the Mexican League.[37] He did not appear in a game with Monclova in the 2024 season.

References

  1. ^ a b "Luis Gonzalez". University of New Mexico Lobos athletics. July 3, 2015.
  2. ^ Sibaja, José Luis (June 13, 2016). "Sonorense llamado a selección EUA". Grada Norte (in Spanish). Retrieved May 20, 2021.
  3. ^ a b Fegan, James. "White Sox prospect Luis González proving more than qualified during breakout season". The Athletic. Retrieved November 29, 2024.
  4. ^ Hansen, Greg (August 22, 2020). "Hansen's Sunday Notebook: Catalina Foothills grad Luis Gonzalez joins Alex Verdugo, others in bigs". Arizona Daily Star.
  5. ^ "Three More New Mexico Players added to Express Roster". Eau Claire Express. January 27, 2015. Retrieved November 29, 2024.
  6. ^ a b c d "Luis González Stats, Fantasy & News". MLB.com. Retrieved May 3, 2021.
  7. ^ Sickenger, Ken (May 28, 2016). "Lobos win Mountain West baseball tournament". Albuquerque Journal. Archived from the original on June 1, 2016.
  8. ^ "NCAA Baseball Tournament 2016: Lubbock Regional set". FanSided. May 30, 2016. Retrieved May 3, 2021.
  9. ^ Kenerly, Matthew (June 5, 2016). "NCAA baseball tournament, Lubbock regional: Sunday preview". Mountain West Connection. Retrieved May 3, 2021.
  10. ^ "2017 Mountain West Conference Batting Leaders". Baseball-Reference.com.
  11. ^ Hansen, Greg (June 10, 2017). "Catalina Foothills product Luis Gonzalez looking at a big payday". Arizona Daily Star.
  12. ^ a b c d e f "Luis Gonzalez College & Minor Leagues Statistics & History". Baseball-Reference.com.
  13. ^ Young, Rob (June 13, 2017). "White Sox draft CF Luis Gonzalez in the 3rd round". ChicagoNow. Archived from the original on June 16, 2017.
  14. ^ Sickenger, Ken (June 13, 2017). "White Sox select Lobo Gonzalez; Buffett, Renteria, Zoellner also drafted". Albuquerque Journal. Archived from the original on June 13, 2017.
  15. ^ "Luis González Player Card". Baseball Prospectus. Retrieved November 29, 2024.
  16. ^ Hansen, Tyler (June 25, 2017). "Catalina Foothills grad Luis Gonzalez makes quick impact in pro debut". Arizona Daily Star. Retrieved November 29, 2024.
  17. ^ "White Sox: Prospect Profiles – the Overlooked Luis Gonzalez". March 25, 2019.
  18. ^ Gregor, Scot (March 2, 2019). "Luis Gonzalez Is Proving The White Sox Wise". www.baseballamerica.com.
  19. ^ "Luis Gonzalez Stats, Highlights, Bio". MiLB.com. Retrieved March 4, 2019.
  20. ^ "Torres' single leads Birmingham to 4-2 win over Tennessee". San Luis Obispo Tribune. Associated Press. April 13, 2019. Archived from the original on April 16, 2019.
  21. ^ "2019 Southern League Batting Leaders". Baseball-Reference.com.
  22. ^ Scott Merkin (August 17, 2020). "Notes: Engel to IL; Dunning to debut Wed.?". MLB.com. Retrieved August 19, 2020.
  23. ^ Franco, Anthony (August 15, 2021). "Giants Claim Luis Gonzalez From White Sox". MLB Trade Rumors. Retrieved November 29, 2024.
  24. ^ Franco, Anthony (November 30, 2021). "National League Non-Tenders: 11/30/21". MLB Trade Rumors. Retrieved November 30, 2021.
  25. ^ Polishuk, Mark (January 13, 2022). "Giants Sign Corey Oswalt, Luis Gonzalez, Joe Palumbo To Minor League Contracts". MLB Trade Rumors. Retrieved November 29, 2024.
  26. ^ McDonald, Darragh (April 22, 2022). "Giants Place Anthony DeSclafani On 10-Day IL, Steven Duggar On 60-Day IL". MLB Trade Rumors. Retrieved April 22, 2022.
  27. ^ a b Rovito, Rich (April 25, 2022). "González hits 1st MLB HR, Giants beat Brews to wrap up trip". Washington Post. Retrieved April 25, 2022.
  28. ^ Luis González's three-run homer (Television production). MLB. May 15, 2022. Retrieved November 20, 2024.
  29. ^ "Giants' Luis Gonzalez: Out with back injury". CBS Sports. RotoWire. February 26, 2023. Retrieved March 4, 2023.
  30. ^ "Giants' Luis Gonzalez: Undergoing surgery on back". CBS Sports. RotoWire. March 14, 2023. Retrieved March 14, 2023.
  31. ^ "Giants' Luis Gonzalez: Activated and optioned". CBS Sports. RotoWire. Retrieved August 7, 2023.
  32. ^ Delucchi, Marc (August 14, 2023). "SF Giants call up Wade Meckler, Johan Camargo in flurry of roster moves". SI.com. Retrieved August 15, 2023.
  33. ^ "Giants' Luis Gonzalez: Passes through waivers". cbssports.com. Retrieved August 24, 2023.
  34. ^ Delucchi, Marc (September 12, 2023). "SF Giants release former White Sox outfielder, MLB Rookie of the Month". si.com. Retrieved September 12, 2023.
  35. ^ Rosenthal, Ken [@Ken_Rosenthal] (December 21, 2023). "Free-agent outfielder Luis González has agreed to a minor-league deal with the Yankees with an invitation to major-league spring training, source tells @TheAthletic" (Tweet). Retrieved November 29, 2024 – via Twitter.
  36. ^ "Transactions". MiLB.com. May 9, 2024. Retrieved November 29, 2024.
  37. ^ @LigaMexBeis (July 5, 2024). "BOMBA AZUL💣🔥 Los @AcererosOficial añaden a su roster al Ex Liga Mayorista Luis González #BeisbolizaTuVida⚾️" (Tweet) (in Spanish). Retrieved July 6, 2024 – via Twitter.