Víctor Reyes

Víctor Reyes
Reyes with the Toledo Mud Hens in 2021
Lotte Giants – No. 29
Outfielder
Born: (1994-10-05) October 5, 1994 (age 30)
Barcelona, Venezuela
Bats: Switch
Throws: Right
Professional debut
MLB: April 1, 2018, for the Detroit Tigers
KBO: March 23, 2024, for the Lotte Giants
MLB statistics
(through 2022 season)
Batting average.264
Home runs16
Runs batted in107
KBO statistics
(through 2024 season)
Batting average.352
Home runs15
Runs batted in111
Stats at Baseball Reference Edit this at Wikidata
Teams

Víctor José Reyes (born October 5, 1994) is a Venezuelan professional baseball outfielder for the Lotte Giants of the KBO League. He has previously played in Major League Baseball (MLB) for the Detroit Tigers. He made his MLB debut in 2018.

Career

Atlanta Braves

The Atlanta Braves signed Reyes as an international free agent in July 2011. He made his professional debut in 2012 with the DSL Braves where he batted .296 with 33 runs batted in (RBIs) and 12 stolen bases in 52 games. He spent 2013 with both the Gulf Coast League Braves and Danville Braves, slashing .342/.387/.409 with 25 RBIs in 49 games, and 2014 with the Rome Braves where he compiled a .259 batting average with 34 RBIs in 89 games.

Arizona Diamondbacks

In April 2015, the Braves traded Reyes to the Arizona Diamondbacks for the 75th pick in the 2015 MLB draft.[1] This draft pick was used by the Braves to select pitcher A.J. Minter.

Arizona assigned Reyes to the Kane County Cougars and he spent the whole season there, slashing .311/.343/.389 with two home runs and 59 RBIs in 121 games. In 2016, he played for the Visalia Rawhide where he batted .303 with six home runs and 54 RBIs in 124 games, and in 2017, he played with the Jackson Generals where he hit .292 with four home runs, 51 RBIs, 29 doubles, 59 runs scored, and 18 stolen bases. After the 2017 season, he played for the Salt River Rafters of the Arizona Fall League, where he hit .316 and scored eight runs and was selected to the Arizona Fall League's Rising Stars Team.[2][3]

Detroit Tigers

Reyes with the Tigers in 2018

On December 14, 2017, the Detroit Tigers selected Reyes from the Arizona Diamondbacks organization with the first selection of the 2017 Rule 5 draft.[4] Reyes made the Tigers' 2018 Opening Day 25-man roster.[5] Reyes made his major league debut with the Tigers on April 1, but left the game early after a spike cut his arm.[6] Through the first half of the season, Reyes played sparingly, primarily serving as a pinch runner for Víctor Martínez or as a late-inning defensive replacement.[7] Through the 2018 All-Star break, Reyes was hitting .221 in only 96 plate appearances.[8] On September 2, Reyes hit his first career major league home run, a solo shot off Sonny Gray of the New York Yankees. Reyes also went 4-for-5 in the contest for his first career four-hit game.[9] He would finish the 2018 season hitting .222 with 1 home run in 212 at-bats. He also stole 9 bases in 10 attempts.

On March 14, 2019, the Tigers sent Reyes to the Toledo Mud Hens to begin the 2019 season.[10] After hitting .302 in Toledo with nine home runs and 55 RBIs in 65 games, Reyes was recalled to the Tigers on July 4.[11] In 276 at-bats for the Tigers, Reyes hit .304 with three home runs and 25 RBIs.

In the shortened 2020 season, Reyes primarily batted leadoff for the Tigers. In 57 games, he hit .277 with four home runs and 14 RBIs, while stealing eight bases in 10 attempts.

Reyes made the Tigers 2021 opening day roster. On May 8, he was optioned to Triple-A Toledo after hitting just .143 in 63 at-bats.[12] Reyes was recalled to the MLB roster on May 24.[13] On August 27, 2021, Reyes hit a pinch-hit inside-the-park home run, becoming the first MLB player to do so since Tyler Saladino on May 14, 2018, and the first Tigers player to do since Ben Oglivie on June 2, 1976.[14][15] In 76 games at the major league level in 2021, Reyes hit .258 with 5 home runs.

On March 22, 2022, the Tigers and Reyes agreed on a one-year contract worth $1.4 million, avoiding arbitration.[16]

On November 10, 2022, the Tigers outrighted Reyes off the 40-man roster and Reyes rejected the outright assignment to the Triple–A Toledo Mud Hens, instead opting for free agency.[17]

Chicago White Sox

On December 10, 2022, Reyes signed a minor league contract with the Chicago White Sox.[18] He spent the 2023 season with the Triple–A Charlotte Knights, playing in 128 games and batting .279/.330/.462 with career–highs in home runs (20) and RBI (83). Reyes elected free agency following the season on November 6, 2023.[19]

Lotte Giants

On December 16, 2023, Reyes signed a one–year, $950,000 contract with the Lotte Giants of the KBO League.[20][21] In 144 games for the Tigers, he slashed .352/.394/.511 with 15 home runs and 111 RBI, and set a KBO record with 202 hits.[22]

On November 26, 2024, Reyes re–signed with the Giants on a $1 million contract.[23]

See also

References

  1. ^ Hurcomb, Michael (April 6, 2015). "Diamondbacks acquire Victor Reyes in trade with Braves". CBS Sports. Retrieved December 14, 2017.
  2. ^ Miller, Doug (October 25, 2017). "D-backs' Reyes continues rise with big day in AFL". MLB.com. Retrieved December 14, 2017.
  3. ^ Sipple, George (December 14, 2017). "Detroit Tigers select OF Victor Reyes with first pick in Rule 5 Draft". Detroit Free Press. Retrieved December 14, 2017.
  4. ^ Henning, Lynn (December 14, 2017). "Tigers land Diamondbacks OF Reyes in Rule 5 draft". The Detroit News. Retrieved December 14, 2017.
  5. ^ Henning, Lynn (March 27, 2018). "Victor Reyes 'emotional' over fresh start with Tigers". The Detroit News. Retrieved April 10, 2018.
  6. ^ Woodbery, Evan (April 1, 2018). "Tigers' Victor Reyes leaves first MLB game with injury". MLive.com. Retrieved April 10, 2018.
  7. ^ Woodbery, Evan (May 11, 2018). "Rule 5 pick Victor Reyes almost never plays. Are the Tigers willing to keep him all season?". MLive.com. Retrieved May 12, 2018.
  8. ^ "Victor Reyes 2018 Batting Gamelogs". Baseball-Reference.com. Sports-Reference.com. Retrieved July 31, 2018.
  9. ^ Bell, Mandy (September 2, 2018). "Reyes leads offensive charge in win over Yanks". MLB.com. Retrieved September 3, 2018.
  10. ^ "Tigers send Victor Reyes to Toledo, cut roster to 40". March 14, 2019.
  11. ^ "Tigers place Jones on IL, recall Reyes". USAtoday.com. July 4, 2019. Retrieved August 1, 2019.
  12. ^ Petzold, Evan (May 8, 2021). "Detroit Tigers OF Nomar Mazara returns from injury; Victor Reyes sent to Triple-A". freep.com. Retrieved May 18, 2021.
  13. ^ Day, Brandon (May 23, 2021). "JaCoby Jones optioned to Triple-A Toledo, Victor Reyes recalled". blessyouboys.com. Retrieved May 28, 2021.
  14. ^ Petzold, Evan (August 27, 2021). "Detroit Tigers' Victor Reyes delivers pinch-hit inside-the-park HR in 2-1 win vs. Jays". Detroit Free Press. Retrieved August 27, 2021.
  15. ^ Beck, Jason (August 28, 2021). "'Incredible send': Inside-the-parker wins it!". MLB.com. Retrieved August 28, 2021.
  16. ^ "Victor Reyes - Contract Details". spotrac.com. Retrieved April 1, 2022.
  17. ^ "Detroit Tigers outfielder Victor Reyes among six player cut from 40-man roster". freep.com. Retrieved June 30, 2023.
  18. ^ Franco, Anthony (December 10, 2022). "'White Sox, Victor Reyes Agree To Minor League Deal". MLBTradeRumors.com. Retrieved December 10, 2022.
  19. ^ "2023 MiLB Free Agents". baseballamerica.com. November 8, 2023. Retrieved December 20, 2023.
  20. ^ "3 KBO clubs bring back, newly acquire foreign players". m-en.yna.co.kr. December 17, 2023. Retrieved December 20, 2023.
  21. ^ "Victor Reyes Signs with KBO's Lotte Giants". December 16, 2023.
  22. ^ "Lotte Giants re-sign Victor Reyes after record-breaking season". koreajoongangdaily.joins.com. Retrieved November 28, 2024.
  23. ^ "KBO Signings: Heredia, Naile, Reyes". mlbtraderumors.com. Retrieved November 28, 2024.