Dioner Navarro

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

**Dioner Navarro**
Major League Baseball debut
Tampa Bay Devil Rays — No. 30
Catcher
Bats: Switch	Throws: Right
September 7, 2004 for the New York Yankees
Selected MLB statistics (through April 6, 2007)
Batting average	.262
Home runs	9
RBI	43
Former teams
New York Yankees (2004) Los Angeles Dodgers (2005-2006)

Dioner Favian Navarro (born February 9, 1984 in Caracas, Venezuela) is a Major League Baseball catcher and switch-hitter who plays for the Tampa Bay Devil Rays.

[edit] Career

Navarro was signed by the New York Yankees in 2000 as an amateur free agent. He debuted with the Yankees on September 7, 2004. Considered to be the best prospect left in the organization, he played in seven games, batting .429 (3-for-7) with one RBI and two runs scored.

Before the 2005 season, Navarro was traded to the Los Angeles Dodgers in a three-team deal that sent Randy Johnson from the Arizona Diamondbacks to the Yankees, Javier Vázquez from the Yankees to the Diamondbacks, Shawn Green from the Dodgers to the Diamondbacks, and several other minor leaguers to the Dodgers.

Both Navarro and Russell Martin were invited to spring training in 2006. Both played well, but at the end of the spring Navarro was named the Dodgers' catcher, and Martin was sent to the Triple-A Las Vegas 51s. However, while Martin thrived in Las Vegas, Navarro played only adequately in Los Angeles, and showed signs of inexperience. On 5 May 2006, Martin was called-up to the Dodgers after a wrist injury landed Navarro on the disabled list. Martin played well after the injury to Navarro, and kept the job as catcher, as Navarro was demoted to the minor leagues. On June 26, 2006, Navarro was traded along with pitcher Jae Seo and outfielder Justin Ruggiano to the Tampa Bay Devil Rays for catcher Toby Hall and pitcher Mark Hendrickson. Navarro made his debut as a Ray on June 28, 2006 against the Florida Marlins going hitless with two walks.