| Ángel Sánchez | |
|---|---|
| Houston Astros – No. 36 | |
| Shortstop | |
| Born: September 20, 1983 Humacao, Puerto Rico |
|
| Bats: Right | Throws: Right |
| MLB debut | |
| September 23, 2006 for the Kansas City Royals | |
| Career statistics (through 2011 Season) |
|
| Batting average | .255 |
| Home runs | 1 |
| Runs batted in | 54 |
| Teams | |
|
|
Ángel Luis Sánchez (born September 20, 1983 in Humacao, Puerto Rico) is a Major League Baseball shortstop for the Houston Astros.
Contents |
At the age of 15, Sánchez was drafted by the Florida Marlins in the 12th round (356th overall) of the 1999 Major League Baseball Draft. Sánchez did not sign with the Marlins and would be taken by the Kansas City Royals in the 11th round (325th overall) of the 2001 Major League Baseball Draft.
Sánchez began his professional career playing for the Gulf Coast Royals in 2001 and 2002. For another two years from 2003 to 2004, he played for the Single-A Burlington Bees. In a breakout 2005 season, playing for the High-A High Desert Mavericks, he batted .313 with 5 home runs in 133 games. He set numerous career highs including batting average (.313), games played (133, tied in 2006), at-bats (585), runs scored (102, surpassed in 2006 with 105), hits (185), doubles (33), triple (4), home runs (5), RBI (70), and walks (39, surpassed in 2006 with 44).
On November 18, 2005, Sánchez's contract was purchased by the Royals, protecting him from the Rule 5 Draft. At the time, Baseball America ranked Sánchez as the best infielder in the Royals' minor league system.[1]
In 2006, Sánchez played the entire minor league season for the Double-A Wichita Wranglers. He batted .280 with 4 home runs in 133 games. On September 20, with Andres Blanco injured, Sánchez got the late season callup. Sánchez made his major league debut on September 23, against the Detroit Tigers, going 0-3 with a strikeout in his debut. He got his first major league hit on September 26, against the Minnesota Twins in a two hit game. On October 1, the Royals last game of the season, Sánchez recorded his first 3 hit game, all singles, against the Tigers. It was just his 8th career game. Sánchez completed the 2006 major league season with a .222 batting average and no home runs.
Sánchez missed the entire 2007 season with a right elbow injury. He was the Double-A Northwest Arkansas Naturals' primary shortstop for all of 2008. On November 3, 2008, he was claimed off waivers by the Toronto Blue Jays.[2]
On July 1, 2010, Sánchez was traded to the Houston Astros for veteran catcher Kevin Cash.[3]
|
||||||||