Dayán Viciedo
| Dayán Viciedo | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Chicago White Sox – No. 24 | |
| Left fielder | |
|
Born: March 10, 1989 Remedios, Villa Clara Province, Cuba | |
| Bats: Right | Throws: Right |
| MLB debut | |
| June 20, 2010 for the Chicago White Sox | |
| Career statistics (through 2013) | |
| Batting average | .264 |
| Home runs | 45 |
| Runs batted in | 153 |
| Teams | |
| |
Dayán Viciedo Pérez (born March 10, 1989)[1] is a Cuban baseball player on the Chicago White Sox. He is listed at 5 ft 11 in, 240 lbs.
Early life
Viciedo entered Cuba's National Series at age 15 for Villa Clara, often compared to Cuban legend Omar Linares, his idol.[2]
Viciedo struggled in his first season in the national series, hitting only .243 through the season's first 50 games.[3] However, in his second season, at age sixteen, he hit .337 with 14 home runs.[4] Viciedo was selected to Cuba's provisional 60-player roster for the 2006 World Baseball Classic,[3] but was not included in the final team.[5]
On May 20, 2008, Viciedo defected from Cuba with his family on a boat bound for Mexico. Once in Mexico he crossed the border to the United States and went to Miami where he was reunited with some of his family.[6] He was approved as a declared Free Agent by Major League Baseball on November 10, 2008.
Professional career
Viciedo agreed to a four-year, $10 million contract with the Chicago White Sox on December 12, 2008. The contract includes a $4 million signing bonus, and pays $1 million in 2009, $1.25 million in 2010 and 2011, as well as $2.5 million in 2012. Signing with the White Sox reunited him with fellow Cuban countryman, Alexei Ramírez [7]
Minor Leagues
Viciedo began the 2009 season with the Double-A Birmingham Barons of the Southern League. During the season he hit .280 with 12 home runs and 78 RBIs.
Viciedo was batting .290, with 14 home runs and 34 RBI in 238 at bats with Triple-A Charlotte Knights before getting called up by the Chicago White Sox on June 17, 2010. He finished the season batting .274, 20 home runs and 47 RBI in 343 at bats.
Viciedo moved to right field at the beginning of the 2011 season in an attempt to get him up to the Major League level quicker. He was batting .296, with 20 home runs and 78 RBI in 452 at bats with Triple-A Charlotte Knights before being called up by the White Sox on August 26, 2011 because of an injury to Carlos Quentin.
Chicago White Sox
Viciedo joined the White Sox for their 2009 Spring Training, but did not make the starting roster and was sent to Double-A Birmingham Barons to open the 2009 season. He was invited to Spring Training again in 2010. On June 17, 2010, it was announced that Viciedo would be called up to the Chicago White Sox. In his first Major league Game against the Washington Nationals he recorded his first hit en route to a White Sox 6–3 win. Viciedo recorded his first Major League home run on July 5, 2010 against Scott Kazmir of the Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim, and two days later, on July 7, recorded his first career double against Joe Saunders of the Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim. Viciedo has been referred to as "The Tank" by White Sox announcer Ken Harrelson, due to his size, power, and strength.
See also
References
- ↑ "Dayán Viciedo Pérez" (in Spanish). Archived from the original on 2006-04-27. Retrieved 2006-10-10.
- ↑ García, Anne-Marie (2005-02-16). "Dayan Viciedo, the rough diamond of Cuban baseball". Granma. Retrieved 2006-10-10.
- ↑ 3.0 3.1 Singer, Tom (2006-02-12). "Youth no obstacle for Cuba's Viciedo". MLB.com. Retrieved 2006-10-10.
- ↑ "2005–06 Regular season batting statistics". Retrieved 2006-10-10.
- ↑ Wendel, Tim (2006-03-05). "Cuba's ninth inning gamble". Los Angeles Times. Retrieved 2006-10-10.
- ↑ http://www.miamiherald.com/sports/story/562497.html
- ↑ Merkin, Scott (2008-12-12). "Viciedo's four-year pact finalized". MLB.com. Retrieved 2008-12-12.
External links
- Career statistics and player information from MLB, or Baseball-Reference, or Fangraphs, or The Baseball Cube, or Baseball-Reference (Minors)
- Cuban Baseball Career statistics