jorge mateo

Dominican baseball star Jorge Mateo is a shortstop and outfielder for MLB’s Baltimore Orioles. Mateo signed as an international free agent with the New York Yankees in January 2012, getting a $250,000 signing bonus. He made his professional debut for the Dominican Summer League Yankees 2 that season, hitting .255 in 14 games with one home run and eight RBIs. In 2013, he played for the Dominican Summer League Yankees 1, and in 2014 moved on to the Gulf Coast Yankees.

Mateo was invited to spring training as a non-roster player in 2016. He had a .254 batting average in 2016, with eight home runs, 36 stolen bases, and 47 RBIs. After the season, the Yankees promoted him to their 40-man roster. Mateo was rated the fastest minor league player by Baseball America in April 2018. He went on to be selected for the 2019 All-Star Futures Game. With 14 triples in 2019, he led the minor league.

Mateo was transferred to the San Diego Padres in June 2020, in exchange for Junior Perez. In August, he was activated and made his first professional start in left field. Mateo got his first MLB hit on a ground rule double on August 27 in the second game of a doubleheader against the Seattle Mariners. In April 2021, he hit his first major league home run against the Arizona Diamondbacks. Mateo was designated for assignment by the Padres in August 2021. He was claimed off waivers by the Baltimore Orioles in August 2021.