Jonathan Aldair Araúz (; born August 3, 1998) is a

Panamanian Panamanians (Spanish: ''Panameños'') are people identified with Panama, a transcontinental country in Central America (a region within North America) and South America, whose connection may be residential, legal, historical, or cultural. For m ...

professional baseball Professional baseball is organized baseball in which players are selected for their talents and are paid to play for a specific team or club system. It is played in leagues and associated farm teams throughout the world. Modern professional ...

shortstop Shortstop, abbreviated SS, is the baseball or softball fielding position between second and third base, which is considered to be among the most demanding defensive positions. Historically the position was assigned to defensive specialists wh ...

and second baseman in the

Los Angeles Dodgers The Los Angeles Dodgers are an American professional baseball team based in Los Angeles. The Dodgers compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the National League (NL) West division. Established in 1883 in the city of Brooklyn ...

organization. He has previously played in

Major League Baseball Major League Baseball (MLB) is a professional baseball organization and the oldest major professional sports league in the world. MLB is composed of 30 total teams, divided equally between the National League (NL) and the American League (AL), ...

(MLB) for the

Boston Red Sox The Boston Red Sox are an American professional baseball team based in Boston. The Red Sox compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the American League (AL) East division. Founded in as one of the American League's eigh ...

Baltimore Orioles The Baltimore Orioles are an American professional baseball team based in Baltimore. The Orioles compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the American League (AL) East division. As one of the American League's eight charter ...

, and

New York Mets The New York Mets are an American professional baseball team based in the New York City borough of Queens. The Mets compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member of the National League (NL) East division. They are one of two major league ...

. Listed at and , he throws right-handed and is a switch hitter.

Playing career

Philadelphia Phillies

Araúz signed with the Philadelphia Phillies as an international free agent on August 7, 2014. He played for the

GCL Phillies The Florida Complex League Phillies are a Rookie-level affiliate of the Philadelphia Phillies, competing in the Florida Complex League of Minor League Baseball. Prior to 2021, the team was known as the Gulf Coast League Phillies. The team plays ...

in 2015, hitting .254/.309/.370/.679 with 2 home runs and 18 RBI.

Houston Astros

On December 12, 2015, the Phillies traded Araúz and

Ken Giles Kenneth Robert Giles (born September 20, 1990) is an American professional baseball pitcher who is currently a free agent. He previously played for the Philadelphia Phillies, Houston Astros, Toronto Blue Jays, and Seattle Mariners. Exposed to b ...

to the Houston Astros in exchange for

Brett Oberholtzer Brett Raymond Oberholtzer (born July 1, 1989) is an American former professional baseball pitcher. He played in Major League Baseball (MLB) for the Houston Astros, Philadelphia Phillies, and Los Angeles Angels. He also played in the Chinese Profe ...

, Harold Araúz,

Mark Appel Mark Stewart Appel (born July 15, 1991) is an American professional baseball pitcher in the Philadelphia Phillies organization. Prior to joining the Phillies he also played in the Houston Astros organization. After being drafted out of high s ...

Tom Eshelman Thomas Darwin Eshelman (born June 20, 1994) is an American former professional baseball pitcher and current pitching coach in the San Diego Padres organization. He made his Major League Baseball (MLB) debut with the Baltimore Orioles in 2019. He ...

, and

Vince Velasquez Vincent John Velasquez ( ; born June 7, 1992) is an American professional baseball pitcher for the Pittsburgh Pirates of Major League Baseball (MLB). He has previously played in MLB for the Houston Astros, Philadelphia Phillies, San Diego Padres ...

. Araúz played for the

Greeneville Astros The Greeneville Astros were a Minor League Baseball team that played in the Rookie-level Appalachian League from 2004 to 2017. They represented the town of Greeneville, Tennessee, though Pioneer Park, their home stadium, was located in nearby T ...

in 2016, hitting .249/.323/.338/.661 with 2 home runs and 18 RBI. Araúz was suspended for 50 games at the beginning of the 2017 season, after testing positive for methamphetamine. He split the 2017 season between the

Tri City ValleyCats The Tri-City ValleyCats (often shortened to Cats) are a professional independent baseball team based in Troy, New York. The Tri-City name refers to the three nearby cities of Albany, New York, Albany, Schenectady, New York, Schenectady, and Troy ...

and the

Quad Cities River Bandits The Quad Cities River Bandits are a Minor League Baseball team of the Midwest League and the High-A affiliate of the Kansas City Royals. Their home games are played at Modern Woodmen Park (formerly John O'Donnell Stadium) in Davenport, Iowa, o ...

, hitting a combined .242/.336/.319/.655 with 1 home run and 15 RBI. He split the 2018 season between Ouad Cities and the

Buies Creek Astros The Fayetteville Woodpeckers are a Minor League Baseball team of the Carolina League and the Single-A affiliate of the Houston Astros. They are located in Fayetteville, North Carolina, and play their home games at Segra Stadium. From 2017 to ...

, hitting a combined .229/.305/.373/.678 with 8 home runs and 47 RBI. Araúz split the 2019 season between the

Fayetteville Woodpeckers The Fayetteville Woodpeckers are a Minor League Baseball team of the Carolina League and the Single-A affiliate of the Houston Astros. They are located in Fayetteville, North Carolina, and play their home games at Segra Stadium. From 2017 to ...

and the

Corpus Christi Hooks The Corpus Christi Hooks are a Minor League Baseball team of the Texas League and the Double-A affiliate of the Houston Astros. They are located in Corpus Christi, Texas, and are named for the city's association with fishing. The team is owned by ...

, combining to hit .249/.319/.388/.707 with 11 home runs and 55 RBI.

Boston Red Sox

On December 12, 2019, Araúz was selected by the

in the 2019 Rule 5 draft. On July 24, 2020, he made his MLB debut with the Red Sox in the team's first game of the season, batting as a pinch hitter against the

. He made his first MLB start on July 30, against the

, and collected his first MLB hit on August 10, against the

Tampa Bay Rays The Tampa Bay Rays are an American professional baseball team based in St. Petersburg, Florida. The Rays compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the American League (AL) East division. Since its inception, the team's home v ...

. Overall with the 2020 Red Sox, Araúz batted .250 with one home run and nine RBIs in 25 games. After the 2020 season, he played for Panama in the

2021 Caribbean Series The 2021 Caribbean Series (Serie del Caribe) was the 63rd edition of the international competition featuring the champions of the Colombian Professional Baseball League, Dominican Professional Baseball League, Mexican Pacific League, Panamanian ...

, batting .269 in six games. Araúz began the 2021 season in Triple-A, with the

Worcester Red Sox The Worcester Red Sox (nicknamed the WooSox) are a professional minor league baseball team based in Worcester, Massachusetts. Beginning play in 2021, the team is the Triple-A affiliate of the Boston Red Sox, succeeding the Pawtucket Red Sox. The ...

. He was called up to Boston during May, July, and August. On September 10, Araúz was placed on the COVID-related injured list. He was activated on September 23 and optioned to Worcester. Araúz played in a total of 28 games for Boston, batting .185 (12-for-65) with three home runs and eight RBIs. He also appeared in 68 games for Worcester, batting .245 with six home runs and 30 RBIs. Araúz made Boston's Opening Day roster in 2022, capturing one of the final reserve spots. He was placed on the COVID-related list on April 19. On May 12, he was removed from the COVID-related list and optioned to Worcester. Araúz was recalled by Boston on June 8, when Kiké Hernández was placed on the injured list. Araúz was then

designated for assignment Designated for assignment (DFA) is a contractual term used in Major League Baseball (MLB). A player who is designated for assignment is immediately removed from the team's 40-man roster, after which the team must within seven days, return the pla ...

by Boston on June 10. In six games for Boston, he was hitless in 10 at bats. He also played in 24 games for Triple-A Worcester, batting .185 with three RBIs and no home runs.

Baltimore Orioles

On June 15, 2022, Araúz was claimed off of waivers by the

. He was then assigned to the Triple-A

Norfolk Tides The Norfolk Tides are a Minor League Baseball team of the International League and the Triple-A affiliate of the Baltimore Orioles. They are located in Norfolk, Virginia, and are named in nautical reference to the city's location on the Chesapea ...

. He was designated for assignment on September 6, then assigned to Triple-A Norfolk three day later. In nine games with the Orioles, he batted .179 (5-for-28) with one home run and four RBIs. He also played in 11 games for Triple-A Norfolk, batting .250 (10-for-40), and three rehabilitation games in

High-A High-A (officially Class High-A, formerly known as Class A-Advanced, and sometimes abbreviated "A+" in writing) is the third-highest level of play in Minor League Baseball in the United States and Canada, below Triple-A and Double-A, and abov ...

, batting .100 (1-for-10).

New York Mets

On December 7, 2022, the

selected Araúz in the minor league phase of the Rule 5 draft. In 95 games for the Triple–A Syracuse Mets, he batted .244/.344/.429 with a career–high 14 home runs and 49 RBI. On August 2, 2023, the Mets selected Araúz's contract, adding him to their major league roster. In 27 games for New York, he batted .136/.203/.288 and tied career–highs in home runs (3) and RBI (9). Following the season on October 20, Araúz was removed from the 40–man roster and sent outright to Triple–A Syracuse, but refused the assignment and elected free agency on October 24.

Los Angeles Dodgers

On December 15, 2023, Araúz signed a minor league contract with the

and he was assigned to the Triple–A Oklahoma City Baseball Club to start the season.

International career

Araúz was selected to represent

Panama Panama ( , ; es, link=no, Panamá ), officially the Republic of Panama ( es, República de Panamá), is a transcontinental country spanning the southern part of North America and the northern part of South America. It is bordered by Co ...

at the

2023 World Baseball Classic qualification The qualifying round of the 2023 World Baseball Classic will be held in September 2022. Teams which participated at the 2017 World Baseball Classic automatically qualified for the 2023 tournament. The qualifying round is to consist of two tournam ...

References

External links

{{DEFAULTSORT:Arauz, Jonathan 1998 births Living people People from Chiriquí Province Panamanian expatriate baseball players in the United States Boston Red Sox players Baltimore Orioles players New York Mets players Major League Baseball players from Panama Major League Baseball second basemen Major League Baseball shortstops Major League Baseball third basemen Aberdeen IronBirds players Buies Creek Astros players Corpus Christi Hooks players Estrellas Orientales players Fayetteville Woodpeckers players Greeneville Astros players Florida Complex League Phillies players Norfolk Tides players Oklahoma City Baseball Club players Quad Cities River Bandits players Syracuse Mets players Tri-City ValleyCats players Worcester Red Sox players 2023 World Baseball Classic players