Luis Fernando González (born September 10, 1995) is a Mexican professional

baseball Baseball is a bat-and-ball games, bat-and-ball sport played between two team sport, teams of nine players each, taking turns batting (baseball), batting and Fielding (baseball), fielding. The game occurs over the course of several Pitch ...

outfielder An outfielder is a person playing in one of the three defensive positions in baseball or softball, farthest from the batter. These defenders are the left fielder, the center fielder, and the right fielder. As an outfielder, their duty is to catch ...

for the

High Point Rockers The High Point Rockers are an American professional minor-league baseball team based at Truist Point ballpark in High Point, North Carolina, which is part of the Piedmont Triad region. They are members of the South Division of the Atlantic League ...

of the

Atlantic League of Professional Baseball The Atlantic League of Professional Baseball (ALPB) is a professional independent baseball league in the United States. It is an official MLB Partner League based in the Mid-Atlantic and Southeastern United States, and the headquarters are l ...

. He played

college baseball College baseball is baseball that is played by Student athlete, student-athletes at institutions of higher education. In the United States, college baseball is sanctioned mainly by the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA); in Japan, ...

at the

University of New Mexico The University of New Mexico (UNM; ) is a public research university in Albuquerque, New Mexico, United States. Founded in 1889 by the New Mexico Territorial Legislature, it is the state's second oldest university, a flagship university in th ...

. He was drafted by the

Chicago White Sox The Chicago White Sox are an American professional baseball team based in Chicago. The White Sox compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the American League (AL) American League Central, Central Division. The club plays its ...

in the third round of the

2017 Major League Baseball Draft The 2017 Major League Baseball draft began on June 12, 2017. The draft assigned amateur baseball players to MLB teams. The first 36 picks, including the first round and compensatory picks, were broadcast on MLB Network on June 12, while the remai ...

, and made his MLB debut with them in 2020. He has also played in

Major League Baseball Major League Baseball (MLB) is a professional baseball league composed of 30 teams, divided equally between the National League (baseball), National League (NL) and the American League (AL), with 29 in the United States and 1 in Canada. MLB i ...

(MLB) for the

San Francisco Giants The San Francisco Giants are an American professional baseball team based in San Francisco. The Giants compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the National League (baseball), National League (NL) National League West, West Div ...

Early life

González was born in

Hermosillo Hermosillo (), formerly called Pitic (as in ''Santísima Trinidad del Pitic'' and ''Presidio del Pitic''), is a city in the center of the northwestern Mexican state of Sonora. It is the municipal seat of the Hermosillo municipality, the state's ...

Sonora Sonora (), officially Estado Libre y Soberano de Sonora (), is one of the 31 states which, along with Mexico City, comprise the Administrative divisions of Mexico, Federal Entities of Mexico. The state is divided into Municipalities of Sonora, 72 ...

, Mexico, to Luis and Lisa González, and has an older sibling named Paloma. He started playing baseball when he was six years old, in the local Liga Unison (Unison League), a youth baseball league sponsored by the University of Sonora in Hermosillo. He is bilingual and moved to Arizona with his family when he was 10 years old.

Amateur career

González attended Catalina Foothills High School in

Tucson, Arizona Tucson (; ; ) is a city in Pima County, Arizona, United States, and its county seat. It is the second-most populous city in Arizona, behind Phoenix, Arizona, Phoenix, with a population of 542,630 in the 2020 United States census. The Tucson ...

. He batted .400 for Foothills with a 9-4 pitching record, and was named a Division 2 MVP in his senior year when he batted .500 with 10

home run In baseball, a home run (abbreviated HR) is scored when the Baseball (ball), ball is hit in such a way that the batting (baseball), batter is able to circle the bases and reach home plate safe (baseball), safely in one play without any error ( ...

s. Gonzalez then enrolled at the

, where Gonzalez played

for the

New Mexico Lobos The New Mexico Lobos are the sport, athletic teams that represent the University of New Mexico, located in Albuquerque, New Mexico, Albuquerque. The university participates in the NCAA Division I in the Mountain West Conference (MW) since 1999 ...

as a

center fielder A center fielder, abbreviated CF, is the outfielder in baseball who plays defense in center field – the baseball and softball fielding position between left field and right field. In the numbering system used to record defensive plays, the ...

and a weekend

starting pitcher In baseball (hardball or softball), a starting pitcher or starter is the first pitcher in the game for each team. A pitcher is credited with a game started if they throw the first pitch to the opponent's first batter of a game. Starting pit ...

for three years (2015–17). As a sophomore in 2016, González had a .381 batting average (4th in the

Mountain West Conference The Mountain West Conference (MW) is a collegiate athletic conference in the Western United States, participating in NCAA Division I. Its football teams compete in the Football Bowl Subdivision (FBS). The MW officially began operations on Ja ...

), 21 doubles (3rd), five triples (4th), six home runs (8th), 63 runs (2nd), 43 walks (2nd), a .470 on-base percentage (3rd), a .694

slugging percentage In baseball statistics, slugging percentage (SLG) is a measure of the batting productivity of a hitter. It is calculated as total bases divided by at-bats, through the following formula, where ''AB'' is the number of at-bats for a given player, an ...

(6th), and 18

stolen base In baseball, a stolen base occurs when a runner advances to a base unaided by other actions and the official scorer rules that the advance should be credited to the action of the runner. The umpires determine whether the runner is safe or out ...

s (2nd) without being caught, and was named to the Second-Team All-Mountain West. González was also named co-MVP of the 2016 Mountain West Conference tournament after going 3-for-5 in the Championship game. The win qualified the Lobos for the 2016

NCAA The National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) is a nonprofit organization that regulates College athletics in the United States, student athletics among about 1,100 schools in the United States, and Simon Fraser University, 1 in Canada. ...

Regionals. While the Lobos lost to #1 seed

Texas Tech Texas Tech University (Texas Tech, Tech, or TTU) is a public research university in Lubbock, Texas, United States. Established on February 10, 1923, and called Texas Technological College until 1969, it is the flagship institution of the five- ...

before being eliminated by Dallas Baptist the following morning, González had three hits against Texas Tech, with one article saying: "If there's a bright side for the Lobos, it's that center fielder Luis Gonzalez might be the hottest hitter in the entire regional." As a junior in 2017, he

slashed Ash are a Northern Irish rock band formed in Downpatrick, County Down in 1992 by vocalist and guitarist Tim Wheeler, bassist Mark Hamilton and drummer Rick McMurray. As a three-piece, they released mini-album '' Trailer'' in 1994 and full-lengt ...

.361/.500/.589 with 62 runs (4th), 22 doubles (4th), 14 stolen bases (4th) in 18 attempts, and 58 walks (leading the conference). For his New Mexico career, he batted .353/.468/.564 in 598

at bat In baseball, an at bat (AB) or time at bat is a batter's turn batting against a pitcher. An at bat is different from a plate appearance. A batter is credited with a plate appearance regardless of what happens upon completion of his turn at bat, ...

s, had 153 runs, 54 doubles, 8 triples, 18 home runs, and 113

RBIs A run batted in or runs batted in (RBI) is a statistic in baseball and softball that credits a batter for making a play that allows a run to be scored (except in certain situations such as when an error is made on the play). For example, if th ...

, stole 35 bases while being caught five times, walked 124 times but only struck out 71 times, and made 22 starts as a pitcher.

Professional career

Chicago White Sox

The

selected Gonzalez in the third round of the

2017 Major League Baseball draft The 2017 Major League Baseball draft began on June 12, 2017. The draft assigned amateur baseball players to MLB teams. The first 36 picks, including the first round and compensatory picks, were broadcast on MLB Network on June 12, while the remai ...

. He signed in June 2017 for a $517,000

signing bonus A signing bonus or sign-on bonus is a sum of money paid to a new employee (including a professional sports person) by a company as an incentive to join that company. They are often given as a way of making a compensation package more attractive ...

. González spent his first professional season in 2017 with the Rookie League

Great Falls Voyagers The Great Falls Voyagers are an independent baseball team of the Pioneer League, which is not affiliated with Major League Baseball (MLB) but is an MLB Partner League. They are located in Great Falls, Montana, and play their home games at Cente ...

and the Single–A

Kannapolis Intimidators Kannapolis () is a city in Cabarrus and Rowan Counties in the U.S. state of North Carolina, northwest of Concord and northeast of Charlotte, and is a suburb in the Charlotte metropolitan area. The city of Kannapolis was incorporated in 1984. ...

. He batted .236/.351/.348 with 29 runs, two home runs and 15

in 250 at bats over 67 games. He played 2018 with Kannapolis and the High–A

Winston-Salem Dash The Winston-Salem Dash are a Minor League Baseball team in Winston-Salem, North Carolina. They are a High-A team in the South Atlantic League and have been a farm team of the Chicago White Sox since 1997. The Dash began playing their home games ...

, slashing a combined .307/.368/.498 in 482 at bats with 85 runs, 40 doubles (the most in the organization, and 4th-most in the minor leagues), 14 home runs, and 71 RBIs (3rd among White Sox minor leaguers) in 117 games between the two clubs. He was named a 2018

South Atlantic League The South Atlantic League, often informally called the Sally League, is a Minor League Baseball league with teams predominantly in states along the Atlantic coast of the United States from New York to Georgia. A Class A league for most of its h ...

Mid-Season All Star, and a 2018 MiLB Organization All Star. He spent 2019 with the Double–A

Birmingham Barons The Birmingham Barons are a Minor League Baseball team based in Birmingham, Alabama. The team, which plays in the Southern League, is the Double-A affiliate of the Chicago White Sox and plays at Regions Field in downtown Birmingham. The Baron ...

. González slashed .247/.316/.359 with 63 runs (4th in the Southern League), nine home runs, 59 RBIs (10th), 10 sacrifice flies (leading the league), and 17 stolen bases and 9 caught stealing in 473 at bats over 126 games. On August 17, 2020, González was promoted to the major leagues for the first time. On August 18, he made his MLB debut, and in the season he had two

plate appearance In baseball, a player is credited with a plate appearance (denoted by PA) each time he completes a turn batting. Under Rule 5.04(c) of the Official Baseball Rules, a player completes a turn batting when he is put out or becomes a runner. This ha ...

s. In 2021, he batted .241/.352/.423 in 137 at bats for the Triple–A

Charlotte Knights The Charlotte Knights are a Minor League Baseball team of the International League and the Triple-A (baseball), Triple-A affiliate of the Chicago White Sox. They are located in Charlotte, North Carolina, and play their home games at Truist Field ...

, and hit two doubles in eight at bats for the White Sox. On August 9, 2021, González was released by the White Sox.

San Francisco Giants

On August 11, 2021, González was claimed off of release waivers by the

. On November 30, 2021, González was non-tendered by the Giants, making him a

free agent In professional sports, a free agent is a player or manager who is eligible to sign with other clubs or franchises; i.e., not under contract to any specific team. The term is also used in reference to a player who is under a contract at present ...

. On January 13, 2022, González re-signed with the Giants. On April 22, González's contract was selected by the Giants after an injury to Steven Duggar. On April 25, González hit his first major league home run off of Jake Cousins in the top of the 9th inning. His two-run homer gave the Giants a 4-2 lead against the Milwaukee Brewers, and the Giants went on to win the game. On May 15, González hit a 3-run home run off of the

St. Louis Cardinals The St. Louis Cardinals are an American professional baseball team based in St. Louis. The Cardinals compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the National League (baseball), National League (NL) National League Central, Centra ...

’

Albert Pujols José Alberto Pujols Alcántara (, ; born December 11, 1985) is a Dominicans, Dominican professional baseball Manager (baseball), manager and former first baseman and designated hitter who is the manager of the Leones del Escogido of the Domin ...

. Coincidentally, González had also been brought in to pitch in the game, marking a position player pitcher homering off of another position player pitching. González was named the NL Rookie of the Month in May 2022. In 2022 with the Giants, he batted .254/.323/.360 in 311 at bats, with four home runs, 36 RBIs, and 10 stolen bases in 12 attempts. He played 69 games in right field, 52 in left field, six in center field, five (and 6.1 innings) as a relief pitcher, and three as a DH. With Triple-A Sacramento, he batted .290/.402/.540 in 92 at bats, with six home runs and 32 RBIs. On February 26, 2023, it was announced that González would miss 4-6 weeks with a lower back strain. On March 10, it was announced that González would require surgery to repair a herniated disc in his lower back, and miss 16 weeks in recovery. On August 7, González was activated from the injured list and optioned to the Triple–A

Sacramento River Cats The Sacramento River Cats are a Minor League Baseball team of the Pacific Coast League (PCL) and are the Triple-A (baseball), Triple-A affiliate of the San Francisco Giants. Prior to 2015, the River Cats were the Triple-A affiliate of the Oakland ...

. On August 14, he was

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 the Giants following the promotion of Wade Meckler. He cleared waivers and was sent outright to Sacramento on August 21. On September 12, González was released by the Giants organization.

New York Yankees

On December 21, 2023, González signed a minor league contract with the

New York Yankees The New York Yankees are an American professional baseball team based in the Boroughs of New York City, New York City borough of the Bronx. The Yankees compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the American League (AL) Am ...

. In 22 appearances for the Triple–A

Scranton/Wilkes-Barre RailRiders The Scranton/Wilkes-Barre RailRiders, often abbreviated to SWB RailRiders, are a Minor League Baseball team of the International League (IL) and the Triple-A (baseball), Triple-A affiliate of the New York Yankees. They are located in Moosic, Pen ...

, he batted .282/.374/.397 with no home runs, five RBI, and three stolen bases. González was released by the Yankees organization on May 9, 2024.

Acereros de Monclova

On July 5, 2024, González signed with the

Acereros de Monclova The Acereros de Monclova (English: Monclova Steelers) are a professional baseball team in the Mexican League The Mexican Baseball League (, or LMB, ) is a professional baseball league in Mexico. It is the oldest running professional sports l ...

of the

Mexican League The Mexican Baseball League (, or LMB, ) is a professional baseball league in Mexico. It is the oldest running professional sports league in the country. The league has 20 teams organized in two divisions, North and South. Teams play 114 games ...

. He spent the season on the reserve list and did not appear in a game with Monclova in the 2024 season.

High Point Rockers

On April 7, 2025, González signed with the

of the

References

External links

{{DEFAULTSORT:González, Luis 1995 births Living people Arizona Complex League Giants players Baseball players from Arizona Birmingham Barons players Chicago White Sox players Great Falls Voyagers players High Point Rockers players Kannapolis Intimidators players Major League Baseball outfielders Major League Baseball players from Mexico 21st-century Mexican sportsmen Mexican emigrants to the United States Mexican expatriate baseball players in the United States Naranjeros de Hermosillo players New Mexico Lobos baseball players Sacramento River Cats players San Francisco Giants players Scranton/Wilkes-Barre RailRiders players Baseball players from Hermosillo Winston-Salem Dash players