Vladimir Núñez Zarabaza (born March 15, 1975) is a Cuban former
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) ...
relief pitcher
In baseball and softball, a relief pitcher or reliever is a pitcher who enters the game after the starting pitcher is removed because of fatigue, ineffectiveness, injury, or ejection, or for other strategic reasons, such as inclement weather d ...
. He is currently the pitching coach for the
Gulf Coast League Braves
The Florida Complex League Braves are the Rookie-level affiliate of the Atlanta Braves, competing in the Florida Complex League of Minor League Baseball. Prior to 2021, the team was known as the Gulf Coast League Braves. The team plays at CoolTo ...
of the
Gulf Coast League
The Florida Complex League (FCL) is a rookie-level Minor League Baseball league that operates in Florida, United States. Before 2021, it was known as the Gulf Coast League (GCL). Together with the Arizona Complex League (ACL), it forms the l ...
. He played for the
Arizona Diamondbacks
The Arizona Diamondbacks (colloquially known as the D-backs) are an American professional baseball team based in Phoenix. The Diamondbacks compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the National League (NL) West division. ...
,
Florida Marlins
The Miami Marlins are an American professional baseball team based in Miami. The Marlins compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the National League (NL) East division. The club's home ballpark is LoanDepot Park.
The fra ...
,
Colorado Rockies
The Colorado Rockies are an American professional baseball team based in Denver. The Rockies compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the National League (NL) West division. The team plays its home baseball games at Coors Fi ...
, and
Atlanta Braves
The Atlanta Braves are an American professional baseball team based in the Atlanta metropolitan area. The Braves compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the National League (NL) East division. The Braves were founded in B ...
.
Professional career
Atlanta Braves
On July 7, , the Atlanta Braves purchased Núñez's contract from Triple-A
Richmond
Richmond most often refers to:
* Richmond, Virginia, the capital of Virginia, United States
* Richmond, London, a part of London
* Richmond, North Yorkshire, a town in England
* Richmond, British Columbia, a city in Canada
* Richmond, California, a ...
after
pitcher
In baseball, the pitcher is the player who throws ("pitches") the Baseball (ball), baseball from the pitcher's mound toward the catcher to begin each play, with the goal of out (baseball), retiring a batter (baseball), batter, who attempts to e ...
s
Manny Acosta
Manuel Alcides Acosta Molinar (born May 1, 1981) is a Panamanian professional baseball pitcher who is a free agent. He has played in Major League Baseball (MLB) for the Atlanta Braves and New York Mets, and for the Yomiuri Giants of Nippon Profess ...
and
Jeff Bennett
Jeffrey Glenn Bennett (born October 2, 1962) is an American voice actor who voiced Johnny Bravo in the eponymous television series, Dexter's Dad in ''Dexter's Laboratory'', Brooklyn in '' Gargoyles'' and Kowalski in the ''Penguins of Madagascar' ...
were placed on the
disabled list
In Major League Baseball (MLB), the injured list (IL) is a method for teams to remove their injured players from the roster in order to summon healthy players. Before the 2019 season, it was known as the disabled list (DL).
General guidelines
...
. He made his Braves debut and first major league appearance since that night against 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 Brookly ...
, tossing a scoreless eighth inning with one
strikeout. He re-signed with the Braves on November 25, 2008.
On October 12, 2009 the
Atlanta Braves
The Atlanta Braves are an American professional baseball team based in the Atlanta metropolitan area. The Braves compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the National League (NL) East division. The Braves were founded in B ...
outrighted Núñez to the
Gwinnett Braves
The Gwinnett Stripers are a Minor League Baseball team of the International League (IL) and the Triple-A affiliate of the Atlanta Braves. They play their home games at Coolray Field in unincorporated Gwinnett County, Georgia (with a Lawrencevi ...
and he elected free agency.
Coaching career
Núñez retired following the 2010 season and accepted the role of pitching coach for the
Gulf Coast League Braves
The Florida Complex League Braves are the Rookie-level affiliate of the Atlanta Braves, competing in the Florida Complex League of Minor League Baseball. Prior to 2021, the team was known as the Gulf Coast League Braves. The team plays at CoolTo ...
.
See also
*
List of baseball players who defected from Cuba
This is a list of notable Cuban baseball players who have defected since the beginning of Fidel Castro's presidency. Prior to the Cuban Revolution, which saw Castro rise to power in 1959, Cuban-born players often played in the American Negro le ...
References
External links
Cuban Play (Series Nacionales)
1975 births
Living people
Águilas del Zulia players
Albuquerque Isotopes players
Arizona Diamondbacks players
Atlanta Braves players
Calgary Cannons players
Cardenales de Lara players
Cuban expatriate baseball players in Venezuela
Charlotte Knights players
Colorado Rockies players
Colorado Springs Sky Sox players
Defecting Cuban baseball players
Estrellas Orientales players
Cuban expatriate baseball players in the Dominican Republic
Florida Marlins players
Gwinnett Braves players
High Desert Mavericks players
Indianapolis Indians players
Industriales de La Habana players
Kane County Cougars players
Lethbridge Black Diamonds players
Major League Baseball pitchers
Major League Baseball players from Cuba
Cuban expatriate baseball players in the United States
Mayos de Navojoa players
Memphis Redbirds players
Oklahoma RedHawks players
Richmond Braves players
Baseball players from Havana
Tucson Sidewinders players
Visalia Oaks players
Cuban expatriate baseball players in Canada
Cuban expatriate baseball players in Mexico
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