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Raimel Tapia

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

In this Spanish name, the first or paternal surname is Tapia and the second or maternal family name is Linarez.
Raimel Tapia
Tapia with the Colorado Rockies in 2021
Free agent
Outfielder
Born: (1994-02-04) February 4, 1994 (age 30)
San Pedro de Macorís, Dominican Republic
Bats: Left
Throws: Left
MLB debut
September 2, 2016, for the Colorado Rockies
MLB statistics
(through 2023 season)
Batting average.274
Home runs29
Runs batted in201
Teams

Raimel Antonio Tapia Linarez (born February 4, 1994) is a Dominican professional baseball outfielder who is a free agent. He has played in Major League Baseball (MLB) for the Colorado Rockies, Toronto Blue Jays, Boston Red Sox, Milwaukee Brewers, and Tampa Bay Rays.

Career

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Colorado Rockies

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The Colorado Rockies signed Tapia as an international free agent in 2010. He spent the 2013 season with the Grand Junction Rockies of the Rookie-level Pioneer League, and was named the league's player of the month for July.[1] He had a 29-game hitting streak for Grand Junction.[2][3] After the season, he was named the Topps Pioneer League Player of the Year for 2013[4] and was named by Baseball Prospectus as the No. 97 prospect in all of baseball prior to the 2014 season. The Rockies added him to their 40-man roster after the 2015 season.[5]

Tapia during an at-bat in 2017

Tapia began the 2016 season with the Hartford Yard Goats of the Double–A Eastern League, and was selected to appear in the 2016 All-Star Futures Game.[6] The Rockies promoted him to the Albuquerque Isotopes of the Triple–A Pacific Coast League in August.[7]

The Rockies promoted Tapia to the major leagues on September 2, 2016.[8]

On July 20, 2018, Tapia hit a two out, two strike, go-ahead pinch hit grand slam in the top of the 7th inning against Arizona Diamondbacks reliever Archie Bradley to give the Rockies an 11–8 lead. It was the first grand slam of Tapia's career and would ultimately prove to be the difference as the Rockies would go on to win the game 11–10.

In 2018, in 25 at bats he hit .200/.259/.480.[9] He had the fastest baserunning sprint speed of all major league designated hitters, at 28.6 feet/second.[10]

Tapia received more playing time in 2020 after Ian Desmond opted out of the season because of the COVID-19 pandemic.[11] In 51 games, Tapia hit .321, drove in 17 runs, and stole eight bases.

In 2021 he batted .273/.327/.372. He had the highest ground ball/fly ball ratio in the major leagues, at 4.10, the highest ground ball percentage, at 67.4%, and the lowest fly ball percentage, at 16.4%.[12]

Toronto Blue Jays

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On March 24, 2022, Tapia and Adrian Pinto were traded to the Toronto Blue Jays in exchange for Randal Grichuk.[13]

On July 22, 2022, in the top of the 3rd inning, Tapia hit an inside the park grand slam at Fenway Park against the Boston Red Sox, the second in franchise history. The Blue Jays would go on to win the game 28-5, setting a franchise record for the most runs scored in a single game.[14]

On November 15, 2022, Tapia was designated for assignment. He was non-tendered and became a free agent on November 18.

Boston Red Sox

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On January 26, 2023, Tapia signed a minor-league contract with the Boston Red Sox and was named a non-roster invitee to spring training.[15][16] An impressive spring training performance got him added to the major-league roster for the team's Opening Day game.[17] However, a roster crunch and an logjam in Boston's outfield meant Tapia was the odd man out, and he was designated for assignment by the Red Sox after Christian Arroyo was activated from the injured list on June 5.[17] Tapia was released by Boston on June 11.[18] In 39 games for Boston, Tapia hit .264/.333/.368 with one home run, ten RBI, and nine stolen bases.

Milwaukee Brewers

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On June 14, 2023, Tapia signed a major league contract with the Milwaukee Brewers.[19] In 20 games for Milwaukee, he struggled to a .173/.267/.288 batting line with 2 home runs and 3 RBI. On July 22, Tapia was designated for assignment by the Brewers following the promotion of Sal Frelick.[20] He elected free agency upon clearing waivers on July 24.[21]

Tampa Bay Rays

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On August 3, 2023, Tapia signed a minor league contract with the Tampa Bay Rays.[22] In 29 games for the Triple–A Durham Bulls, he batted .269/.371/.414 with 4 home runs and 11 RBI.[23] Tampa Bay selected his contract and added him to the active roster on September 23.[24] In 5 games for the Rays, he went 3–for–9 (.333) with two stolen bases. Following the season on November 4, Tapia was removed from the 40–man roster and sent outright to Triple–A Durham.[25] He elected free agency on November 6.[26]

Scouting report

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Tapia has been noted for altering his batting stance during at-bats. He generally stands at the plate with an upright stance except when there are two strikes against him, at which point he crouches deeply.[27]

References

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  1. ^ "GJ Rockies' hit machine Tapia selected as Pioneer League's player of month for July". GJSentinel.com. August 13, 2013. Archived from the original on June 30, 2017. Retrieved March 31, 2014.
  2. ^ "Grand Junction's Tapia extends hitting streak to 29 games". Billingsgazette.com. August 1, 2013. Retrieved March 31, 2014.
  3. ^ "Losing streak ends, but so does Tapia's hitting streak | Pioneer League News". Minor League Baseball. Retrieved March 31, 2014.
  4. ^ "Colabello among Trautman winners | Pioneer League News". Minor League Baseball. Retrieved March 31, 2014.
  5. ^ "Rockies' John Axford designated for assignment". Colorado Rockies. Archived from the original on March 4, 2016. Retrieved February 4, 2016.
  6. ^ "Rockies prospects Jeff Hoffman, Raimel Tapia named to All-Star Futures Game". June 28, 2016.
  7. ^ Sickenger, Ken (August 9, 2016). "apia shows Isotopes why he is a prospect". Albuquerque Journal. Retrieved September 2, 2016.
  8. ^ Kilpatrick, Bryan (September 2, 2016). "Raimel Tapia promoted to majors". Purple Row.
  9. ^ "Raimel Tapia Stats". Baseball-Reference.com.
  10. ^ "Statcast Sprint Speed Leaderboard". baseballsavant.com.
  11. ^ Newman, Kyle (July 6, 2020). "Opportunity knocks for outfielders Raimel Tapia, Sam Hilliard with Ian Desmond opting out and DH arriving". The Denver Post. Retrieved July 18, 2021.
  12. ^ "Major League Leaderboards » 2021 » Batters » Batted Ball Statistics | FanGraphs Baseball". www.fangraphs.com.
  13. ^ Matheson, Keegan (March 24, 2022). "Tapia traded to Blue Jays; Rox get Grichuk in return". MLB.com. Retrieved March 24, 2022.
  14. ^ "Blue Jays set franchise record for runs". MLB.com. June 22, 2022.
  15. ^ @SoxProspects (January 26, 2023). "Red Sox announce the signings, with invitations to MLB camp, of C Jorge Alfaro, OFs Greg Allen and Raimel Tapia, and LHPs Matt Dermody and Ryan Sherriff" (Tweet). Retrieved January 30, 2023 – via Twitter.
  16. ^ @RedSox (January 26, 2023). "The #RedSox have added five non-roster invitees to the team's 2023 Spring Training roster: C Jorge Alfaro, OF Greg Allen and Raimel Tapia, and LHP Matt Dermody and Ryan Sherriff" (Tweet). Retrieved January 30, 2023 – via Twitter.
  17. ^ a b "Red Sox DFA Raimel Tapia to clear room for Christian Arroyo on active roster". CBS Boston. June 5, 2023. Retrieved June 5, 2023.
  18. ^ "Raimel Tapia: Heads to open market". cbssports.com. June 11, 2023.
  19. ^ "Brewers sign OF Raimel Tapia following release by Red Sox". ESPN.com. AP. June 14, 2023. Retrieved June 14, 2023.
  20. ^ "Sal Frelick promotion: Brewers bring up former first-round pick to help woeful outfield". cbssports.com. Retrieved July 22, 2023.
  21. ^ "Raimel Tapia: Hits open market". cbssports.com. Retrieved July 24, 2023.
  22. ^ "Raimel Tapia Stats, Fantasy, & News". MLB.com. Retrieved August 4, 2023.
  23. ^ "Rays put 2B Lowe on IL, add OF Tapia". tsn.ca. Retrieved September 23, 2023.
  24. ^ Media, Field Level (September 23, 2023). "Rays place 2B Brandon Lowe on IL, recall OF Raimel Tapia". Albany Herald. Retrieved September 23, 2023.
  25. ^ "Rays' Raimel Tapia: Lands on waiver wire". cbssports.com. Retrieved November 9, 2023.
  26. ^ "Raimel Tapia: Testing out free agency". cbssports.com. Retrieved November 9, 2023.
  27. ^ Piellucci, Mike Can Raimel Tapia's Unorthodox Swing Trump Baseball's Conventional Wisdom? Archived April 6, 2016, at the Wayback Machine Vice Sports. March 20, 2016
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