Major Leaguer resume Vol.72/ WBC Player’s resume Vol.58: Christian Vazquez (Minnesota Twins) : Major Candidate for Team Puerto Rico: “Well-hitting & caught-stealing catcher!”

Story:
Today's player's resume concerns the Minnesota Twins catcher, Christian Vazquez. Vazquez is a Puerto Rican player and can join Team Puerto Rico in the 2023 World Baseball Classic.


The KAISPO's baseball analyst commented,
"Vazquez is a valuable catcher who hits well. He is not so tall, but he is good in the clutch with a punch. His batting average(.274) in 2022 ranked 2nd among 24 players who appeared in at least 100 games as a catcher. Vazquez has two-time World Championship experiences with Boston and Houston to know how to win a fall classic. He handled 4 Astros pitchers in Game 4 of the 2022 World Series, the first combined no-hitter game in World Series history. The Puerto Rican catcher will aim at his 3rd championship for Minnesota in 2023 and beyond."
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Christin Vazquez was picked by the Boston Red Sox with the 292nd overall selection in the 9th round of the 2008 MLB draft after attending the Puerto Rico Baseball Academy High School.

Making his big league debut with Boston as a starting catcher against the Chicago White Sox at Fenway Park on July 9th, 2014,  he worked with five Red Sox pitchers and was hitless in his three at-bats in a 6-5 win. Two days later, he singled to the left for the first hit of his career in the third off the Cincinnati Reds righty, Scott Feldman, and then added two more doubles, including a ground-rule double. Vazquez smashed a two-run homer for the first of his career, facing the Tampa Bay Rays right-hander Jeremy Hellickson on September 25th. He finished his first season with a batting average of .240, one home run, and 20 RBIs in 55 contests, marking a CS PCT of 52% as a catcher.

The right-handed batter, unfortunately, missed the entire season in 2015 because he underwent Tommy John surgery on an elbow injury. He returned to the team in 2016 and batted .277 with one homer and 12 RBIs in 57 games.

In 2017, the 32-year-old catcher recorded .290 with five long balls, 32 RBIs, and five stolen bases in 99 games. In 2018, he appeared in only 60 games because he broke his right pinnacle finger and shared the catcher position with Sandy Leon. He also had 8-for-37 in the postseason, experiencing Boston's fourth World Series title. 2019 was his best-hitting season. Appearing in his career-most 138 games, he averaged .276 with his career-high 23 homers and 72 RBIs.

On August 1st, 2022, Christian Vazquez was traded by the Red Sox to the Houston Astros for two minor leaguers. He totally marked .274 with nine homers and 52 RBIs for both teams, playing the role of a backup catcher for Martin Maldonado with the Astros. He memorably handled Houston's four pitchers to combine on a no-hitter in Game 4 of the 2022 World Series against the Philadelphia Phillies on November 2nd. It was the second no-hitter and the first combined one in the Fall Classic history. Vazquez also led the Astros' second World Series title, delivering an RBI single to drive in the fourth run for insurance in the final game of the Series.

Vazquez has hit .261 with 55 home runs and 276 RBIs and has marked a CS rate of 41% in 717 appearances in his eight career seasons. He will play for the Twins in 2023.
(MLB No.352 KAISPO No.1532)