| Lázaro Armenteros | |
| Team: | Free agent |
| Position: | Outfielder |
| Birth Date: | 22 May 1999 |
| Birth Place: | Havana, Cuba |
| Bats: | Right |
| Throws: | Right |
| Debutleague: | MLB |
| Statleague: | MLB |
| Stat1label: | Batting average |
| Stat2label: | Home runs |
| Stat3label: | Runs batted in |
Lázaro Robersy Armenteros Arango (born 22 May 1999), nicknamed Lazarito, is a Cuban professional baseball outfielder who is a free agent.
Armenteros played in the 2014 15U Baseball World Cup, held in Mexico, and made the All-Tournament Team after batting .462 in nine games.[1]
In 2015, Armenteros was sanctioned by the Cuban government, and disallowed from playing for the 15-and-under team. Armenteros defected from Cuba in an attempt to play in Major League Baseball.[2] He reached Haiti, and established residency there in May 2015.[3] He permanently settled in the Dominican Republic.[4] A team in Nippon Professional Baseball reportedly offered Armenteros a contract worth $15 million.[5] In January 2016, Armenteros was declared a free agent.[6] [7]
On 2 July 2016, Armenteros signed a minor league contract with the Oakland Athletics.[8] He made his American professional baseball debut in 2017[9] with both the DSL Athletics and AZL Athletics, slashing .276/.377/.443 with four home runs, 23 RBIs, and 12 stolen bases in 47 games between the two teams.[10]
The Athletics assigned him to the Beloit Snappers of the Single–A Midwest League in 2018, for whom he batted .277 with 8 home runs and 39 RBI in 79 games.[11] In 2019, Armenteros played in 126 games for High–A Stockton Ports of the California League, hitting .222/.336/.403 with career–highs in home runs (17), RBI (61), and stolen bases (22).[12] In addition, he led the minor leagues in strikeouts, with 227 in 459 at–bats.[13]
Armenteros did not play in a game in 2020 due to the cancellation of the minor league season because of the COVID-19 pandemic.[14] He returned to action in 2021, splitting the year between Stockton and the High–A Lansing Lugnuts. In 71 combined contests, he hit .259/.322/.381 with 6 home runs, 26 RBI, and 21 stolen bases. Armenteros again played for Lansing in 2022, appearing in 56 games and slashing .261/.376/.479 with 10 home runs, 26 RBI, and 13 stolen bases.[15]
Armenteros once more began the 2023 season with Lansing before quickly being promoted to the Double–A Midland RockHounds. In 96 appearances for Midland, he hit .249/.380/.464 with 14 home runs, 72 RBI, and 10 stolen bases.[16] On 6 November, the Athletics added Armenteros to their 40-man roster to prevent him from reaching minor league free agency.[17]
Armenteros was optioned to the Triple–A Las Vegas Aviators to begin the 2024 season.[18] After hitting .133 in 24 games, he was designated for assignment on 7 May 2024.[19] Armenteros cleared waivers and was sent outright to Triple–A on 9 May.[20] He was released by the Athletics organization on 15 July.[21]
Armenteros was born and raised in the San Miguel del Padrón section of Havana.[2] He has three brothers and three sisters.[5] His father, Lazaro Sr., played for the Cuban national basketball team.[2]