Miguel Flores (baseball) explained

Miguel Flores
Position:Second baseman / Manager / Sporting director
Birth Date:16 August 1970
Birth Place:Monterrey, Nuevo León, Mexico
Bats:Right
Throws:Right
Team:Sultanes de Monterrey
Highlights:
  • Mexican Pacific League Rookie of the Year Award (1991–92)
  • Sultanes de Monterrey #20 retired
  • Naranjeros de Hermosillo #20 retired
Hofcolor:green
Hoflink:Mexican Professional Baseball Hall of Fame
Hoftype:Mexican Professional

Miguel Ángel Flores González (born 16 August 1970) is a former professional baseball infielder and manager and current baseball executive. Flores played 15 seasons in the Mexican League, all but one with the Sultanes de Monterrey, and 16 seasons in the Mexican Pacific League. From 1990 to 1995 he played minor league baseball in the Cleveland Indians organization. He is the current sporting director of the Sultanes de Monterrey.

Early career

Flores was born on 16 August 1970 in Monterrey, Nuevo León. He played youth baseball in Monterrey's Liga Pequeña de Beisbol Obispado (Obispado Baseball Little League). He was later selected to represent Nuevo León in national amateur baseball competitions and moved to San Antonio, Texas to play baseball at Luther Burbank High School.[1]

Professional career

Cleveland Indians

Flores was drafted by the Cleveland Indians organization in 1989 and joined the Burlington Indians of the Appalachian League for the 1990 season.[2] In 1991 he was promoted to the Kinston Indians of the Carolina League. In 1992 he was again promoted to the Canton–Akron Indians of the Double-A Eastern League. In 1994, Flores played for the Charlotte Knights of the International League and in 1995 for the Buffalo Bisons of the American Association.[1] [3]

Mexican League

After spending six seasons in the Indians minor league system, Flores made his Mexican League (LMB) debut with the Sultanes de Monterrey in 1995. He spent 14 seasons playing with the Sultanes from 1995 to 2002 and from 2004 to 2009, winning the 1995, 1996 and 2007 Mexican League championships with the Fantasmas grises (Gray Phantoms). In 2003, the only season he did not spend with the Sultanes, he played for the Broncos de Reynosa and Leones de Yucatán.[4]

Mexican Pacific League

Flores made his debut in the Mexican Pacific League (LMP) in the 1991–92 season with the Naranjeros de Hermosillo, winning the Rookie of the Year Award and the LMP championship. He played seven seasons for the Naranjeros until the 2000–01 season. Flores also played for the Venados de Mazatlán, Cañeros de Los Mochis and Tomateros de Culiacán before retiring after the 2006–07 season.[5]

Legacy

Flores' number 20 was retired by the Sultanes de Monterrey on 21 July 2011 and the Naranjeros de Hermosillo on 6 November 2019.[6] [7]

He will be enshrined into the Mexican Professional Baseball Hall of Fame as part of the class of 2024.[8] [9]

Notes and References

  1. Web site: El emblemático Miguel Flores, al timón de Sultanes. MiLB.com. 23 November 2012. 14 August 2024. es.
  2. Web site: 23rd Round of the 1989 MLB June Amateur Draft. Baseball Reference. 14 August 2024. es.
  3. Web site: Jessika. Méndez. Miguel Flores, el ídolo de Sultanes que representó 400 años de la fundación de Monterrey. Mediotiempo.com. 20 September 2020. 14 August 2024. es.
  4. Web site: Tomás. López. Miguel Flores: "Sultanes de Monterrey ha sido mi vida". Milenio. 14 May 2024. 14 August 2024. es.
  5. Web site: Miguel Flores será un 20 de Leyenda. El Sol de Hermosillo. 26 October 2019. 14 August 2024. es.
  6. Web site: Miguel Flores 10 de julio de 2011. sultanes.com.mx. 14 August 2024. es.
  7. Web site: Carlos. Oceguera. Miguel Flores: Nace otro inmortal del club Naranjeros. El Sol de Hermosillo. 8 November 2019. 14 August 2024. es.
  8. Web site: Antonio. Montemayor. ¡Inmortal! Miguel Flores será entronizado al Salón de la Fama de la LMB. abcnoticias.mx. 7 March 2024. 14 August 2024. es.
  9. Web site: Tomás. López. Miguel Flores ingresará al Salón de la Fama del Beisbol Mexicano. Milenio. 8 March 2024. 14 August 2024. es.