| Gabriel Moreno | |
|---|---|
| Arizona Diamondbacks – No. 14 | |
| Catcher | |
| Born: (2000-02-14)February 14, 2000 (age 25) Barquisimeto,Venezuela | |
Bats: Right Throws: Right | |
| MLB debut | |
| June 11, 2022, for the Toronto Blue Jays | |
| MLB statistics (through 2025 season) | |
| Batting average | .281 |
| Home runs | 22 |
| Runs batted in | 142 |
| Stats atBaseball Reference | |
| Teams | |
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| Career highlights and awards | |
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Gabriel José Moreno (born February 14, 2000) is a Venezuelan professionalbaseballcatcher for theArizona Diamondbacks ofMajor League Baseball (MLB). He made his MLB debut with theToronto Blue Jays in 2022 before being traded to the Diamondbacks during the 2022–23 offseason. In his first season with Arizona, Moreno won aGold Glove Award and aided in the team's firstNational League pennant since 2001.
Moreno signed with theToronto Blue Jays as an international free agent on August 13, 2016.[1] Moreno made his professional debut in 2017 with theRookie-levelDominican Summer League Blue Jays. In 2018, Moreno split the year between the Rookie-levelGulf Coast League Blue Jays and theRookie AdvancedBluefield Blue Jays, slashing a cumulative .359/.395/.575 with four home runs and 36 RBI.[2] The following year, Moreno played for theSingle-ALansing Lugnuts, hitting .280/.337/.485 with career-highs in home runs (12), RBI (52), stolen bases (7), and walks (22).[2]
Moreno did not play in a game in 2020 due to the cancellation of the minor league season because of theCOVID-19 pandemic.[3] The Blue Jays added him to their 40-man roster after the 2020 season.[4]
Moreno was assigned to theDouble-ANew Hampshire Fisher Cats to begin the 2021 season, where he excelled, batting .373/.441/.651 with eight home runs and 45 RBI in 32 games.[2][5][6] On July 3, 2021, Moreno underwent surgery on his right thumb after suffering a fracture.[7] Moreno returned from the injury later in the season and was promoted to theTriple-ABuffalo Bisons.[8][9] After the season, he played for theMesa Solar Sox of theArizona Fall League, where he hit .329 with a home run and 18 RBI in 22 games, as well as 18 games with theCardenales de Lara of theVenezuelan Winter League.[2][10][11]
In March 2022, Moreno participated inspring training with the Blue Jays.[12] He began the 2022 season with Buffalo.[13]
Moreno joined the Blue Jays in Detroit on June 9, 2022, following an injury sustained by catcherDanny Jansen,[14][15] but was not activated until June 11, when he was added to the day's starting line-up at the catcher position and batting eighth in the order.[16][17] He was slashing .324/.380/.404 in 36 games with the Bisons prior to his call up.[18]
Moreno earned his first major league hit on June 11, 2022, a single, in his fourth at-bat of the day.[19][20][21][22] On October 5, Moreno hit his first career home run, a three–run shot off ofBaltimore Orioles relieverMike Baumann.[23]
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On December 23, 2022, the Blue Jays traded Moreno andLourdes Gurriel Jr. to theArizona Diamondbacks in exchange forDaulton Varsho.[24]
After backing upCarson Kelly to start the 2023 season, Moreno became the Diamondbacks' primary catcher midway through the season after Kelly was designated for assignment.[25] In his first full season in MLB, Moreno finished with a 3.1 defensiveWAR, the highest in the majors. Moreno also caught 39% of potential base-stealers, which was the best in all of MLB (minimum 20 attempts), and he led all MLB catchers in defensive runs saved with 20.[26] With his offense, he had a slash line of .284/.339/.408 with seven homers, 50 runs batted in, and six stolen bases.[27] Moreno was awarded theRawlings Gold Glove Award for National League catchers.[28]
On October 7, 2023, ingame 1 of the NLDS against theLos Angeles Dodgers, Moreno hit a three-run home run offClayton Kershaw in the first inning to blow the game wide open that extended his team's lead from two to five runs before Kershaw recorded the first out, scoringTommy Pham andChristian Walker.[29] In game 3, Moreno was one of four Diamondbacks hitters to hit a home run in the third inning off Dodgers pitcherLance Lynn. After his first initial home run was deemed foul, Moreno sent the next pitch he saw over the left field wall, covering 420 feet.[30]
After the Diamondbacks went down 2–0 against thePhiladelphia Phillies in theNLCS, Moreno was moved up from fifth to third in the batting lineup.[31] With Moreno hitting third, the Diamondbacks won four of the next five games to clinch their firstNational League pennant and their firstWorld Series appearance since 2001, with Moreno driving home the game-winning runs in games 4 and 7.[32] In game 2 of theWorld Series against theTexas Rangers, Moreno hit a home run in the Diamondbacks 9–1 victory, their lone victory of the series.[33]
On August 5, 2024, Moreno suffered a left groin strain and was removed from the game. He was later placed on the 10-day injured list with a left adductor strain.[34] Moreno made 97 total appearances for the Diamondbacks during the course of the season, slashing .266/.353/.380 with five home runs, 45 RBI, and three stolen bases.[35]
Moreno played in 53 contests for the Diamondbacks to begin the season, hitting .270/.324/.414 with five home runs, 20 RBI, and one stolen base. On June 20, 2025, Moreno was placed on the injured list with ahairline fracture in his rightindex finger;[36] he was transferred to the 60-day injured list on July 18.[37] Moreno was activated on August 22.[38]
