| Jonathan Villar | |
|---|---|
_(cropped).jpg) Villar with the Los Angeles Angels in 2022 | |
| Caliente de Durango | |
| Second baseman /Shortstop | |
| Born: (1991-05-02)May 2, 1991 (age 34) La Vega,Dominican Republic | |
Bats: Switch Throws: Right | |
| MLB debut | |
| July 22, 2013, for the Houston Astros | |
| MLB statistics (through 2022 season) | |
| Batting average | .255 |
| Home runs | 101 |
| Runs batted in | 343 |
| Stolen bases | 239 |
Stats atBaseball Reference  | |
| Teams | |
| Career highlights and awards | |
| |
Jonathan Rafael Villar Roque (born May 2, 1991) is a Dominican professionalbaseballsecond baseman for theCaliente de Durango of theMexican League. He has previously played inMajor League Baseball (MLB) for theHouston Astros,Milwaukee Brewers,Baltimore Orioles,Miami Marlins,Toronto Blue Jays,New York Mets,Chicago Cubs, andLos Angeles Angels. Prior to 2017, Villar was primarily ashortstop.
On May 20, 2008, Villar signed with thePhiladelphia Phillies as an international free agent. He made his professional debut with theDominican Summer League Phillies, hitting .271 with one home run, 21 RBI, and 27 stolen bases across 62 appearances.[1]
Villar split the 2009 campaign between the rookie-levelGulf Coast League Phillies and Low-AWilliamsport Crosscutters. In 42 games split between the two affiliates, he slashed .263/.346/.353 with no home runs, 19 RBI, and 17 stolen bases.[2] Villar began the 2010 campaign with the Single-ALakewood BlueClaws, playing in 100 games and batting .272/.332/.359 with two home runs, 36 RBI, and 38 stolen bases.[3]
On July 29, 2010, the Phillies traded Villar,J. A. Happ, andAnthony Gose to theHouston Astros in exchange forRoy Oswalt.[4]
Villar was named the 94th best prospect in baseball byBaseball America prior to the 2011 season. He was invited to Astros'spring training in 2012. Villar played for theOklahoma City RedHawks in 2013, and was named the Astros' minor league hitter of the month for June 2013.[5]
On July 21, 2013, the Astros promoted Villar to the major leagues.[6] On July 30, Villar stole home against theBaltimore Orioles.[7] His strong finish to 2013 made him the team's Opening Day starter in 2014, but struggled offensively in 2014 as well as 2015. Nevertheless, he was named to the Astros' roster for the2015 American League Wild Card Game. In the seventh inning, he pinch-ran forChris Carter, stole second base, and scored on a single byJose Altuve to make the score 3–0, which ended up being the final score of the game.
The Astros traded Villar to theMilwaukee Brewers forCy Sneed on November 19, 2015.[8] Villar impressed Brewers managerCraig Counsell in Spring Training, and became the Brewers' Opening Day shortstop. Villar played very well for the first half of the season despite the team's struggles, posting a .298 batting average, 6 home runs and a league-leading 19 stolen bases before the All-Star Break.[9] After top prospectOrlando Arcia was promoted to the Majors, Villar was moved to third base. He finished the year with 62 stolen bases, leading the league, four more thanBilly Hamilton of theCincinnati Reds, along with a .285 average, 62 RBIs, and 19 home runs. He led the National League inpower-speed number (29.1).[10]
After the acquisition ofthird basemanTravis Shaw, the Brewers announced that Villar would shift to second base. Villar struggled for most of 2017, and lost his starting job at second base after the Brewers traded forNeil Walker. WithKeon Broxton struggling, Villar began to get regular starts incenter field. Defensive struggles and the emergence of rookie outfielderBrett Phillips resulted in Villar once again returning to a bench role.
At thetrade deadline on July 31, 2018, Villar, along with minor leaguersLuis Ortiz and Jean Carmona, was sent to theBaltimore Orioles by the Brewers who acquiredJonathan Schoop forits postseason run.[11] Villar was activated on August 2 and played his first game with the Orioles later that night. He collected two hits and scored a run in his Orioles debut. He collected three hits the next night, including his first RBI with the O's. Two nights later, he would collect three more hits in three at-bats, including a double, home run, one RBI, a walk and three runs scored. In 54 games, Villar hit .258/.336/.392 with eight home runs and led the Orioles with 21 stolen bases.
Villar became the fifth Oriole tohit for the cycle in a 9–6home loss to theNew York Yankees on August 5, 2019. He hit atriple and adouble in the third and fifth innings respectively offMasahiro Tanaka, a two-runhomer in the sixth offTommy Kahnle that had tied the game at 6–6 and asingle in the ninth offAroldis Chapman.[12][a] His one-out three-run homer offCaleb Ferguson in the seventh inning of an Orioles' 7–3 home victory over theLos Angeles Dodgers on September 11 was the 6,106th of 2019 and established a new major league record for most totalhome runs in a season, surpassing the 6,105 set two years earlier in 2017.[13] He was the first MLB player with at least 24 home runs and 40 stolen bases in the same season sinceCarlos Gómez in2013.[14] Along withStarlin Castro,Whit Merrifield,Marcus Semien andJorge Soler, he was one of only five players to appear in all 162 games in 2019.[15][16]
On December 2, 2019, Villar was traded to theMiami Marlins in exchange forEaston Lucas.[17] With theMarlins in 2020, Villar batted .259 with two home runs and nine RBI in 30 games.
On August 31, 2020, Villar was traded to theToronto Blue Jays forGriffin Conine.[18] On September 1, he made his Blue Jays debut. Overall with the2020 Blue Jays, Villar batted .188 with no home run and six RBI in 22 games.[19]After the 2020 season, he played for Dominican Republic in the2021 Caribbean Series.
On February 11, 2021, Villar signed a one-year, $3.55 million contract with theNew York Mets.[20] Villar hit his first spring training home run as a Met on March 7, off ofMiami Marlins pitcherYimi García.[21] He would go on to bat .249/.322/.416 with 18 home runs, 42 RBI, and 14 stolen bases in 142 games for the Mets. Villar elected for free agency following the season.
On March 19, 2022, Villar signed a one-year, $6 million contract with theChicago Cubs.[22] On June 24, Villar wasdesignated for assignment.[23] On June 29, Villar was released by the Cubs.
On July 2, 2022, Villar signed a one-year contract with theLos Angeles Angels.[24] On July 24, Villar was designated for assignment for the second time that season. In 13 games with the Angels, Villar batted .163/.226/.224 with one home run and three RBI.[25] He cleared waivers and elected free agency on July 29.
On August 1, 2022, Villar signed a minor league contract with theSeattle Mariners. In 37 games for the Triple–ATacoma Rainiers, he hit .283/.329/.497 with 6 home runs, 24 RBI, and 10 stolen bases. Villar elected free agency following the season on November 10.[26]
On April 19, 2023, Villar signed with theAlgodoneros de Unión Laguna of theMexican League.[27] In 85 games for Unión Laguna, he hit .346/.410/.508 with 11 home runs, 72 RBI, and 22 stolen bases.[28]
Villar made 84 appearances for the Algodoneros in 2024, batting .325/.400/.417 with three home runs, 39 RBI, and 24 stolen bases.
Villar made 75 appearances for Unión Laguna during the 2025 campaign, hitting .258/.339/.351 with four home runs, 26 RBI, and 22 stolen bases.
On October 10, 2025, Villar and Néstor Anguamea were traded to theCaliente de Durango of theMexican League in exchange for Guadalupe Chávez.[29]
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| Achievements | ||
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| Preceded by | Hitting for the cycle August 5, 2019 | Succeeded by |
