| Joey Meneses | |||||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
 Meneses with the Nationals in 2024 | |||||||||||||||
| New York Mets – No. 84 | |||||||||||||||
| First baseman /Outfielder | |||||||||||||||
| Born: (1992-05-06)May 6, 1992 (age 32) Culiacán,Mexico | |||||||||||||||
Bats: Right Throws: Right | |||||||||||||||
| Professional debut | |||||||||||||||
| NPB: March 29, 2019, for the Orix Buffaloes | |||||||||||||||
| MLB: August 2, 2022, for the Washington Nationals | |||||||||||||||
| NPB statistics (through 2019 season) | |||||||||||||||
| Batting average | .206 | ||||||||||||||
| Home runs | 4 | ||||||||||||||
| Runs batted in | 14 | ||||||||||||||
| MLB statistics (through 2024 season) | |||||||||||||||
| Batting average | .274 | ||||||||||||||
| Home runs | 29 | ||||||||||||||
| Runs batted in | 165 | ||||||||||||||
| Teams | |||||||||||||||
Medals
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Joey Meneses Ramírez (born May 6, 1992) is a Mexican professionalbaseballfirst baseman andoutfielder in theNew York Mets organization. He has previously played inMajor League Baseball (MLB) for theWashington Nationals and inNippon Professional Baseball (NPB) for theOrix Buffaloes. He made his MLB debut in 2022.
Meneses played for severalfarm teams of the Atlanta Braves from 2011 through 2017.[1]
After the 2013, 2014, and 2015 seasons, he played forTomateros de Culiacán of theMexican Pacific League (LMP). In 2016, Meneses first reached theDouble-A level, playing for theMississippi Braves.[1] After the 2016 season, he played for Tomateros of the LMP.
For the 2017 season with Mississippi, he registered a .292batting average with 9home runs and 45RBIs in 108 games;[1] he was also a mid-seasonSouthern League all star.[2] He was named an MILB.com Organization All Star in 2014 and 2017.[2] On November 6, 2017, Meneses became afree agent.[2] After the 2017 season, he played for Tomateros of the LMP.
ThePhiladelphia Phillies signed Meneses to a minor league contract on February 1, 2018.[2] He spent the 2018 season with theTriple-ALehigh Valley IronPigs. He went on to win the 2018International League MVP, registering a .311 batting average with 23 home runs and 82 RBIs in 130 games.[1] On October 29, 2018, Meneses was released by the Phillies.[2] He subsequently signed to play in Japan for 2019. After the 2018 season, he played for Tomateros of the LMP.
On October 29, 2018, Meneses signed a one-year contract worth an estimated 100 million yen,[3] equivalent to approximately US $950,000, with theOrix Buffaloes ofNippon Professional Baseball.[4] On March 29, 2019, he made his NPB debut. On June 27, 2019, Meneses was suspended for 12 months after testing positive for the banned substancehydroxystanozolol.[5] That same day, he became a free agent.[6] After the 2019 season, he played for Tomateros of the LMP.
On January 23, 2020, Meneses signed a minor league deal with theBoston Red Sox.[2] After the 2020 minor league season was canceled, he was re-signed by the Red Sox in early November to a minor-league deal.[7] After the 2020 season, he played forTomateros de Culiacán of the LMP. He was assigned to thePortland Sea Dogs ofDouble-A Northeast to begin the 2021 season, and was promoted to theWorcester Red Sox ofTriple-A East in early August.[2] He elected free agency following the season on November 7, 2021.[8]
On January 13, 2022, Meneses signed a minor league contract with theWashington Nationals.[9] On August 2, after trading outfielderJuan Soto and first basemanJosh Bell to theSan Diego Padres, the Nationals called up Meneses from the Triple–ARochester Red Wings, and he made his major league debut against theNew York Mets. Meneses hit a home run off ofYoan López to lead off the seventh inning for his first major league hit.[10] Meneses went 0–for–4 the next game, but subsequently embarked on an 11 game hitting streak, and continued to hit well throughout August, putting up aslash line of .354/.385/.626 and hitting seven home runs through his first 25 games in the majors.[11] On September 1, Meneses hit awalk-off home run against theOakland Athletics which gave the Nationals their first walk-off win of the year.[12][13] On September 16, with the Nationals down 4–0 to theMiami Marlins, Meneses hit aninside-the-park home run and later scored the winning run in a 5–4 Washington victory.[14]
He finished the season batting .324 with a .367on-base percentage, .563slugging percentage, 13 home runs, and 34 RBI.[15] Meneses was named to the MLB Pipeline All-Rookie Team.[16]
In July 2024, the Nationals optioned Meneses to Triple–A after he experienced struggles. In 76 total games for Washington, he slashed .231/.291/.302 with 3 home runs and 42 RBI. On November 4, Meneses was removed from the 40–man roster and sent outright to Rochester, but he rejected the assignment and elected free agency.[17]
On November 21, 2024, Meneses signed a minor league contract with theNew York Mets.[18]
Meneses has played for Mexico in theCaribbean Series of2015,2018,2020,2021, and2022.[1]
In February 2019, Meneses was selected to theMexico national baseball team for 2019 exhibition games againstJapan.[19]
Meneses was selected for a second time to the national team in the2020 Summer Olympics (contested in 2021), in Tokyo.[20]
In 2023, Meneses played for Mexico in theWorld Baseball Classic, hitting two home runs in a game against the United States in pool play.[21]
Meneses has stated that he is big fan ofGoku and that it was one reason why he joined a Japanese team.[22][12]
Meneses is engaged to Mitzy Guzman. The couple have one son, named Joseph.[23]
