| Richie Palacios | |
|---|---|
_(cropped).jpg) Palacios with theColumbus Clippers in 2023 | |
| Tampa Bay Rays – No. 1 | |
| Outfielder /Second baseman | |
| Born: (1997-05-16)May 16, 1997 (age 27) Brooklyn, New York, U.S. | |
Bats: Left Throws: Right | |
| MLB debut | |
| April 25, 2022, for the Cleveland Guardians | |
| MLB statistics (through 2024 season) | |
| Batting average | .232 |
| Home runs | 11 |
| Runs batted in | 47 |
Stats atBaseball Reference  | |
| Teams | |
| |
Richard Jordan Palacios (born May 16, 1997) is an American professionalbaseballoutfielder andsecond baseman for theTampa Bay Rays ofMajor League Baseball (MLB). He has previously played in MLB for theCleveland Guardians andSt. Louis Cardinals.
Palacios attendedBerkeley Carroll School inNew York City and playedcollege baseball atTowson University.[1] In 2017, he playedcollegiate summer baseball with theBourne Braves of theCape Cod Baseball League.[2] He was drafted by theCleveland Indians in the third round of the2018 Major League Baseball draft.[3]
Palacios made his professional debut in 2018 with theArizona League Indians,Mahoning Valley Scrappers andLake County Captains, batting .361 with six home runs and thirty runs batted in over 45 games.[4] He did not play in 2019 due to a torn labrum or in 2020 because the season was canceled due to theCOVID-19 pandemic. He started 2021 with theAkron RubberDucks before being promoted to theColumbus Clippers.[5] Over 103 games between the two teams, he slashed .297/.404/.471 with seven home runs, 48 runs batted in, 33 doubles, and twenty stolen bases.[6]
The newly-namedCleveland Guardians selected Palacios to their 40-man roster on November 19, 2021.[7]
After beginning the 2022 season with theTriple-AColumbus Clippers, Palacios was recalled by the Guardians on April 25, 2022, and made his major league debut that same day, starting in left field. He collected his first career hit in the same game, a single off ofLos Angeles Angels starterMichael Lorenzen.[8] He played in 54 games during his rookie campaign, hitting .232/.293/.286 with no home runs and 10 RBI.
Palacios was optioned to Triple-A Columbus to begin the 2023 season.[9] In 56 games with Columbus, Palacios batted .217/.351/.318 with 3 home runs, 30 RBI, and 6 stolen bases. On June 11, 2023, Palacios was designated for assignment by the Guardians afterCody Morris was activated off of the injured list.[10]
On June 16, 2023, Palacios was traded to theSt. Louis Cardinals in exchange for cash considerations.[11] In 32 games for the Cardinals, he batted .258/.307/.516 with 6 home runs and 16 RBI.
On January 5, 2024, the Cardinals traded Palacios to theTampa Bay Rays in exchange forAndrew Kittredge.[12]
On the international level, Palacios is eligible to representthe Netherlands andCuraçao (through hisCuraçaoan mother),Puerto Rico (through his father), and the United States (his birthplace).[13][14] He was selected to the Dutch national team at the2023 World Baseball Classic.[15] He appeared in a single game, going hitless in three at-bats in a 9–5 loss againstTaiwan.[16][17]
His brother,Joshua Palacios, plays in MLB for thePittsburgh Pirates organization, and his uncle,Rey Palacios, previously played in MLB.[18][19] Palacios' father is of Puerto Rican descent,[13] and his mother is fromCuraçao, and thus he was eligible to play for theNetherlands national baseball team and was selected to play for them in the2023 World Baseball Classic.[14]