Gabriel Moreno's Biography
Gabriel José Moreno, a Venezuelan-born professional baseball player, commenced his journey to the Major Leagues with his birth on February 14, 2000. Currently, he excels as a catcher for the Arizona Diamondbacks, an esteemed team of Major League Baseball (MLB). Gabriel’s career in the majors gained momentum following his notably powerful debut with the Toronto Blue Jays in 2022. However, within the same year, he got transferred to the Arizona Diamondbacks during the seasonal trade-offs.
Gabriel’s journey to the Major Leagues began when he was identified as a promising talent and signed by the Toronto Blue Jays on August 13, 2016, as an international free agent. A year after, in 2017, he performed his first professional duty in the Rookie-level Dominican Summer League Blue Jays. The following year, Moreno split his year between playing for the Rookie-level Gulf Coast League Blue Jays and the Rookie Advanced Bluefield Blue Jays. This period saw him boasting a fractional slash line, contributing four home runs and 36 RBI to his team.
In 2019, Gabriel played with the Single-A Lansing Lugnuts, displaying an ever-progressing career with career-highs statistics. He made twelve home runs, stole bases seven times, walked 22 times, and contributed 52 RBI to his team. The promising future seen in Gabriel was momentarily stalled in 2020 by the Covid-19 pandemic, which led to the eventual cancelation of the minor league season. However, he was added to the Blue Jays’ 40-man roster afterward.
Moreno began the subsequent 2021 season playing for the Double-A New Hampshire Fisher Cats. He significantly excelled during the season, making eight home runs and 45 RBI in 32 games. In the middle of the year, Moreno had to pause for thumb surgery after suffering a fracture on his right thumb, which did not deter him from returning to end the season with the Triple-A Buffalo Bisons in flying colors. He finished the season playing in the Arizona Fall League and Venezuelan Winter League with remarkable performances.
In 2022, before Moreno transferred to the Diamondbacks, he participated in the Blue Jays’ spring training and posted impressive numbers during the Buffalo season. His excellent performance earned him a timely promotion to Major Leagues following an injury to the Blue Jays catcher, Danny Jansen. He made his MLB debut in Detroit, and in his fourth outing, Gabriel made his first Major League hit, in addition to a remarkable three-run shot in the same year.
Upon his trade-off to the Diamondbacks, Gabriel continued his exceptional performance. He filled in the primary catcher position amid the season after Carson Kelly was reassigned. Gabriel achieved the highest defensive WAR score in MLB, was the best at catching prospective base stealers, and led in defensive runs saved. Remarkably, Gabriel received the Rawlings Gold Glove Award for his striking performance behind the plate.
Gabriel Moreno’s baseball prowess was significantly evident in the 2023 National League Division Series kickoff against the Los Angeles Dodgers. He blew the game wide open with a three-run homer off Clayton Kershaw. Throughout the series, Gabriel’s batting numbers placed him among the significant contributors to the season. His outstanding performance saw the Diamondbacks secure their first National League pennant and first World Series appearance since 2001. Gabriel was instrumental in both victories, driving in crucial runs throughout the series. However, he sustained an injury in 2024, temporarily putting his flourishing career on hold. His continuous evolution in the Major League is keenly watched by baseball enthusiasts worldwide.
