Ramon Laureano

Born in the heart of the Caribbean republic, in Santo Domingo, the Dominican Republic, on July 15, 1994, Ramón Laureano Jr. carries the distinct honor and reputation of a top-notch professional baseball player. As the only son to his parents, Nina and Ramón Laureano, Ramón inherited the passion for baseball from his homeland, often known as the “cradle of champions” in the baseball world.

Laureano’s journey into professional baseball began in his college years at Northeastern Oklahoma A&M College. Demonstrating a remarkable talent for the game, he was drafted by the Houston Astros in the 16th round of the 2014 Major League Baseball (MLB) draft. Making his initial mark in the Greeneville Astros in 2014, his disappointingly low batting performance (.189) was an apparent hiccup on his journey. However, his subsequent performance in 2015 with the Quad Cities River Bandits showed significant growth with a .265 batting average together with four home runs, 34 RBIs, and a commendable 18 stolen bases.

His journey to the top was on a steady rise as he transitioned to the Lancaster JetHawks in 2016 before being promoted to the Corpus Christi Hooks in July of that year. Laureano’s combined performance with these two teams was indeed impressive, boasting a .319 batting average, 15 home runs, 73 RBIs, and a remarkable .955 OPS across 116 games.

After the 2017 season ended, Laureano faced the uncertain anticipation of the Rule 5 draft. He was eligible to be chosen, but instead of being placed on the 40-man roster as a preventive measure, the Houston Astros opted to trade him. On November 20, 2017, Laureano’s trading to the Oakland Athletics for pitcher Brandon Bailey marked a significant change in his career.

Laureano’s Major League debut occurred on August 3, 2018. His opening game was highlighted by a groundbreaking performance. His first major league hit was a walk-off single, setting the only score in a 13th inning showdown against the Detroit Tigers. Such a feat had never been achieved by the Athletics since the inception of the RBI in 1920.

Laureano’s remarkable talent was unquestionably evident on August 20, 2018, when he hit his first two major league home runs off Bartolo Colón, leading to a 9–0 victory over the Texas Rangers. Not one to lose momentum, Laureano set another record on September 7, 2018, becoming the first A’s player to have two multi-homer games within their first 30 career games.

Despite Laureano’s clear talent, baseball, much like life, is an unpredictable game. On August 9, 2020, Laureano experienced his first ejection following an altercation with Alex Cintron, the Astros hitting coach. Consequently, a suspension of six games was imposed on the outfielder. Following an appeal process, the suspension was reduced to four games.

Laureano’s career faced another hurdle on August 6, 2021, when he received an 80 game suspension for testing positive for the performance-enhancing drug nandrolone. He underwent core surgery shortly after, adding to his time away from the game.

Upon his return to the Athletics after his suspension, he managed to bat .213/.280/.364 in 64 games, demonstrating his tenacity and passion for the game despite a challenging professional and personal period. Nevertheless, his performance was not deemed satisfactory, and he was designated for assignment on August 5, 2023, a career low at this stage, when he was owed $5.15 million.

Bouncing back from the setback, Laureano was claimed off waivers by the Cleveland Guardians on August 7, 2023. Despite an initial struggle, he was then signed by the Atlanta Braves in a minor league contract in late May 2024. His performance in the 14 games at the Triple-A Gwinnett Stripers was pretty impressive, leading the Braves to select his contract and add him to their active roster.

Known for his strength and accuracy in the field, Ramón Laureano’s journey through professional baseball has been a rollercoaster ride of unprecedented highs and definite lows. Yet, his story is a testament to resilience, passion, and undying love for the game of baseball. From the beaches of Santo Domingo to the professional diamonds of Major League Baseball, the name Ramón Laureano Jr. continues to resonate as a beacon of determination and dedication.