Emmanuel Rivera

{{Infobox baseball biography

| name = Emmanuel Rivera

| image = Emmanuel Rivera 2025 Tides (cropped).jpg

| caption = Rivera with the Norfolk Tides in 2025

| team = Baltimore Orioles

| number =

| position = Third baseman

| birth_date = {{birth date and age|1996|6|29}}

| birth_place = Mayagüez, Puerto Rico

| bats = Right

| throws = Right

| debutleague = MLB

| debutdate = June 28

| debutyear = 2021

| debutteam = Kansas City Royals

| statleague = MLB

| statyear = June 8, 2025

| stat1label = Batting average

| stat1value = .243

| stat2label = Home runs

| stat2value = 22

| stat3label = Runs batted in

| stat3value = 106

| teams =

Kansas City Royals ({{mlby|2021}}–{{mlby|2022}})
Arizona Diamondbacks ({{mlby|2022}}–{{mlby|2023}})
Miami Marlins ({{mlby|2024}})
Baltimore Orioles ({{mlby|2024}}–{{mlby|2025}})

}}

Emmanuel Miguel Rivera (born June 29, 1996) is a Puerto Rican professional baseball third baseman in the Baltimore Orioles organization. He has previously played in Major League Baseball (MLB) for the Kansas City Royals, Arizona Diamondbacks, and Miami Marlins.

Career

=Kansas City Royals=

File:Emmanuel Rivera (51163829450) (cropped).jpg

Rivera was drafted by the Kansas City Royals out of the Interamerican University of Puerto Rico in the 19th round, 579th overall, of the 2015 Major League Baseball draft.{{Cite web |title=Emmanuel Rivera Stats, Fantasy & News |url=https://www.mlb.com/player/emmanuel-rivera-656896 |website=MLB.com}} He made his professional debut with the rookie-level Arizona League Royals, playing in 38 games with the team.

In 2016, Rivera played for the rookie-level Burlington Royals, posting a .249/.317/.373 slash line in 58 games. The following year, he played for the Single-A Lexington Legends, slashing .310/.364/.468 with 12 home runs and 72 RBI. In 2018, Rivera split the season between the High-A Wilmington Blue Rocks and the AZL Royals, batting a cumulative .274/.326/.416 with 6 home runs and 63 RBI. For the 2019 season, Rivera played for the Double-A Northwest Arkansas Naturals, logging a .258/.297/.345 slash line with 7 home runs and 57 RBI in 131 games.{{Cite web |title=Emmanuel Rivera Minor & Winter Leagues Statistics |url=https://www.baseball-reference.com/register/player.fcgi?id=rivera000emm |access-date=March 20, 2024 |website=Baseball-Reference.com |language=en}}

Rivera did not play in a game in 2020 due to the cancellation of the minor league season because of the COVID-19 pandemic.{{Cite web |date=June 2020 |title=2020 Minor League Season Canceled |url=https://www.mlbtraderumors.com/2020/06/2020-minor-league-season-will-be-canceled.html |website=MLB Trade Rumors}} He was assigned to the Triple-A Omaha Storm Chasers to begin the 2021 season, and batted .282/.337/.593 with a career-high 14 home runs and 40 RBI in 44 games.

On June 28, 2021, Rivera was selected to the 40-man roster and promoted to the major leagues for the first time.{{Cite web |date=June 2021 |title=Royals Designate Kelvin Gutierrez For Assignment, Select Emmanuel Rivera |url=https://www.mlbtraderumors.com/2021/06/royals-dfa-kelvin-gutierrez-promote-emmanuel-rivera.html |website=MLB Trade Rumors}} He made his MLB debut that day as the starting third baseman against the Boston Red Sox, and logged his first career hit in the game as well, a single off starter Garrett Richards. He was placed on the injured list on June 30 with a left hamate break.{{Cite news |last=Worthy |first=Lynn |date=July 1, 2021 |title=Emmanuel Rivera’s injury paves way for Edward Olivares’ return to Kansas City Royals |url=https://www.kansascity.com/sports/mlb/kansas-city-royals/article252487448.html |work=Kansas City Star}} In his first MLB season, he played in 29 games for the Royals and hitting .256/.316/.333 with one home run, 5 RBI, and 2 stolen bases. In 2022, Rivera made 63 appearances for Kansas City, slashing .237/.284/.399 with 6 home runs and 22 RBI.

=Arizona Diamondbacks=

On August 1, 2022, the Royals traded Rivera to the Arizona Diamondbacks for pitcher Luke Weaver.{{Cite web |title=Royals send 3B Rivera to Diamondbacks for RHP Weaver |url=https://www.usatoday.com/story/sports/mlb/2022/08/01/royals-send-3b-rivera-to-diamondbacks-for-rhp-weaver/50553311/ |website=USA Today}} He played in 39 games for the Diamondbacks down the stretch, hitting .227/.304/.424 with 6 home runs and 18 RBI.

Rivera was optioned to the Triple-A Reno Aces to begin the 2023 season.{{Cite web |title=Diamondbacks' Emmanuel Rivera: Sent to Triple-A |url=https://www.cbssports.com/fantasy/baseball/news/diamondbacks-emmanuel-rivera-sent-to-triple-a/amp/ |access-date=March 26, 2023 |website=cbssports.com |language=en}} In 86 games for the Diamondbacks, he batted .261/.314/.358 with four home runs and 29 RBI. He played in 13 postseason games, starting three games in the National League Championship Series (NLCS) and Game 4 of the World Series. His first postseason hit was an RBI single in Game 4 of the NLCS He hit .235/.278/.294 in 18 playoff plate appearances.{{Cite web |title=2023 National League Championship Series (NLCS) Game 4, Philadelphia Phillies vs Arizona Diamondbacks: October 20, 2023 |url=https://www.baseball-reference.com/boxes/ARI/ARI202310200.shtml |access-date=May 16, 2025 |website=Baseball-Reference.com |language=en}}{{Cite web |title=Emmanuel Rivera Postseason Batting Game Logs |url=https://www.baseball-reference.com/players/gl.fcgi?id=riverem01&t=b&year=0&post=1 |access-date=May 16, 2025 |website=Baseball-Reference.com}}

On March 28, 2024, Rivera was designated for assignment after failing to make Arizona's Opening Day roster.{{Cite web |title=Diamondbacks' Emmanuel Rivera: Pushed off 40-man roster |url=https://www.cbssports.com/fantasy/baseball/news/diamondbacks-emmanuel-rivera-pushed-off-40-man-roster/amp/ |access-date=March 28, 2024 |website=cbssports.com}}

=Miami Marlins=

On April 2, 2024, Rivera was traded to the Miami Marlins for cash.{{Cite web |date=April 2024 |title=Marlins Acquire Emmanuel Rivera, Designate Jacob Amaya |url=https://www.mlbtraderumors.com/2024/04/marlins-acquire-emmanuel-rivera-designate-jacob-amaya.html |access-date=April 2, 2024 |website=MLB Trade Rumors}} In 96 games for Miami, he slashed .214/.294/.269 with one home run and 15 RBI. The Marlins designated Rivera for assignment on August 19.{{Cite web |date=August 2024 |title=Marlins Designate Emmanuel Rivera For Assignment |url=https://www.mlbtraderumors.com/2024/08/marlins-dfa-emmanuel-rivera.html |access-date=August 19, 2024 |website=MLB Trade Rumors}}

=Baltimore Orioles=

On August 21, 2024, Rivera was claimed off waivers by the Baltimore Orioles.{{Cite web |date=August 2024 |title=Orioles Claim Emmanuel Rivera, Designate Terrin Vavra |url=https://www.mlbtraderumors.com/2024/08/orioles-claim-emmanuel-rivera-designate-terrin-vavra.html |access-date=August 21, 2024 |website=MLB Trade Rumors}} He had a pair of home runs and career-highs with four hits, four RBI, and 11 total bases in a 9–2 away victory over the Minnesota Twins in the penultimate game of the regular season on September 28.{{Cite web |last=Rill |first=Jake |date=September 29, 2024 |title=Emmanuel Rivera's strong offensive output powers Orioles' win |url=https://www.mlb.com/orioles/news/emmanuel-rivera-strong-offensive-output-powers-orioles-win |access-date=December 27, 2024 |website=MLB.com}} In 27 games for Baltimore, Rivera batted .313/.370/.578 with four home runs and 14 RBI. In Game 1 of the Wild Card Series, he grounded out as a pinch hitter.

On January 31, 2025, the Orioles designated Rivera for assignment.{{Cite web |date=January 2025 |title=Orioles Acquire Luis Vazquez, Designate Emmanuel Rivera |url=https://www.mlbtraderumors.com/2025/01/cubs-trade-luis-vazquez-orioles-dfa-emmanuel-rivera.html |access-date=January 31, 2025 |website=MLB Trade Rumors}} He cleared waivers and was sent outright to the Triple-A Norfolk Tides on February 10.{{Cite web |date=February 2025 |title=Emmanuel Rivera Accepts Outright Assignment With Orioles |url=https://www.mlbtraderumors.com/2025/02/emmanuel-rivera-accepts-outright-assignment-with-orioles.html |access-date=February 10, 2025 |website=MLB Trade Rumors}} After hitting .308 with 13 RBI in 17 games for Norfolk, the Orioles selected Rivera to their active roster on April 28.{{Cite web |date=April 2025 |title=Orioles Select Emmanuel Rivera, Maverick Handley |url=https://www.mlbtraderumors.com/2025/04/orioles-select-emmanuel-rivera-maverick-handley.html |access-date=April 28, 2025 |website=MLB Trade Rumors}} In 25 appearances for Baltimore, he batted .232/.303/.275 with three RBI and one stolen base. Rivera was designated for assignment by the Orioles on June 10.{{Cite web|title=Orioles Designate Emmanuel Rivera For Assignment, Option Heston Kjerstad|url=https://www.mlbtraderumors.com/2025/06/orioles-designate-emmanuel-rivera-for-assignment-option-heston-kjerstad.html|access-date=June 10, 2025|website=mlbtraderumors.com|language=en}} He cleared waivers and was sent outright to Triple-A Norfolk on June 12.{{Cite web|title=Emmanuel Rivera Accepts Outright Assignment With Orioles|url=https://www.mlbtraderumors.com/2025/06/emmanuel-rivera-accepts-outright-assignment-with-orioles-2.html|access-date=June 14, 2025|website=mlbtraderumors.com|language=en}}

International career

Rivera played for Puerto Rico in the 2023 World Baseball Classic.{{Cite web |last=Pabón |first=Julio |date=October 27, 2023 |title=Emmanuel Rivera – The only Puerto Rican in this World Series |url=https://www.latinosports.com/emmanuel-rivera-the-only-puerto-rican-in-this-world-series/ |access-date=May 19, 2025 |website=Latino Sports}} He batted .278 with 1 triple and 5 RBI in five games.{{Cite web |title=WBC Stats {{!}} WBC Team Stats {{!}} Puerto Rico |url=https://www.mlb.com/world-baseball-classic/stats/puerto-rico/rbi/2023 |access-date=May 19, 2025 |website=MLB.com}}