Héctor Mendoza

{{Infobox baseball biography

| name = Héctor Mendoza

| image = Héctor Mendoza Ripoll.jpg

| image_size =

| team =

| number =

| position = Pitcher

| birth_date = {{birth date and age|1994|3|5}}

| birth_place = Isla de la Juventud, Cuba

| death_date =

| death_place =

| bats = Right

| throws = Right

|debutleague = NPB

|debutdate = June 2

|debutyear = 2015

|debutteam = Yomiuri Giants

|finalleague = NPB

|finaldate = May 17

|finalyear = 2016

|finalteam = Yomiuri Giants

|statleague = NPB

|stat1label = Win–loss record

|stat1value = 0–0

|stat2label = Earned run average

|stat2value = 7.71

|stat3label = Strikeouts

|stat3value = 7

|teams =

Yomiuri Giants ({{npby|2014}}–{{npby|2016}})

| highlights =

|medaltemplates=

{{MedalCountry | {{bb|CUB}}}}

}}

Héctor Manuel Mendoza Ripoll (born March 5, 1994) is a Cuban former professional baseball pitcher. He has played in Nippon Professional Baseball (NPB) for the Yomiuri Giants.

Career

=Yomiuri Giants=

Mendoza played with the Isla de la Juventud of the Cuban National Series from 2011 to 2015. On July 17, 2014, Mendoza signed with the Yomiuri Giants of Nippon Professional Baseball.{{Cite web|url=https://www.foxnews.com/sports/yomiuri-giants-signs-cuban-right-handed-pitcher-hector-mendoza|title=Yomiuri Giants signs Cuban right-handed pitcher Hector Mendoza|date=24 March 2015}} He played with the Yomiuri Giants organization from 2014 to 2016.[http://www.miamiherald.com/2014/07/17/4240227/yomiuri-giants-sign-cuban-pitcher.html Yomiuri Giants sign Cuban pitcher Mendoza] In 5 games split between two seasons, Mendoza recorded a 7.71 ERA with 7 strikeouts. Mendoza was released by the Giants on December 2, 2016.{{Cite web |url=http://npb.jp/announcement/2016/pn_released.html |title=自由契約選手 |date=2 December 2016 |website=Nippon Professional Baseball |language=Japanese |trans-title=Free Contract Players |access-date=12 December 2016}}

=St. Louis Cardinals=

On June 7, 2017, Mendoza signed a minor league contract with the St. Louis Cardinals worth $500,000.{{cite web |url=http://m.cardinals.mlb.com/news/article/234953130/cards-sign-cuban-right-hander-hector-mendoza/?topicId=27118406 |title=Cardinals sign Cuban right-hander Mendoza |work=MLB.com |date=June 7, 2017}}{{dead link|date=October 2024|bot=medic}}{{cbignore|bot=medic}} After signing, Mendoza made his professional debut with the DSL Cardinals. After compiling a 2.57 ERA in seven innings, he was promoted to the Palm Beach Cardinals where he finished the season with a 0–6 record and 5.54 ERA in 19 relief appearances.{{cite web |url=http://www.milb.com/player/index.jsp?player_id=661268#/career/R/pitching/2018/ALL|title=Hector Mendoza Stats, Highlights, Bio - MiLB.com Stats - The Official Site of Minor League Baseball |publisher=MiLB.com |accessdate=May 31, 2018 }} He began 2018 with the Springfield Cardinals and was promoted to the Memphis Redbirds in May. He finished the year with a 4–4 record and 5.10 ERA in 49 appearances between the two teams. Mendoza recorded a 2.00 ERA in 6 games with Springfield before he was released by the Cardinals on June 4, 2019.

Cuban National Baseball Team

Mendoza won with his national team, the gold medal of the 2014 Central American and Caribbean Games in Veracruz, Mexico.{{cite web|url=http://elnacional.com.do/hockey-de-rd-da-salto-cualitativo/|title=Hockey de RD da salto cualitativo|newspaper=El Nacional|language=Spanish|date=2014-11-24|accessdate=2014-11-28}}{{cite web|url=http://www.cubasi.cu/cubasi-noticias-cuba-mundo-ultima-hora/item/33887-veracruz-2014-cuba-campeon-del-beisbol-centroamericano|title=Veracruz 2014: Cuba, campeón del béisbol centroamericano|newspaper=Cubasi.cu|language=Spanish|date=2014-11-22|accessdate=2014-11-28}}{{cite web|url=http://www.espndeportes.com/news/story/_/id/2236493/cuba-gana-medalla-de-oro-en-beisbol|title=Cuba gana medalla de oro en béisbol|newspaper=ESPN Deportes|location=Veracruz, Mexico|agency=EFE|language=Spanish|date=2014-11-22|accessdate=2014-11-28}}

Mendoza won the title of best right-handed relief pitcher and gold medal in the 2015 Caribbean Series.{{Cite web|url=http://www.foxsports.com/mlb/story/cuba-beats-puerto-rico-caribbean-series-defections-hector-mendoza-vladimir-gutierrez-dainer-moreira-020515|title=MLB News, Videos, Scores, Teams, Standings, Stats}}{{Cite web|url=http://legendsondeck.com/caribbean-series-cuba-wins-first-title-since-1960/|title=Caribbean Series: Cuba Wins First Title Since 1960|date=9 February 2015}}