Joel Guzmán

{{Infobox baseball biography

|name=Joel Guzmán

|image=2ND 8339 Joel Guzmán.jpg

|caption=Guzmán as a non-roster invitee of the Washington Nationals in {{By|2009}} spring training.

|position=Infielder

|bats=Right

|throws=Right

|birth_date={{Birth date and age|1984|11|24}}

|birth_place=Quisqueya, Dominican Republic

|debutleague = MLB

|debutdate=June 1

|debutyear=2006

|debutteam=Los Angeles Dodgers

|finalleague = MLB

|finaldate=September 30

|finalyear=2007

|finalteam=Tampa Bay Devil Rays

|statleague = MLB

|stat1label=Batting average

|stat1value=.232

|stat2label=Home runs

|stat2value=0

|stat3label=Runs batted in

|stat3value=7

|teams=

Los Angeles Dodgers ({{mlby|2006}})
Tampa Bay Devil Rays ({{mlby|2007}})
Chunichi Dragons ({{npby|2011}})

}}

Irvin Joel Vigo Guzmán (born November 24, 1984) is a Dominican professional baseball player. He played in Major League Baseball (MLB) for the Los Angeles Dodgers and Tampa Bay Devil Rays and in Nippon Professional Baseball (NPB) for the Chunichi Dragons.

Career

=Los Angeles Dodgers=

Guzmán signed with the Los Angeles Dodgers as an international free agent on July 2, 2001.{{cite news|title=Transactions|url=https://www.nytimes.com/2001/07/03/sports/transactions-079383.html|access-date=February 13, 2016|work=New York Times|date=July 3, 2001}}{{cite news|last1=Reid|first1=Jason|title=Dodgers Are Set to Make Record Offer|url=https://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-2001-jul-02-sp-17795-story.html|access-date=February 12, 2016|work=Los Angeles Times|date=July 2, 2001}} He was signed for $2.25 million, a franchise record signing bonus.{{cite news |last1=Sickels |first1=John |authorlink1=John Sickels |title=Dodgers prospect Joel Guzman |url=https://www.espn.com/mlb/columns/story?id=1926672 |access-date=June 4, 2019 |work=ESPN.com |date=November 20, 2004}}{{cite news|last1=Ratliff|first1=Jason|title=Suns shine bright in Los Angeles system|url=http://www.milb.com/gen/articles/printer_friendly/milb/y2005/m10/d28/c32186.jsp|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160216144423/http://www.milb.com/gen/articles/printer_friendly/milb/y2005/m10/d28/c32186.jsp|url-status=dead|archive-date=February 16, 2016|access-date=February 12, 2016|publisher=Minor League Baseball|date=October 28, 2005}} Guzmán worked his way through the minor leagues, becoming a top prospect.{{cite news|last1=Crowe|first1=Jerry|title=Guzman Makes Graceful Shift to Left|url=https://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-2006-mar-08-sp-dodrep8-story.html|access-date=February 12, 2016|work=Los Angeles Times|date=March 8, 2006}} He was named the Dodgers Minor League Player of the Year in 2004 and was elected to the Florida State League All-Star Game.{{cite news |date=January 22, 2013 |title=Where Are They Now: Joel Guzman |url=https://www.milb.com/news/gcs-41085432 |access-date=2024-11-14 |work=Minor League Baseball}}{{cite news |last1=Gurnick |first1=Ken |date=June 1, 2004 |title=Notes: Jackson gets called up |url=http://mlb.mlb.com/content/printer_friendly/mlb/y2004/m06/d01/c758671.jsp |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160215202014/http://mlb.mlb.com/content/printer_friendly/mlb/y2004/m06/d01/c758671.jsp |archive-date=2016-02-15 |work=MLB.com}} In 2005, he was named a Southern League All-Star,{{cite news|last1=Elliot|first1=Jeff|title=Suns have five All-Stars|url=http://jacksonville.com/tu-online/stories/063005/sps_19126346.shtml|access-date=February 12, 2016|work=Florida Times Union|date=June 30, 2005}} and ranked the fifth-best overall prospect by Baseball America.{{cite news|last1=Schoenfield|first1=David|title=Looking back: Top prospects of 2005|url=https://www.espn.com/blog/sweetspot/post/_/id/54845/looking-back-top-prospects-of-2005|access-date=February 13, 2016|work=ESPN.com|date=January 30, 2015}} Guzmán also played in the All-Star Futures Game twice, in 2004 and 2006.{{cite news |date=June 30, 2008 |title=Ivan De Jesus, Jr. Named to 2008 Futures Game World Roster |url=https://www.milb.com/news/gcs-425709 |access-date=2024-11-14 |work=Minor League Baseball}} With a jump to the Major League level predicted for the 2006 season, Dodgers manager Grady Little converted Guzmán to left field during spring training. With Rafael Furcal, César Izturis, and Oscar Robles already playing shortstops on the Dodgers major league roster, the position change was made in an attempt to give Guzmán increased opportunity to play with the Dodgers in 2006.{{cite news|last1=Gurnick|first1=Ken|title=Notes: Guzman to switch positions|url=http://losangeles.dodgers.mlb.com/news/print.jsp?ymd=20060225&content_id=1322996&vkey=spt2006news&c_id=la&fext=.jsp|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160215202016/http://losangeles.dodgers.mlb.com/news/print.jsp?ymd=20060225&content_id=1322996&vkey=spt2006news&c_id=la&fext=.jsp|url-status=dead|archive-date=February 15, 2016|access-date=February 12, 2016|work=MLB.com|date=February 25, 2006}} He made his major league debut on June 1 of that year, as a defensive replacement in the eighth inning of a game against the Philadelphia Phillies. Guzmán grounded into a double play in his first at-bat in the bottom half of the inning.{{cite news|title=Dodgers dump Phils for seventh straight home win|url=http://scores.espn.go.com/mlb/recap?gameId=260601119|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160222080632/http://scores.espn.go.com/mlb/recap?gameId=260601119|url-status=dead|archive-date=February 22, 2016|access-date=February 13, 2016|agency=Associated Press|work=ESPN.com|date=June 2, 2006}}

=Tampa Bay Rays=

Guzmán was traded on July 31, 2006, to the Tampa Bay Devil Rays with Sergio Pedroza for Julio Lugo.{{cite news|last1=Chastain|first1=Bill|title=Dodgers send Guzman, Pedroza to Devil Rays|url=https://www.milb.com/news/gcs-112513|access-date=February 12, 2016|publisher=Minor League Baseball|date=July 31, 2006}} He spent most of the 2007 season with the Triple-A Durham Bulls, but made his Devil Rays debut on August 19 against the Cleveland Indians. Guzmán recorded his first major league hit, a walk-off single off of Rafael Pérez, that day.{{cite news|title=New guy delivers welcome walkoff|url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?nid=888&dat=20070820&id=tztAAAAAIBAJ&sjid=h3QDAAAAIBAJ&pg=2876,3667724&hl=en|access-date=February 13, 2016|work=St. Petersburg Times|via=Google News|date=August 20, 2007|pages=1C and 6C}}{{cite news|title=Guzman's single in 12th ends Tribe's three-game win streak|url=http://scores.espn.go.com/mlb/recap?gameId=270819130|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140904100619/http://scores.espn.go.com/mlb/recap?gameId=270819130|url-status=dead|archive-date=September 4, 2014|access-date=February 13, 2016|agency=Associated Press|work=ESPN.com|date=August 19, 2007}}

=Minor league journeyman=

He became a free agent at the end of the season and signed a minor league deal with the Washington Nationals on December 13, 2008.{{cite news |last1=Ladson |first1=Bill |date=December 13, 2008 |title=Nationals sign 13 to Minors deals |url=http://m.nationals.mlb.com/news/article/3716478 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160215224750/http://m.nationals.mlb.com/news/article/3716478 |archive-date=2016-02-15 |work=MLB.com}} On February 4, 2010, the Baltimore Orioles signed Guzmán to a minor league deal, and he completed the 2010 season at the AA level playing for the Bowie Baysox.{{cite news|last1=Connolly|first1=Dan|title=O's sign Joel Guzman to minor league deal|url=https://www.baltimoresun.com/2010/02/04/os-sign-joel-guzman-to-minor-league-deal/|access-date=February 13, 2016|work=Baltimore Sun|date=February 4, 2010}} In December 2010 it was announced that he signed a deal to play in Japan for the Chunichi Dragons in 2011.{{cite news|last1=Melewski|first1=Steve|title=Guzman heads for Japan, Reimold a comeback candidate|url=http://www.masnsports.com/steve-melewski/2010/12/a-take-on-reimold-guzman-heads-for-japan.html|access-date=February 13, 2016|publisher=MASN Sports|date=December 14, 2010}} He signed a minor league contract with the Cincinnati Reds for the 2012 season, and was released in June.{{cite news|last1=Eddy|first1=Matt|title=Minor League Transactions: June 19–24|url=http://www.baseballamerica.com/minors/minor-league-transactions-june-19-24/|access-date=February 13, 2016|work=Baseball America|date=June 28, 2012}}

Guzmán played in the Mexican League in 2012 and 2013 and after not playing in 2014, he signed with the Camden Riversharks of the Atlantic League of Professional Baseball for 2015.

Guzmán signed with the York Revolution of the Atlantic League of Professional Baseball for the 2016 season. He was released from the York Revolution on June 11, 2017.