José Azócar

{{Infobox baseball biography

| name = José Azócar

| image = File:Jose Azocar May 5th.jpg

| caption = Azócar with the Padres in 2022

| team = New York Mets

| number = 28

| position = Outfielder

| birth_date = {{Birth date and age|1996|5|11}}

| birth_place = Güiria, Venezuela

| bats = Right

| throws = Right

| debutleague = MLB

| debutdate = April 7

| debutyear = 2022

| debutteam = San Diego Padres

| statleague = MLB

| statyear = April 28, 2025

| stat1label = Batting average

| stat1value = .248

| stat2label = Home runs

| stat2value = 2

| stat3label = Runs batted in

| stat3value = 22

| stat4label = Stolen bases

| stat4value = 18

| teams =

San Diego Padres ({{mlby|2022}}–{{mlby|2024}})
New York Mets ({{mlby|2025}}–present)

}}

José Enrique Azócar (born May 11, 1996) is a Venezuelan professional baseball outfielder for the New York Mets of Major League Baseball (MLB). He has previously played in MLB for the San Diego Padres. He made his MLB debut in 2022.

Career

=Detroit Tigers=

Azócar signed with the Detroit Tigers as an international free agent on October 21, 2012. He made his professional debut in 2013 with the Venezuelan Summer League Tigers. He joined the Low–A Connecticut Tigers in 2015, but was quickly sent down to the rookie–level Gulf Coast League Tigers, where he was named a 2015 Postseason All-Star. Azócar hit .325 with 29 RBI, 10 doubles, and five triples. His play warranted a call–up for the 2016 season to the Single-A West Michigan Whitecaps, where he spent the entire year. Azócar was promoted to the High-A Lakeland Flying Tigers for 2017, where he hit his first professional home runs (he would hit three), but saw his average drop from .281 in 2016 to .220 in 2017.

File:Jose Azocar (28010437185) (cropped).jpg in 2016]]

Azócar spent 2018 in both West Michigan and Lakeland. He started 2019 with the Double-A Erie SeaWolves. As of May 11, 2019, he possessed the third-highest batting average in the Eastern League, with a .336 clip.{{Cite web|url=https://www.detroitnews.com/story/sports/mlb/tigers/2019/05/11/detroit-tigers-prospect-jose-azocar-takes-step-erie-seawolves/1175664001/|title=Tigers outfield prospect Jose Azocar takes step forward in Double-A Erie|website=Detroit News|language=en|access-date=June 24, 2019}} He was batting .293 when, on June 24, he was named to the Eastern League All-Star Game for the Western Division.{{Cite web|url=https://www.milb.com/richmond/news/2019-eastern-league-all-star-game-rosters-announced/c-308414060|title=2019 Eastern League All-Star Game Rosters Announced|website=MiLB.com|language=en|access-date=June 24, 2019}} At the All-Star break, he led the league in hits with 136, was tied for third-highest batting average in the league (.284), had 39 multi-hit games, and had ten home runs to go with 56 RBI.{{Cite web|url=https://www.milb.com/erie/news/jose-azocar-named-eastern-league-rookie-of-the-year/c-310370206|title=Jose Azocar Named Eastern League Rookie of the Year|website=MiLB.com|language=en|access-date=August 28, 2019}} Azócar would ultimately earn the dubious distinction of leading the minor leagues in 2019 by grounding into 22 double plays.{{cite web| url = https://www.baseball-reference.com/register/leader.cgi?request=1&type=bat&year=2019&group=Minors&sort_by=GIDP| title = 2019 Register Batting Leaders {{!}} Baseball-Reference.com}} However, he would be named the Eastern League Rookie of the Year for 2019, becoming the first SeaWolves' player to earn the honor. Azócar was re-signed by the Tigers organization after becoming a minor league free agent on November 7, 2019.{{Cite web|url=https://www.mlive.com/tigers/2019/11/tigers-re-sign-5-minor-league-free-agents-including-nick-ramirez.html|title=Tigers re-sign 5 minor-league free agents, including Nick Ramirez|last=Woodbery|first=Evan|date=November 7, 2019|website=mlive|language=en|access-date=November 9, 2019}} He did not play in 2020 due to the cancellation of the minor league season because of the COVID-19 pandemic.{{Cite web|title=2020 Minor League Baseball season cancelled|url=https://www.mlb.com/news/2020-minor-league-baseball-season-canceled|access-date=September 21, 2024|website=mlb.com|language=en}} Azócar became a free agent on November 2, 2020.{{Cite web|title=Full List of 2020-2021 MiLB Free Agents|url=https://www.baseballamerica.com/stories/full-list-of-2020-2021-milb-free-agents/|access-date=September 21, 2024|website=baseballamerica.com|language=en}}

=San Diego Padres=

On November 18, 2020, Azócar signed a minor league contract with the San Diego Padres. He split the 2021 campaign between the Double-A San Antonio Missions and Triple-A El Paso Chihuahuas. In 128 games split between the two affiliates, Azócar slashed .281/.341/.438 with nine home runs, 70 RBI, and 32 stolen bases.{{Cite web|title=Jose Azocar - Stats - Batting|url=https://www.fangraphs.com/players/jose-azocar/18821/stats?position=OF|access-date=September 25, 2024|website=fangraphs.com|language=en}}

On April 7, 2022, Azócar had his contract selected to the major league roster and made his MLB debut that night as a pinch runner and left fielder. In his first at-bat two days later, he had his first major-league hit, a single, and drove in his first run.{{cite news |title=Hosmer, Machado help Padres pull away late, top D-backs 5-2 |url=https://www.espn.com/mlb/recap/_/gameId/401354276 |access-date=September 6, 2024 |date=April 9, 2022}} That year, he appeared in two games in the NLDS and one in the NLCS for the Padres without coming up to bat. He served as a pinch runner and a replacement left fielder. He did steal a base in Game 2 of the NLDS.

On September 15, 2023, Azócar hit his first major league home run, driving in 3 runs during the top of the ninth inning against the Oakland Athletics.{{cite news |title=Fernando Tatis Jr. homers, drives in 3 runs as Padres beat A's 8-3 in Bob Melvin's return |url=https://www.espn.com/mlb/recap/_/gameId/401473227 |access-date=September 6, 2024 |agency=Associated Press |date=September 15, 2023}}

Azócar played in 61 games for the Padres in 2024, slashing .219/.269/.247, with two RBI and five stolen bases. He was designated for assignment by the Padres on September 2, 2024.{{cite news |last1=Glaser |first1=Kyle |title=Tatis rejoins lineup after 2 months on IL: 'I feel like I can do anything' |url=https://www.mlb.com/news/fernando-tatis-jr-padres-femur-stress-reaction-activated-from-il |access-date=September 6, 2024 |publisher=MLB.com |date=September 2, 2024}}{{cite news |title=Padres activate RF Fernando Tatis Jr. from 60-day IL |url=https://www.victoriaadvocate.com/padres-activate-rf-fernando-tatis-jr-from-60-day-il/article_9afad8ff-59c6-542b-b4e8-71598bf91c7d.html |access-date=September 6, 2024 |work=Victoria Advocate |date=September 2, 2024}}

=New York Mets=

On September 5, 2024, Azócar was claimed off of waivers by the New York Mets. He was immediately sent to the Triple-A Syracuse Mets,{{cite news |title=Mets activate DH J.D. Martinez from paternity list |url=https://www.espn.com/mlb/story/_/id/41138348/mets-activate-dh-jd-martinez-paternity-list |access-date=September 6, 2024 |publisher=ESPN.com |date=September 5, 2024}} for whom he batted .353/.382/.529 with two home runs, 12 RBI, and 6 stolen bases across 13 games.{{cn|date=May 2025}}

Azócar was designated for assignment by the Mets on March 27, 2025.{{Cite web|title=Mets To Designate Alexander Canario, Jose Azocar For Assignment|url=https://www.mlbtraderumors.com/2025/03/mets-to-designate-alexander-canario-jose-azocar-for-assignment.html|access-date=March 27, 2025|website=mlbtraderumors.com|language=en}} He cleared waivers and was sent outright to Triple-A Syracuse on March 29.{{Cite web|title=New York Mets veteran outfielder clears waivers, outrighted to Triple-A|url=https://www.si.com/mlb/mets/news/new-york-mets-veteran-outfielder-clears-waivers-outrighted-to-triple-a|access-date=March 30, 2025|website=si.com|language=en}} On April 17, the Mets selected Azócar's contract, adding him to their active roster, after center fielder Jose Siri was placed on the 10-day injured list with a fractured tibia.{{Cite web|title=Mets Select José Azócar|url=https://www.mlbtraderumors.com/2025/04/mets-select-jose-azocar.html|access-date=April 17, 2025|website=mlbtraderumors.com|language=en}}