Mark Contreras

{{Infobox baseball biography

| name = Mark Contreras

| image = MarkContrerasSpringTraining (cropped).jpg

| caption = Contreras with the Minnesota Twins

| team = Staten Island FerryHawks

| number = 5

| position = Outfielder

| birth_date = {{birth date and age|1995|1|24}}

| birth_place = Moreno Valley, California, U.S.

| bats = Left

| throws = Right

|debutleague = MLB

|debutdate = May 12

|debutyear = 2022

|debutteam = Minnesota Twins

|statleague = MLB

|statyear = 2022 season

|stat1label = Batting average

|stat1value = .121

|stat2label = Home runs

|stat2value = 3

|stat3label = Runs batted in

|stat3value = 6

|teams =

Minnesota Twins ({{mlby|2022}})

}}

Mark Anthony Contreras (born January 24, 1995) is an American professional baseball outfielder for the Staten Island FerryHawks of the Atlantic League of Professional Baseball. Contreras played college baseball at the University of California, Riverside. He has previously played in Major League Baseball (MLB) for the Minnesota Twins.

Early life and amateur career

Contreras grew up in Moreno Valley, California and attended Canyon Springs High School. He was a member of the varsity baseball team and won four consecutive Inland Valley League championships with the team.{{cite web|url=https://gohighlanders.com/news/2022/5/11/baseball-former-highlander-mark-contreras-gets-the-call-with-twins.aspx|title=Former Highlander Mark Contreras Gets the Call with Twins|website=GoHighlanders.com|date=May 11, 2022|access-date=May 16, 2022}}

Contreras attended the University of California, Riverside, and played college baseball for the UC Riverside Highlanders for four seasons. He was named second team All-Big West Conference after batting .332 with 14 doubles.{{cite web|url=https://gohighlanders.com/news/2016/6/1/baseball-fernandez-contreras-sodders-farris-fagalde-earn-all-conference-nods.aspx?path=baseball|title=Fernandez, Contreras, Sodders, Farris, Fagalde Earn All-Conference Nods|website=GoHighlanders.com|date=May 1, 2016|access-date=May 16, 2022}} As a senior Contreras led the team with a .366 batting average and a .427 on-base percentage and was named first-team All-Big West.{{cite web|url=https://www.startribune.com/twins-select-an-outfielder-and-reliever-to-end-day-2-of-the-draft/428273303/|title=Twins select an outfielder and reliever to end Day 2 of the draft|work=Star Tribune|date=June 13, 2017|access-date=May 16, 2022}}

Professional career

=Minnesota Twins=

The Minnesota Twins selected Contreras in the ninth round of the 2017 Major League Baseball draft.{{cite web|url=https://www.pe.com/2017/06/13/uc-riversides-ryan-lillie-mark-contreras-picked-on-day-2-of-the-mlb-draft/|title=UC Riverside's Ryan Lillie, Mark Contreras, picked on Day 2 of the MLB Draft|work=The Press-Enterprise|date=June 13, 2017|access-date=May 10, 2022}} He was assigned to the Fort Myers Miracle at the beginning of the 2019 season and was promoted to the Double-A Pensacola Blue Wahoos and was named a minor league Gold Glove award winner at the end of the year.{{cite web|url=https://www.milb.com/pensacola/news/blue-wahoos-contreras-realizes-dream-as-gold-glove-winner-311162446|title=Blue Wahoos' Contreras Realizes Dream As Gold Glove Winner|first=Bill|last=Vilona|website=MiLB.com|date=October 14, 2019|access-date=May 10, 2022}} He 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|title=2020 Minor League Baseball season cancelled|url=https://www.mlb.com/news/2020-minor-league-baseball-season-canceled|access-date=2023-05-14|website=mlb.com|language=en}} Contreras began the 2021 season with the Double-A Wichita Wind Surge, where he played 19 games before being promoted to the Triple-A St. Paul Saints.{{cite web|url=https://www.twincities.com/2022/05/05/saints-mark-contreras-continues-making-case-for-majors-in-6-3-win-over-iowa/|title=Saints' Mark Contreras continues making case for majors in 6-3 win over Iowa|work=St. Paul Pioneer Press|date=May 5, 2022|access-date=May 10, 2022}}

The Twins promoted Contreras to their major league roster on May 10, 2022.{{cite web|url=https://www.startribune.com/twins-place-carlos-correa-chris-paddack-on-10-day-injured-list/600172099/|title=Twins place Carlos Correa, Chris Paddack on 10-day injured list|work=Star Tribune|date=May 10, 2022|access-date=May 10, 2022}} He made his major league debut on May 11, entering the game as a defensive replacement for Byron Buxton after play resumed following a rain delay.{{cite web|url=https://www.espn.com/mlb/recap?gameId=401354701|title=Altuve, Tucker HR, Astros swamp Twins to complete suspension|website=ESPN.com|publisher=Associated Press|date=May 11, 2022|access-date=May 16, 2022}} On August 2, Contreras hit his first career home run, a solo shot off of Detroit Tigers pitcher Matt Manning.{{Cite web|title=Twins’ Mark Contreras: Hits first big-league homer|url=https://www.cbssports.com/fantasy/baseball/news/twins-mark-contreras-hits-first-big-league-homer/amp/|access-date=2023-05-26|website=cbssports.com|language=en}} Contreras played in 28 games for the Twins in 2022 and slashed .121/.148/.293 with three home runs and six RBIs.{{cite web|url=https://www.cbssports.com/fantasy/baseball/news/twins-mark-contreras-designated-for-assignment/|title=Twins' Mark Contreras: Designated for assignment|website=CBS Sports|publisher=RotoWire|date=December 20, 2022|access-date=January 26, 2023}}

On December 20, 2022, the Twins designated Contreras for assignment to make room on the 40-man roster for Joey Gallo.https://kstp.com/minnesota-sports/twins-announce-gallo-addition-dfa-contreras/ He cleared waivers and was sent outright to Triple–A St. Paul on January 3.{{Cite web|title=Twins' Mark Contreras: Outrighted to Triple-A|url=https://www.cbssports.com/fantasy/baseball/news/twins-mark-contreras-outrighted-to-triple-a/|access-date=October 16, 2023|website=cbssports.com|language=en}} In 90 games for St. Paul, he batted .274/.352/.418 with 10 home runs, 54 RBI, and 23 stolen bases. On August 3, 2023, Contreras was released by the Twins organization.{{Cite web|title=Mark Contreras: Released by Minnesota|url=https://www.cbssports.com/fantasy/baseball/news/mark-contreras-released-by-minnesota/amp/|access-date=August 4, 2023|website=cbssports.com|language=en}}

=Boston Red Sox=

On November 11, 2023, Contreras signed a minor league contract with the Boston Red Sox organization.{{cite news |url=https://www.mlbtraderumors.com/2023/11/red-sox-sign-mark-contreras-to-minor-league-deal.html |title=Red Sox Sign Mark Contreras To Minor League Deal |first=Mark |last=Polishuk |website=mlbtraderumors.com |date=November 11, 2023}} He was named a non-roster invitee to the team's spring training.{{cite news |url=https://nesn.com/2023/12/red-sox-unveil-list-of-non-roster-invitees-for-spring-training/ |title=Red Sox Unveil List Of Non-Roster Invitees For Spring Training |first=Greg |last=Dudek |website=NESN |date=December 11, 2023 |accessdate=December 11, 2023}} Contreras spent the 2024 campaign with the Triple-A Worcester Red Sox, playing in 104 contests and batting .199/.312/.311 with five home runs, 35 RBI, and 25 stolen bases. He elected free agency following the season on November 4, 2024.{{cite web|url=https://www.baseballamerica.com/stories/minor-league-free-agents-2024/|title=Minor League Free Agents 2024|work=Baseball America|date=November 6, 2024|accessdate=November 6, 2024|first=Matt|last=Eddy}}

=Staten Island FerryHawks=

On April 25, 2025, Contreras signed with the Staten Island FerryHawks of the Atlantic League of Professional Baseball.{{Cite web|title=Transactions|url=https://baseball.pointstreak.com/transactions.html?leagueid=174&seasonid=34102|access-date=May 9, 2025|website=baseball.pointstreak.com|language=en}}