Matthew Lugo

{{Infobox baseball biography

| team = Los Angeles Angels

| number = 15

| name = Matthew Lugo

| image = Matthew Lugo.jpg

| image_size = 200px

| caption = Lugo with the Boston Red Sox in 2019

| position = Outfielder

| birth_date = {{birth date and age|2001|05|09}}

| birth_place = Manatí, Puerto Rico

| bats = Right

| throws = Right

| debutleague = MLB

| debutdate = May 9

| debutyear = 2025

| debutteam = Los Angeles Angels

| statyear = May 25, 2025

| statleague = MLB

| stat1label = Batting average

| stat1value = .250

| stat2label = Home runs

| stat2value = 3

| stat3label = Runs batted in

| stat3value = 6

| teams = * Los Angeles Angels ({{mlby|2025}}–present)

}}

Matthew Jabel Lugo (born May 9, 2001) is a Puerto Rican professional baseball outfielder for the Los Angeles Angels of Major League Baseball (MLB). He made his MLB debut in 2025.

Career

= Boston Red Sox =

After Lugo's junior year in high school, he was selected to play in the 2018 Perfect Game All-American Classic.{{cite web |title=Matthew Lugo profile page |url=https://www.perfectgame.org/players/playerprofile.aspx?ID=599947 |website=perfectgame.org}} He was committed to the University of Miami and was the highest-ranked Puerto Rican prospect (No. 38) in the 2019 MLB draft.{{cite web |last1=Sanchez |first1=Jesse |title=Draft prospect Lugo carrying forth two legacies |url=https://www.mlb.com/news/matthew-lugo-puerto-rico-draft-prospect |website=mlb.com}} In the draft, the Boston Red Sox selected Lugo in the second round.{{cite web |title=Matthew Lugo page |url=https://soxprospects.com/players/lugo-matthew.htm |website=soxprospects.com}}{{cite web |last1=Collins |first1=Matt |title=Red Sox Top Prospect Voting: Matthew Lugo looks for his breakout |url=https://www.overthemonster.com/2020/2/18/21141999/boston-red-sox-top-prospects-matthew-lugo |website=overthemonster.com|date=February 18, 2020}}{{cite web |last1=Burgos |first1=Adrian |title=Red Sox draft pick Matthew Lugo has excellent options |url=https://www.lavidabaseball.com/matthew-lugo-red-sox-2019-draft-beltran-academy/ |website=lavidabaseball.com|date=June 5, 2019}}{{cite web |last1=Collins |first1=Matt |title=Getting to know Matthew Lugo |url=https://www.overthemonster.com/2019/6/4/18651760/mlb-draft-2019-matthew-lugo-red-sox-second-round-pick |website=overthemonster.com|date=June 4, 2019}}

After getting drafted and forgoing a college career, Lugo was assigned to the Gulf Coast League Red Sox, where he played 39 games and slashed .257/.342/.331 with one home run. In the offseason, Lugo played in the Puerto Rican Winter League for Atenienses de Manatí.{{cite web |last1=Maldonado |first1=Antolín |title=Los Atenienses de Manatí escogieron a Matthew Lugo en el primer turno |url=https://www.elnuevodia.com/deportes/beisbol/nota/losateniensesdemanatiescogieronamatthewlugoenelprimerturno-2523859/ |website=elnuevodia.com|date=October 16, 2019}} After the 2020 minor league season was cancelled due to the COVID-19 pandemic, Lugo was invited to participate in the Red Sox' fall instructional league.{{cite news |url=http://news.soxprospects.com/2020/10/red-sox-2020-fall-instructional-camp.html |title=Red Sox 2020 Fall Instructional Camp roster and details |first=Chris |last=Hatfield |website=SoxProspects.com |date=October 4, 2020 |access-date=October 15, 2020}} Lugo spent the 2021 season in Low-A with the Salem Red Sox, batting .270 with four home runs and 50 RBI in 105 games.{{cite web |title=Matthew Lugo |url=https://www.milb.com/player/matthew-lugo-683090 |website=Minor League Baseball |access-date=November 7, 2021}}

Lugo spent most of 2022 in High-A with the Greenville Drive, and also played in three Double-A games with the Portland Sea Dogs. For the season, he batted a combined .282 with 18 home runs and 79 RBI. During the 2022–23 offseason, he played in the Puerto Rican Winter League for Criollos de Caguas. Lugo returned to Portland for the 2023 season, batting .242 with five home runs and 37 RBI in 83 games.{{cite web |url=https://www.baseball-reference.com/register/player.fcgi?id=lugo--000mat |title=Matthew Lugo Winter & Minor Leagues Statistics |website=Baseball-Reference.com |accessdate=April 1, 2024}} Through 2022, Lugo played as an infielder, primary at shortstop. During 2023, he played both as an infielder an outfielder. After 2023, he has only played as an outfielder.

= Los Angeles Angels =

On July 30, 2024, Lugo, Niko Kavadas, Yeferson Vargas, and Ryan Zeferjahn were traded to the Los Angeles Angels in exchange for Luis García.{{cite web|last1=Browne|first1=Ian|title=Red Sox add bullpen depth in trades for Sims, García|url=https://www.mlb.com/redsox/news/lucas-sims-red-sox-trade|website=mlb.com|publisher=MLB|date=July 30, 2024|accessdate=July 30, 2024}} He made one appearance for the Triple–A Salt Lake Bees, going 2–for–5 with a three–run home run. Following the season, the Angels added Lugo to their 40-man roster to protect him from the Rule 5 draft.{{Cite web|title=Angels Designate Jordyn Adams, Eric Wagaman For Assignment|url=https://www.mlbtraderumors.com/2024/11/angels-designate-jordyn-adams-eric-wagaman-for-assignment.html|access-date=November 20, 2024|website=mlbtraderumors.com|date=November 19, 2024 |language=en}}

Lugo was optioned to Triple-A Salt Lake to begin the 2025 season.{{Cite web|title=Angels announce 2025 Opening Day roster|url=https://www.mlb.com/press-release/press-release-angels-announce-2025-opening-day-roster|access-date=March 29, 2025|website=mlb.com|language=en}} On May 9, 2025, Lugo was promoted to the major leagues for the first time.{{Cite web|title=Angels Select Shaun Anderson, Transfer Ben Joyce To 60-Day IL|url=https://www.mlbtraderumors.com/2025/05/angels-select-shaun-anderson-transfer-ben-joyce-to-60-day-il.html|access-date=May 9, 2025|website=mlbtraderumors.com|language=en}}

Personal life

Lugo is the nephew of former MLB player Carlos Beltrán.{{cite web |last1=Cotillo |first1=Chris |title=Boston Red Sox draft SS Matthew Lugo, nephew of Carlos Beltran, with No. 69 pick |url=https://www.masslive.com/redsox/2019/06/boston-red-sox-draft-ss-matthew-lugo-nephew-of-carlos-beltran-with-no-69-pick.html |website=masslive.com|date=June 4, 2019}}{{cite web |title=Matthew Lugo player page |url=https://www.fangraphs.com/players/matthew-lugo/sa1169598/stats?position=SS |website=fangraphs.com}}{{cite web |last1=Bradford |first1=Rob |title=Red Sox reportedly come to terms with their second pick Matthew Lugo |url=https://weei.radio.com/blogs/rob-bradford/red-sox-reportedly-come-terms-their-second-pick-draft-matthew-lugo |website=weei.radio.com|date=June 13, 2019}}