Oscar Colás

{{Infobox baseball biography

|name = Oscar Colás

|image = ソフトバンクオスカー・コラス (Cropped).jpg

|caption = Colás with the Fukuoka SoftBank Hawks in 2019

|team = Los Angeles Angels

|number =

|position = Outfielder

|birth_date = {{Birth date and age|1998|9|17}}

|birth_place = Havana, Cuba

|bats = Left

|throws = Left

|debutleague = NPB

|debutdate = August 18

|debutyear = 2019

|debutteam = Fukuoka SoftBank Hawks

|debut2league = MLB

|debut2date = March 30

|debut2year = 2023

|debut2team = Chicago White Sox

|statyear = 2019 season

|statleague = NPB

|stat1label = Batting average

|stat1value = .278

|stat2label = Home runs

|stat2value = 1

|stat3label = Runs batted in

|stat3value = 2

|stat2league = MLB

|stat2year = 2024 season

|stat21label = Batting average

|stat21value = .223

|stat22label = Home runs

|stat22value = 5

|stat23label = Runs batted in

|stat23value = 23

|teams =

Fukuoka SoftBank Hawks ({{npby|2019}})
Chicago White Sox ({{Mlby|2023}}–{{mlby|2024}})

|awards =

Japan Series champion ({{npby|2019}})

}}

Oscar Luis Colás Leon (born September 17, 1998) is a Cuban professional baseball outfielder in the Los Angeles Angels organization. He has previously played in Nippon Professional Baseball (NPB) for the Fukuoka SoftBank Hawks, and in Major League Baseball (MLB) for the Chicago White Sox.

Career

Colás was born in Cuba. He attended Escuela Número 95 Nguyen in Van Troy, Cuba.

=Cuban National Series=

In 2016–2017 season, Colás played in the Santiago de Cuba of the Cuban National Series.

On May 10, 2017, the Government of Cuba signed a contract to dispatch Colás and Liván Moinelo to the Fukuoka SoftBank Hawks as a developmental player.{{cite web|url=https://www.nikkansports.com/baseball/news/1821182.html|title=Nikkan Sports baseball news (Japanese) ソフトバンク、キューバ代表モイネロらと育成契約|work=Nikkan Sports|date=May 10, 2017|accessdate=December 1, 2019}}In the NPB, in addition to the 70 registered players under management (active roster of players), each team can have developmental squad players for the purpose of improving their baseball skills and training manners. They aim to be promoted to registered players under management within the 3 year contract period (Non-tender free agent players and contract expired players renew their contracts every year). From mid-2017 season to mid-2019 season, he played in informal games against Shikoku Island League Plus's teams and amateur baseball teams, and played in the Western League of NPB's minor leagues.

=Fukuoka SoftBank Hawks=

On June 24, 2019, Colás signed a 15 million yen contract (~US$140,000) with the Fukuoka SoftBank Hawks as a registered player under control.{{cite web|url=https://www.nikkansports.com/baseball/news/201906240000347.html|title=Nikkan Sports baseball news (Japanese) ソフトバンクが来日3年目のコラスを支配下登録|language=ja-JP|work=Nikkan Sports|date=June 24, 2019|accessdate=December 1, 2019}} On August 18, he debuted against the Saitama Seibu Lions, and recorded a home run at the first Plate appearance in the Pacific League.{{cite web|url=https://www.nikkansports.com/baseball/news/201908180000657.html|title=Nikkan Sports baseball news (Japanese) ソフトバンク・コラス、球団初の初打席初球本塁打|language=ja-JP|work=Nikkan Sports|date=August 18, 2019|accessdate=December 1, 2019}} In the 2019 season, he played 7 games in the Pacific League.

On January 3, 2020, Francys Romero of MLB.com reported that Colás had defected from Cuba and was looking to sign on with a Major League team.{{cite web|url=https://www.mlb.com/news/oscar-luis-colas-defects-to-pursue-mlb-deal|title='Cuban Ohtani' pursuing path to MLB|language=en|work=MLB.com|date=January 3, 2020|accessdate=January 4, 2020}} On December 23, 2020, Colás was officially granted his release and declared a free agent by Major League Baseball. He was made eligible to sign with a club starting in January 2021.

=Chicago White Sox=

On January 25, 2022, Colás signed with the Chicago White Sox. His signing bonus was $2.7 million.{{cite web|url=https://www.espn.com/mlb/story/_/id/33146543/chicago-white-sox-announce-deal-cuban-slugger-oscar-colas|title=Chicago White Sox announce deal with Cuban slugger Oscar Colas|language=en|work=ESPN|date=January 25, 2022|accessdate=January 28, 2022}} Soon after, Colás gave up pitching to focus on outfield work.{{cite web|url=https://www.mlbtraderumors.com/2022/01/oscar-colas-done-pitching-will-focus-on-outfield-work-with-white-sox.html|title=Oscar Colas Done Pitching, Will Focus On Outfield Work With White Sox|language=en|work=MLB Trade Rumors|date=January 28, 2022|accessdate=January 28, 2022}}

Colas spent the 2022 season split between three White Sox affiliates: the High-A Winston-Salem Dash, Double-A Birmingham Barons, and Triple-A Charlotte Knights. In 117 games between the three minor league clubs, Colás slashed .314/.371/.524 while tallying 23 home runs, 79 RBI, and 3 stolen bases while being caught four times.{{Cite web|title=White Sox’s Oscar Colas: Bumped up to Triple-A|url=https://www.cbssports.com/fantasy/baseball/news/white-soxs-oscar-colas-bumped-up-to-triple-a/|access-date=March 26, 2023|website=cbssports.com|language=en}}

On March 26, 2023, the White Sox announced that Colás had made the Opening Day roster.{{Cite web|title=White Sox’s Oscar Colas: Expected to make Opening Day roster|url=https://www.cbssports.com/fantasy/baseball/news/white-soxs-oscar-colas-expected-to-make-opening-day-roster/amp/|access-date=March 26, 2023|website=cbssports.com|language=en}} He made his MLB debut on March 30, recording a hit as a pinch hitter.{{Cite web|url=https://www.mlb.com/news/oscar-colas-first-hit-mlb-debut-white-sox|title=Colás knocks 1st MLB hit in pinch debut for Sox|website=MLB.com}} Colás batted .211 with one home run and seven RBI in 25 games, before he was optioned to Charlotte. In 48 games for Charlotte, he batted .293 with nine home runs and 29 RBI before he was promoted to the major leagues in July.{{Cite web|url=https://abc7chicago.com/sports/chicago-white-sox-recall-oscar-colas-from-triple-a-charlotte/13461310/|title=Chicago White Sox recall Oscar Colas from Triple-A Charlotte|date=July 4, 2023|website=ABC7 Chicago}} In 2023 in the major leagues he batted .216/.257/.314 with 5 home runs and 19 RBI in 245 at-bats, as he stole four bases in seven attempts and played primarily right field.{{Cite web|url=https://www.baseball-reference.com/register/player.fcgi?id=colas-000osc|title=Oscar Colás Cuban, Japanese & Minor Leagues Statistics|website=Baseball-Reference.com}} Colás was optioned to Triple–A Charlotte to begin the 2024 season.{{Cite web|title=White Sox's Oscar Colas: Optioned to Triple-A|url=https://www.cbssports.com/fantasy/baseball/news/white-soxs-oscar-colas-optioned-to-triple-a-906695/|access-date=March 10, 2024|website=cbssports.com|language=en}} In 13 games for the White Sox, he went 9-for-33 (.273) with four RBI.

Colás was designated for assignment by Chicago on March 26, 2025.{{Cite web|title=White Sox Designate Oscar Colas For Assignment, Claim Greg Jones From Rockies|url=https://www.mlbtraderumors.com/2025/03/white-sox-dfa-oscar-colas-claim-greg-jones-waivers-rockies.html|access-date=March 26, 2025|website=mlbtraderumors.com|language=en}} He cleared waivers and was sent outright to Triple-A Charlotte on March 28.{{Cite web|title=White Sox Outright Oscar Colás|url=https://www.mlbtraderumors.com/2025/03/white-sox-outright-oscar-colas.html|access-date=March 28, 2025|website=mlbtraderumors.com|language=en}} Colás made 29 appearances split between Charlotte and Birmingham, but posted a .163/.245/.255 batting line with one home run, 12 RBI, and three stolen bases. Colás was released by the White Sox organization on May 24.{{Cite web|title=White Sox Release Oscar Colas|url=https://www.mlbtraderumors.com/2025/05/white-sox-release-oscar-colas.html|access-date=May 24, 2025|website=mlbtraderumors.com|language=en}}

=Los Angeles Angels=

On May 27, 2025, Colás signed a minor league contract with the Los Angeles Angels.{{Cite web|title=Angels, Oscar Colas Agree To Minor League Deal|url=https://www.mlbtraderumors.com/2025/05/angels-sign-oscar-colas-former-white-sox-top-prospect.html|access-date=May 27, 2025|website=mlbtraderumors.com|language=en}}