Pedro Payano

{{Short description|Dominican-American baseball player (born 1994)}}

{{Infobox baseball biography

|name = Pedro Payano

|image = Pedro Payano Nashville 2019.jpeg

|caption = Payano with the Nashville Sounds in 2019

|team = Tigres de Quintana Roo

|number = 79

|position = Pitcher

|birth_date = {{Birth date and age|1994|9|27}}

|birth_place = New York City, New York, U.S.

|bats = Right

|throws = Right

|debutleague = MLB

|debutdate = July 6

|debutyear = 2019

|debutteam = Texas Rangers

|statleague = MLB

|statyear = 2019 season

|stat1label = Win–loss record

|stat1value = 1–2

|stat2label = Earned run average

|stat2value = 5.73

|stat3label = Strikeouts

|stat3value = 17

|teams =

Texas Rangers ({{mlby|2019}})

}}

Pedro Julio Payano (born September 27, 1994) is a Dominican-American professional baseball pitcher for the Tigres de Quintana Roo of the Mexican League. He has previously played in Major League Baseball (MLB) for the Texas Rangers.

Career

=Texas Rangers=

Payano was born in New York City but raised in San Francisco de Macorís, Dominican Republic.{{cite web|url=https://www.espn.com/dallas/mlb/news/story?id=6732843|title=Rangers give Nomar Mazara $5M bonus|author=Enrique Rojas|website=ESPN.com|date=July 3, 2011|access-date=July 6, 2019}} He signed with the Texas Rangers as an international free agent on June 1, 2012.{{cite web|url=https://www.wfaa.com/article/sports/texas-rangers-farmhands-to-keep-an-eye-on/287-258049557|title=Texas Rangers farmhands to keep an eye on|website=WFAA|date=June 28, 2016|access-date=July 6, 2019}}

Payano spent the 2012, 2013, and 2014 seasons playing for the DSL Rangers of the Rookie-level Dominican Summer League.{{cite web|url=https://www.mlb.com/player/pedro-payano-622797|title=Pedro Payano Player Page|work=MLB.com|access-date=July 6, 2019}} In 2015, he split the season between the DSL Rangers, AZL Rangers of the Rookie-level Arizona League, and the Hickory Crawdads of the Single–A South Atlantic League, posting a combined 10–2 record with a 1.11 ERA over 87 innings.{{cite web|url=https://www.minorleagueball.com/2015/9/16/9335299/rangers-pitcher-pedro-payano-dazzles-in-opening-game-of-sal|title=Rangers pitcher Pedro Payano dazzles in opening game of SAL championship series|author=Charlie Drysdale|publisher=SB Nation|website=minorleagueball.com|date=September 16, 2015|access-date=July 6, 2019}} His 2016 season was spent with Hickory, going 3–3 with a 2.08 ERA in {{fraction|73|2|3}} innings.{{cite news|url=https://www.hickoryrecord.com/news/crawdads-pitcher-grew-up-now-potential-majors-prospect/article_83d44d40-343a-11e6-974b-f76e76e664c5.html|title=Crawdads pitcher 'grew up,' now potential majors prospect|author=Mark Parker|newspaper=Hickory Daily Record|date=June 16, 2016|access-date=July 6, 2019}} He split 2017 between the Down East Wood Ducks of the High–A Carolina League and the Frisco RoughRiders of the Double–A Texas League, going 6–8 with a 3.87 ERA over {{fraction|134|1|3}} innings.{{cite news|url=https://www.kinston.com/news/20170410/its-opening-day-for-down-east-wood-ducks|title=It's opening day for the Down East Wood Ducks|author=Junious Smith|newspaper=Kinston Free Press|date=April 10, 2017|access-date=July 6, 2019}}{{cite web|url=https://ridersinsider.mlblogs.com/pedro-payano-has-made-a-change-and-the-texas-league-should-look-out-bf9b09c839f6|title=Pedro Payano has made a change and the Texas League should look out|author=Keith Raad|publisher=Frisco RoughRiders|website=ridersinsider.mlblogs.com|date=August 5, 2017|access-date=July 6, 2019}} He spent the 2018 season with Frisco, going 5–10 with a 5.54 ERA over {{fraction|118|2|3}} innings. He elected free agency on November 2, 2018,{{Cite web|title=Minor League Free Agents 2018|url=https://www.baseballamerica.com/stories/minor-league-free-agents-2018/|access-date=May 22, 2024|website=baseballamerica.com|date=November 6, 2018 |language=en}} but re-signed with Texas on a minor league contract. He opened the 2019 season back with Frisco, before being promoted to the Nashville Sounds of the Triple-A Pacific Coast League on May 29. Payano combined for a 5–4 record with a 4.93 ERA over {{fraction|83|1|3}} innings between the two levels.

On July 6, 2019, the Rangers selected Payano's contract and promoted him to the major leagues.{{cite web|url=https://www.lonestarball.com/2019/7/6/20684199/texas-rangers-transactions-pedro-payano-locke-st-john-patrick-wisdom-dfad|title=Pedro Payano up, Locke St. John down, Patrick Wisdom DFA'd|author=Adam J. Morris|publisher=SB Nation|website=Lone Star Ball|date=July 6, 2019|access-date=July 6, 2019}} He made his debut that day, pitching a scoreless inning in relief.{{cite news|url=https://www.star-telegram.com/sports/mlb/texas-rangers/article232368007.html|title=Rangers aren't doing much well during their slide, but this is main factor for their woes|author=Jeff Wilson|newspaper=Fort Worth Star-Telegram|date=July 6, 2019|access-date=July 6, 2019}} In 2019, Payano produced a 1–2 record with a 5.73 ERA in 22 MLB innings. Payano was designated for assignment on September 1 and was outrighted to Nashville on September 3.{{cite web|url=https://www.cbssports.com/fantasy/baseball/news/rangers-pedro-payano-outrighted-to-triple-a/|title=Rangers' Pedro Payano: Outrighted to Triple-A|author=RotoWire Staff|website=CBS Sports|date=September 3, 2019|access-date=September 4, 2019}} He elected free agency following the season on November 4.{{cite web|url=https://www.baseballamerica.com/stories/minor-league-free-agents-2019/|title=Minor League Free Agents 2019|author=Matt Eddy|website=Baseball America|date=November 7, 2019|access-date=November 7, 2019}}

=New York Mets=

On December 12, 2019, Payano signed a minor league contract with the New York Mets organization.{{cite web|url=https://www.cbssports.com/fantasy/baseball/news/mets-pedro-payano-signs-minor-league-contract/|title=Mets' Pedro Payano: Signs minor-league contract|website=CBSSports.com|author=RotoWire Staff|date=December 12, 2019|access-date=December 12, 2019}} 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=2023-03-18|website=mlb.com|language=en}} Payano was released on September 5, 2020.

=Detroit Tigers=

On February 8, 2021, Payano signed a minor league contract with the Detroit Tigers organization.{{Cite web|url=https://www.cbssports.com/fantasy/baseball/news/tigers-pedro-payano-latches-on-with-tigers/|title = Tigers' Pedro Payano: Latches on with Tigers| date=February 12, 2021 }} Payano made 25 appearances (24 starts) between the Double-A Erie SeaWolves and the Triple-A Toledo Mud Hens, registering a cumulative 8–8 record and 4.65 ERA with 117 strikeouts in 124.0 innings pitched. He elected free agency following the season on November 7.{{Cite web|title=2021-22 Minor League Free Agents For All 30 MLB Teams|url=https://www.baseballamerica.com/stories/2021-22-minor-league-free-agents-for-all-30-mlb-teams/?amphtml|access-date=2023-04-18|website=baseballamerica.com|date=November 9, 2021 |language=en}}

=Cincinnati Reds=

On February 1, 2022, Payano signed a minor league contract with the Cincinnati Reds.{{Cite web|last=McDonald|first=Darragh|date=February 6, 2022|title=Reds Sign Pedro Payano To Minors Contract|url=https://www.mlbtraderumors.com/2022/02/reds-sign-pedro-payano-to-minors-contract.html|access-date=2022-02-06|website=MLB Trade Rumors|language=}} Payano pitched in 50 games for the Triple-A Louisville Bats, posting a 2–4 record and 3.26 ERA with 62 strikeouts in {{fraction|60|2|3}} innings of work. He elected free agency following the season on November 10.{{Cite web|title=2022-23 Minor League Free Agents For All 30 MLB Teams|url=https://www.baseballamerica.com/stories/2022-23-minor-league-free-agents-for-all-30-mlb-teams/?amphtml|access-date=July 8, 2023|website=baseballamerica.com|date=November 13, 2022 |language=en}}

=Staten Island FerryHawks=

On April 19, 2023, Payano signed with the Staten Island FerryHawks of the Atlantic League of Professional Baseball.{{cite web | url=https://www.atlanticleague.com/stats/transactions/ | title=Transactions – Atlantic League Pro Baseball }} In 22 games for Staten Island, Payano recorded a 1.99 ERA with 20 strikeouts and 5 saves in {{fraction|22|2|3}} innings pitched.

=Leones de Yucatán=

On July 6, 2023, Payano's contract was purchased by the Leones de Yucatán of the Mexican League. In 5 appearances down the stretch, he recorded a 5.79 ERA with 5 strikeouts across {{fraction|4|2|3}} innings pitched.

Payano made 14 appearances for the Leones in 2024, struggling to an 8.76 ERA with 10 strikeouts across {{fraction|12|1|3}} innings of work. He was released by Yucatán on June 16, 2024.{{Cite web|title=LMB: Movimientos en listas de reserva - 16 de junio de 2024|url=https://www.milb.com/mexican/news/lmb-movimientos-en-listas-de-reserva-16-de-junio-de-2024|access-date=June 17, 2024|website=milb.com|language=en}}

=Tigres de Quintana Roo=

On June 24, 2024, Payano signed with the Tigres de Quintana Roo of the Mexican League.{{Cite web|title=LMB: Movimientos en listas de reserva - 24 de junio de 2024|url=https://www.milb.com/mexican/news/lmb-movimientos-en-listas-de-reserva-24-de-junio-de-2024|access-date=June 26, 2024|website=milb.com|language=en}} In 18 appearances for the Tigres, he posted a 1–0 record and 3.06 ERA with 15 strikeouts across {{fraction|17|2|3}} innings pitched.