Rafael Ynoa

{{Infobox baseball biography

|name = Rafael Ynoa

|image = Rafael Ynoa on March 5, 2016.jpg

|image_size = 240

|caption = Ynoa with the Colorado Rockies

|team =

|number =

|position = Third baseman / Left fielder

|birth_date = {{Birth date and age|1987|8|7}}

|birth_place = Santiago, Santiago, Dominican Republic

|bats = Switch

|throws = Right

|debutleague = MLB

|debutdate = September 1

|debutyear = 2014

|debutteam = Colorado Rockies

|finalleague=MLB

|finaldate=August 4

|finalyear=2016

|finalteam=Colorado Rockies

|statleague = MLB

| stat1label=Batting average

| stat1value=.281

| stat2label=Home runs

| stat2value=0

| stat3label=Runs batted in

| stat3value=22

|awards =

|teams =

Colorado Rockies ({{mlby|2014}}–{{mlby|2016}})

}}

Rafael Ynoa (born August 7, 1987) is a Dominican former professional baseball third baseman and left fielder. He made his Major League Baseball (MLB) debut with the Colorado Rockies in 2014 and played with them through 2016.

Career

=Los Angeles Dodgers=

Ynoa signed with the Los Angeles Dodgers organization as an international free agent in 2006. He made his professional debut for the DSL Dodgers. He spent the 2007 and 2008 seasons with the club, hitting .206/.367/.294 and .306/.408/.363 respectively. In 2009, Ynoa split the season between the AZL Dodgers, Ogden Raptors, and High-A Inland Empire 66ers, batting a cumulative .163/.286/.224 with no home runs and 9 RBI. He spent the next season in Single-A with the Great Lakes Loons, hitting .286/.340/.395 with 9 home runs and 51 RBI in 124 games. In 2011, Ynoa spent the year in High-A ball with the Rancho Cucamonga Quakes, slashing .275/.333/.365 with 5 home runs and 54 RBI. Ynoa continued to move up the Dodgers minor league system in 2012, spending the year with the Double-A Chattanooga Lookouts, batting .278/.364/.352. Ynoa spent the 2013 season in Chattanooga as well, slashing .267/.338/.370 with 6 home runs and 33 RBI across 128 contests.{{cite web| url = https://www.baseball-reference.com/register/player.fcgi?id=ynoa--001raf| title = Rafael Ynoa Minor, Winter & Fall Leagues Statistics & History {{!}} Baseball-Reference.com}} On November 4, 2013, Ynoa elected free agency.

=Colorado Rockies=

On November 13, 2013, Ynoa signed a minor league contract with the Colorado Rockies organization.[http://gazette.com/rafael-ynoa-plays-at-high-level-in-bid-for-september-call-up/article/1535920 Rafael Ynoa plays at high level in bid for September call-up] He was assigned to the Triple-A Colorado Springs Sky Sox to begin the season. After hitting .297/.356/.419 in 115 games in Colorado Springs, Ynoa was called up to the majors for the first time on September 1, 2014. He made his MLB debut that day, and collected his first MLB hit, a single off of San Francisco Giants pitcher Tim Hudson, and finished the night with three hits.

Ynoa spent the majority of the 2015 season with Colorado, also appearing in 56 games with the Triple-A Albuquerque Isotopes. In the majors, Ynoa batted .260/.276/.339 with no home runs and 9 RBI across 72 contests. Ynoa was assigned to Triple-A to begin the 2016 season. On September 6, 2016, Ynoa was designated for assignment after Pat Valaika and Jordan Patterson were selected to the roster.{{Cite web|url=https://www.mlbtraderumors.com/2016/09/ben-paulsen-dfa-rockies-rafael-ynoa.html|title = Rockies Designate Ben Paulsen, Rafael Ynoa for Assignment| date=6 September 2016 }} He had gone hitless in 5 at-bats across 3 games at the time of his designation, having spent most of his time in Albuquerque. On September 8, he was outrighted to Albuquerque.{{Cite web|url=https://www.mlbtraderumors.com/2016/09/rockies-outright-ben-paulsen-rafael-ynoa.html|title=Rockies Outright Ben Paulsen, Rafael Ynoa|date=9 September 2016 }} Ynoa elected free agency following the season on November 7.{{Cite web|title=Minor League Free Agents 2016|url=https://www.baseballamerica.com/stories/minor-league-free-agents-2016/|access-date=July 20, 2024|website=baseballamerica.com|date=November 8, 2016 |language=en}}

On December 14, 2016, Ynoa re-signed with the Rockies organization on a minor league contract.{{cite web|url=http://www.baseballamerica.com/minors/minor-league-transactions-dec-10-22-2/#RqTSwuaBayDGT0yV.97|title=Minor League Transactions: Dec. 10-22|last=Eddy|first=Matt|work=baseballamerica.com|date=December 24, 2016|access-date=December 24, 2016}} After spending the season in Albuquerque, hitting .234/.311/.313 in 98 games, Ynoa elected free agency following the season on November 6, 2017.{{Cite web|title=Minor League Free Agents 2017|url=https://www.baseballamerica.com/stories/minor-league-free-agents-2017/?amphtml|access-date=2023-06-03|website=baseballamerica.com|date=7 November 2017 |language=en}}

=Guerreros de Oaxaca=

On April 21, 2018, Ynoa signed with the Guerreros de Oaxaca of the Mexican Baseball League.{{cite web|title=Rafael Ynoa reforzará a la tropa zapoteca|url=http://guerreros.mx/noticias.php?id=962|language=Spanish|access-date=April 21, 2018}} He was released on August 16, 2018.