Yency Almonte

{{Infobox baseball biography

|name = Yency Almonte

|image = Yency Almonte (cropped).tif

|caption = Almonte with the Colorado Rockies in 2018

|team = Chicago Cubs

|number =

|position = Pitcher

|birth_date = {{Birth date and age|1994|6|4}}

|birth_place = Miami, Florida, U.S.

|bats = Switch

|throws = Right

|debutleague = MLB

|debutdate = June 21

|debutyear = 2018

|debutteam = Colorado Rockies

|statleague = MLB

|statyear = 2024 season

|stat1label = Win–loss record

|stat1value = 8–6

|stat2label = Earned run average

|stat2value = 4.44

|stat3label = Strikeouts

|stat3value = 215

|teams =

Colorado Rockies ({{mlby|2018}}–{{mlby|2021}})
Los Angeles Dodgers ({{mlby|2022}}–{{mlby|2023}})
Chicago Cubs ({{mlby|2024}})

}}

Yency Almonte (born June 4, 1994) is an American professional baseball pitcher in the Chicago Cubs organization. He has previously played in Major League Baseball (MLB) for the Colorado Rockies and Los Angeles Dodgers.

Career

Almonte attended Christopher Columbus High School in Miami, Florida.

=Los Angeles Angels=

The Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim selected him in the 17th round of the 2012 Major League Baseball draft.{{Cite web |last=Bristow |first=Kenny |date=July 19, 2013 |title=Orem Owlz' Yency Almonte: Learning to live up to the promise |url=http://www.deseretnews.com/article/865583413/Orem-Owlz7-Yency-Almonte-Learning-to-live-up-to-the-promise.html?pg=all |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20161106184902/http://www.deseretnews.com/article/865583413/Orem-Owlz7-Yency-Almonte-Learning-to-live-up-to-the-promise.html?pg=all |url-status=dead |archive-date=November 6, 2016 |access-date=November 19, 2016 |publisher=deseretnews.com}} He signed and made his professional debut that year with the Arizona League Angels where he pitched three innings.{{cite web|url=https://www.baseball-reference.com/register/player.fcgi?id=almont000yen|title=Yency Almonte Minors & Fall League Statistics & History|work=Baseball Reference|accessdate=January 8, 2024}} He pitched 2013 with the Orem Owlz where he was 3–3 with a 6.92 ERA in 13 games (11 starts) and 2014 with the Burlington Bees where he compiled a 2–5 record and 4.93 ERA in nine starts.

=Chicago White Sox=

On February 4, 2015, the Angels traded Almonte to the Chicago White Sox as the player to be named later from an earlier trade for Gordon Beckham.{{cite news|title=White Sox move to release outfielder Dayan Viciedo|url=https://www.espn.com/espn/wire?section=mlb&id=12281323|access-date=February 5, 2015|agency=Associated Press|work=ESPN.com|date=February 4, 2015}} He pitched that season with the Kannapolis Intimidators and Winston-Salem Dash where he posted a combined 11–7 record and 3.41 ERA in 24 games (22 starts).

=Colorado Rockies=

On November 24, 2015, the White Sox traded Almonte to the Colorado Rockies for Tommy Kahnle.{{Cite web |title=Tommy Kahnle traded by Rockies for White Sox's Yency Almonte |date=November 24, 2015 |url=http://www.denverpost.com/2015/11/24/tommy-kahnle-traded-by-rockies-for-white-soxs-yency-almonte/ |access-date=November 19, 2016 |publisher=The Denver Post}} He spent the 2016 season with the Modesto Nuts and Hartford Yard Goats,{{Cite web |title=Colorado Rockies No. 20 prospect Yency Almonte spins first career shutout for Hartford Yard Goats |url=https://www.milb.com/news/gcs-196144446 |access-date=November 19, 2016 |publisher=MiLB.com}}{{Cite web |last=Bournival |first=Brad |title=Yard Goats 6, RubberDucks 4: Yard Goats top prospect Yency Almonte impresses in win over Ducks |url=http://www.ohio.com/sports/rubberducks/yard-goats-6-rubberducks-4-yard-goats-top-prospect-yency-almonte-impresses-in-win-over-ducks-1.704162 |access-date=November 19, 2016 |publisher=ohio.com}} compiling a combined 11–10 record and 3.58 ERA in 27 starts. The Rockies added him to their 40-man roster after the season.{{Cite web |title=Rockies promote five young pitchers to 40-man roster |date=November 18, 2016 |url=http://www.denverpost.com/2016/11/18/rockies-40-man-roster-five-pitchers-promoted/ |access-date=November 19, 2016 |publisher=The Denver Post}} He spent 2017 with Hartford and the Albuquerque Isotopes where he was 8–4 with a 2.91 ERA in 22 games (21 starts).{{Cite web |title=Yency Almonte Stats, Highlights, Bio |url=https://www.milb.com/player/yency-almonte-622075 |access-date=June 1, 2018 |publisher=Minor League Baseball}} He began 2018 with the Isotopes.

On June 21, 2018, the Rockies promoted Almonte to the major leagues.{{Cite web |date=June 21, 2018 |title=Colorado Rockies call up Yency Almonte from Triple-A, option Ryan McMahon to Albuquerque |url=https://www.denverpost.com/2018/06/21/yency-almonte-colorado-rockies-call-up/ |publisher=Denver Post}} He made his major league debut that same night, pitching one scoreless inning of relief against the New York Mets at Coors Field.{{Cite web |date=June 22, 2018 |title=Yency Almonte makes flashy major league debut with critical relief appearance in Rockies' win over Mets |url=https://www.denverpost.com/2018/06/21/journal-yency-almonte-flashy-mlb-debut/ |publisher=Denver Post}} Almonte finished the 2018 season with a 1.84 ERA in {{fraction|14|2|3}} innings of work. In 2019, Almonte pitched to a 5.86 ERA with 29 strikeouts in 34 innings pitched.{{Cite web|url=https://www.purplerow.com/2019/10/22/20927336/colorado-rockies-yency-almonte-ranking-the-rockies-2019|title = Yency Almonte piled up the mileage in 2019|date = October 22, 2019}} Almonte kept the Rockies from having the worst bullpen in the league in 2020 after recording a 2.93 ERA in 24 appearances, 18 of which were scoreless.{{Cite web|url=https://www.purplerow.com/2020/10/30/21540970/colorado-rockies-yency-almonte-season-review-ranking-the-rockies-2020|title = Ranking the Rockies: No. 8, Yency Almonte|date = October 30, 2020}} In 48 appearances for the Rockies in 2021, Almonte registered a 7.55 ERA with 47 strikeouts in {{fraction|47|2|3}} innings pitched. On October 21, 2021, he was outrighted off of the 40-man roster{{Cite web|url=https://www.yardbarker.com/mlb/articles/rockies_outright_if_josh_fuentes_three_others/s1_13237_36206315|title = Rockies outright IF Josh Fuentes, three others|date = November 3, 2021}} and elected free agency on November 7.{{cite web|url=https://www.baseballamerica.com/stories/2021-22-minor-league-free-agents-for-all-30-mlb-teams/|title=2021-22 Minor League Free Agents For All 30 MLB Teams|work=Baseball America|date=November 9, 2021|accessdate=January 8, 2024|first=Matt|last=Eddy}}

=Los Angeles Dodgers=

On March 13, 2022, Almonte signed a minor league contract with the Los Angeles Dodgers.{{cite web | url=https://www.mlbtraderumors.com/2022/03/dodgers-sign-yency-almonte-to-minors-contract.html | title=Dodgers Sign Yency Almonte to Minors Contract | date=March 13, 2022 }} He was added to the major league roster on May 12.{{cite web|url=https://www.truebluela.com/2022/5/12/23067355/dodgers-roster-ryan-pepiot-optioned-yency-almonte|title=Dodgers option Ryan Pepiot to Triple-A, call up Yency Almonte to bullpen|work=SB Nation|first=Eric|last=Stephen|date=May 12, 2022|accessdate=May 12, 2022}} In 33 games, he allowed only four runs in {{fraction|35|1|3}} innings.{{cite web|url=https://www.baseball-reference.com/players/a/almonye01.shtml|title=Yency Almonte Statistics|work=Baseball Reference|accessdate=October 7, 2022}} On January 13, 2023, Almonte agreed to a one-year, $1.5 million contract with the Dodgers, avoiding salary arbitration.{{Cite web|url=https://www.mlbtraderumors.com/2023/01/2023-mlb-arbitration-tracker.html|title=2023 MLB Arbitration Tracker|access-date=January 13, 2023|website=MLBTradeRumors}} He pitched in 49 games with a 3–2 record with a 5.06 ERA but missed the last month and a half of the season with a sprained medial collateral ligament in his right knee.{{cite web|url=https://dodgerblue.com/dodgers-injury-update-yency-almonte-return-nlcs-best-case-scenario/2023/09/26/|title=Dodgers Injury Update: Yency Almonte Return For Potential NLCS 'Best-Case Scenario'|work=Dodger Blue|date=September 26, 2023|accessdate=October 2, 2023|first=Matt|last=Borelli}} On November 17, 2023, Almonte signed a $1.9 million contract with the Dodgers for the 2024 season, to avoid arbitration.{{cite web|url=https://www.truebluela.com/2023/11/17/23966385/yency-almonte-contract-dodgers-avoid-arbitration-2024|title=Dodgers sign Yency Almonte to avoid arbitration, per reports|work=SB Nation|first=Eric|last=Stephen|date=November 17, 2023|accessdate=November 18, 2023}}

=Chicago Cubs=

On January 11, 2024, Almonte and Michael Busch were traded to the Chicago Cubs in exchange for Jackson Ferris and Zyhir Hope.{{cite web|url=https://www.mlb.com/dodgers/news/dodgers-trade-michael-busch-yency-almonte-to-cubs|title=Dodgers get pair of high-upside prospects in trade with Cubs|work=mlb.com|first=Juan|last=Toribio|date=January 11, 2024|accessdate=January 11, 2024}}{{cite news |last1=Rogers |first1=Jesse |title=Cubs acquire Michael Busch in 4-player trade with Dodgers |url=https://www.espn.com/mlb/story/_/id/39287711/sources-cubs-acquire-michael-busch-4-player-trade-dodgers |access-date=January 12, 2024 |work=ESPN.com |date=January 11, 2024}} He began the year out of Chicago's bullpen, compiling a 3.45 ERA with 20 strikeouts across 17 games. Almonte was placed on the injured list with a right shoulder strain on May 8,{{Cite web|title=Cubs roster move: Yency Almonte to injured list, Jose Cuas recalled|url=https://www.bleedcubbieblue.com/2024/5/11/24154385/cubs-roster-move-yency-almonte-to-injured-list-jose-cuas-recalled|access-date=June 28, 2024|website=bleedcubbieblue.com|date=May 11, 2024 |language=en}} and was transferred to the 60–day injured list on June 27.{{Cite web|title=Cubs Place Javier Assad On Injured List|url=https://www.mlbtraderumors.com/2024/06/cubs-place-javier-assad-on-injured-list.html|access-date=June 28, 2024|website=mlbtraderumors.com|date=June 27, 2024 |language=en}} On July 5, it was announced that Almonte would undergo season–ending shoulder surgery.{{cite web | title=Yency Almonte's Season is Over | website=Bleacher Nation | date=2024-07-05 | url=https://www.bleachernation.com/cubs/2024/07/05/yency-almontes-season-is-over/ | access-date=2024-10-25}} On November 4, Almonte was removed from the 40–man roster and sent outright to the Triple–A Iowa Cubs, but he rejected the assignment and elected free agency.{{Cite web|title=Cubs Claim Rob Zastryzny, Designate Jimmy Herget|url=https://www.mlbtraderumors.com/2024/11/cubs-claim-rob-zastryzny-designate-jimmy-herget.html|access-date=November 8, 2024|website=mlbtraderumors.com|date=November 4, 2024 |language=en}}

On March 4, 2025, Almonte re-signed with the Cubs organization on a minor league contract.{{Cite web|title=Cubs, Yency Almonte Agree To Minor League Contract|url=https://www.mlbtraderumors.com/2025/03/cubs-yency-almonte-agree-to-minor-league-contract.html|access-date=March 6, 2025|website=mlbtraderumors.com|language=en}}