Carlos Maldonado (catcher)

For the baseball pitcher, see Carlos Maldonado (pitcher).

Carlos Maldonado
Catcher
Born: (1979-01-03) January 3, 1979 Maracaibo, Zulia, Venezuela
Batted: Right Threw: Right
MLB debut
September 8, 2006, for the Pittsburgh Pirates
Last MLB appearance
May 29, 2012, for the Washington Nationals
MLB statistics (through 2012 Season)
Batting average	.159
Home runs	3
Runs batted in	8
Teams
Pittsburgh Pirates (2006–2007) Washington Nationals (2010, 2012)

Carlos Luis Maldonado (born January 3, 1979 in Maracaibo, Zulia, Venezuela) is a former professional baseball catcher. Maldonado bats and throws right-handed. He is listed at 6'1" (1.85 m), 245 lb. (111 kg).

Maldonado originally signed with the Seattle Mariners organization in 1996 as a non-drafted free agent. He was traded to the Houston Astros for infielder Carlos Hernández on March 21, 2000, then spent time in the minor league systems of the Astros, Chicago White Sox, and Pittsburgh Pirates, before making his major league debut with the Pirates in 2006. Maldonado appeared in eight games that year, collecting two hits in nineteen at-bats, for a batting average of .105. He also stole one base. After the end of the season, the Pirates removed him from their 40-man roster, but called him back up in for September 2007, where he hit 2 home runs. He became a free agent at the end of the 2008 season. In January 2009, Maldonado signed a minor league contract with an invite to spring training with the Boston Red Sox. On August 10, 2009 Maldonado was released by the Boston Red Sox. He spent 2010 in the Washington Nationals organization, and appeared in four games for the Major League team. He spent 2011 with Triple-A Syracuse, hitting .234 in 38 games with 1 HR and 12 RBI. He started 2012 with Syracuse, hitting .211 in 21 games with 2 HR and 6 RBI. On May 15, 2012, Maldonado was called up to Washington when backup catcher Sandy León was placed on the 15-day DL. On June 25, he was optioned back to Syracuse. He was 0-9 with 2 BB and 1 RBI in 4 games. On August 3, Maldonado was designated for assignment to create roster space for recently acquired Kurt Suzuki. He elected free agency on Oct. 16, 2012, but re-signed with the Nationals shortly thereafter on a Minor League deal.

Maldonado is a graduate of Unidad Educativa Juan Antonio Pérez Bonalde in Maracaibo, Zulia. He has one daughter, Kimberlee, who was born in 2002.

External links

• Career statistics and player information from MLB, or ESPN, or Baseball Reference, or Fangraphs, or Baseball Reference (Minors)
• Retrosheet information
• Pura Pelota – Venezuelan Professional Baseball League statistics