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Josh Rojas

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Josh Rojas
Seattle Mariners – No. 4
Utility player
Born: (1994-06-30) June 30, 1994 (age 30)
Litchfield Park, Arizona, U.S.
Bats: Left
Throws: Right
MLB debut
August 12, 2019, for the Arizona Diamondbacks
MLB statistics
(through 2024 season)
Batting average.247
Home runs34
Runs batted in189
Teams

Joshua Luke Rojas (born June 30, 1994) is an American professional baseball utility player for the Seattle Mariners of Major League Baseball (MLB). He has previously played in MLB for the Arizona Diamondbacks.

Amateur career

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Rojas attended Millennium High School in Goodyear, Arizona and played college baseball first at Paradise Valley Community College before transferring to the University of Hawaii for his final two years of college.[1] In 2015, he played collegiate summer baseball with the Cotuit Kettleers of the Cape Cod Baseball League.[2] In 2017, his senior year at Hawaii, he hit .294 with five home runs and 25 RBIs in 50 games.[3]

Professional career

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Houston Astros

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Rojas was drafted by the Houston Astros in the 26th round of the 2017 Major League Baseball draft.[4][5] He received a $1,000 signing bonus.[6]

Rojas made his professional debut in 2017 with the Quad Cities River Bandits and also played in four games for the Fresno Grizzlies.[7][8] In 56 professional games in 2017, he hit .261 with 10 home runs and 40 RBIs. He began 2018 with the Buies Creek Astros and, after one month, was promoted to the Corpus Christi Hooks, where he earned Texas League All-Star honors.[9][10] In 130 total games between both teams, he slashed .263/.351/.408 with eight home runs, 55 RBIs, and 38 stolen bases. He started 2019 back in Corpus Christi before being promoted to the Round Rock Express at the end of May.[11][12]

Arizona Diamondbacks

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On July 31, 2019, the Astros traded Rojas and fellow prospects Corbin Martin, Seth Beer, and J. B. Bukauskas to the Arizona Diamondbacks in exchange for starter Zack Greinke and cash considerations.[13][14]

On August 12, 2019, the Diamondbacks selected Rojas' contract and promoted him to the major leagues.[15] He made his major league debut that night against the Colorado Rockies, hitting two singles and tallying his first major league run and RBI.[16] He played primarily in the outfield in his first season, putting up a .217 average with 2 home runs in 41 games.[17] In 2020, Rojas slashed .180/.257/.180 in 17 games before ending the season on the injured list with a lower back injury.[18] Rojas improved in 2021, slashing .264/.341/.411 across 139 games while serving in a utility role for the Diamondbacks.[19] He was Arizona's leadoff hitter in 71 games, a career high.[20] In 2022, he played primarily third base with some action at second base and repeated his offensive production, batting .269/.349/.391 in 125 games. In the first four months of 2023, his offense dipped with the Diamondbacks, with a .228 average and no home runs in 59 games.[21]

Seattle Mariners

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On July 31, 2023, the Diamondbacks traded Rojas, Dominic Canzone, and Ryan Bliss to the Seattle Mariners for closer Paul Sewald.[22] Rojas manned second base for the Mariners for the rest of the season, batting .272 with four home runs in 46 games to close out 2023.

Rojas went back across the diamond to third base in 2024, as former teammate Eugenio Suárez was dealt to his former club, the Diamondbacks. Rojas hit .225/.304/.337 for the Mariners. The team mostly shielded his from left-handed pitchers, as he hit .125 in just 60 at bats without the platoon advantage.[23]

Personal life

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Rojas and Alexandra Rojas were married on July 11, 2023.[24] The couple's first child, Charlotte Rojas, was born on January 5, 2024.[25]

References

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  1. ^ Hull, Billy (August 12, 2019). "Hawaii baseball: Former UH infielder Josh Rojas called up to the major leagues". Hawaii Warrior World. Retrieved October 16, 2024.
  2. ^ "#12 Josh Rojas - Profile". pointstreak.com. Retrieved January 9, 2020.
  3. ^ Garden, The (June 15, 2017). "2 from UH baseball selected in MLB Draft". The Garden Island. Retrieved March 18, 2021.
  4. ^ "Josh Rojas drafted by Houston Astros". West Valley View. June 28, 2017.
  5. ^ "26th Round of the 2017 MLB June Amateur Draft". Baseball-Reference.com. Retrieved October 16, 2024.
  6. ^ "Josh Rojas - Baseball Stats - The Baseball Cube". TheBaseballCube.com. Retrieved October 16, 2024.
  7. ^ Lansman, Drake (July 25, 2017). "Cleaning up for Bandits; '17 draft pick Rojas is QC's newest hot hitter". Dispatch Argus.
  8. ^ Batterson, Steve (July 12, 2017). "Rojas finds his home with River Bandits". The Quad-City Times.
  9. ^ Chandler Rome (June 13, 2018). "Seven Astros prospects tabbed for Texas League All-Star Game". Chron.com. Retrieved March 18, 2021.
  10. ^ "Josh Rojas Amateur, College & Minor Leagues Statistics". Baseball-Reference.com. Retrieved October 16, 2024.
  11. ^ Chandler Rome (February 18, 2019). "Introducing Josh Rojas, the Astros' aspiring superutility asset". Chron.com. Retrieved March 18, 2021.
  12. ^ "Red-hot former Rainbow Rojas promoted to Triple-A in Astros organization". Khon2.com. May 31, 2019. Retrieved March 18, 2021.
  13. ^ McTaggart, Brian (July 31, 2019). "Astros deal for Greinke in Deadline stunner". MLB.com.
  14. ^ "Details On The Astros' Acquisition Of Zack Greinke". MLB Trade Rumors. August 1, 2019. Retrieved October 16, 2024.
  15. ^ Nick Piecoro (August 12, 2019). "Diamondbacks prospect and Arizona native Joshua Rojas off to blistering start in Triple-A Reno". The Arizona Republic. Retrieved August 12, 2019.
  16. ^ Chandler Rome (August 12, 2019). "Diamondbacks' Josh Rojas, part of Astros' Zack Greinke trade package, makes MLB debut". Houston Chronicle. Retrieved August 13, 2019.
  17. ^ "Josh Rojas 2019 Batting Game Logs". Baseball-Reference.com. Retrieved October 16, 2024.
  18. ^ "2020 Arizona Diamondbacks Reviews #27: Josh Rojas". December 10, 2020.
  19. ^ "Josh Rojas 2021 Batting Game Logs". Baseball-Reference.com. Retrieved January 23, 2022.
  20. ^ "Josh Rojas 2021 Batting Splits". Baseball-Reference.com. Retrieved October 16, 2024.
  21. ^ "Josh Rojas Stats, Height, Weight, Position, Rookie Status & More". Baseball-Reference.com. Retrieved October 16, 2024.
  22. ^ "Mariners acquire versatile Rojas, two prospects for Sewald". MLB.com. Retrieved May 17, 2024.
  23. ^ "Josh Rojas 2024 Batting Splits". Baseball-Reference.com. Retrieved October 16, 2024.
  24. ^ Rojas, Alexandra (July 22, 2023). "Alexandra Rojas on Instagram". Instagram. Retrieved October 16, 2024.
  25. ^ Rojas, Alexandra (January 11, 2024). "Alexandra Rojas on Instagram". www.instagram.com. Retrieved October 16, 2024.
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