Dawel Leoner Lugo Baez (born December 31, 1994) is a Dominican professional

baseball Baseball is a bat-and-ball games, bat-and-ball sport played between two team sport, teams of nine players each, taking turns batting (baseball), batting and Fielding (baseball), fielding. The game occurs over the course of several Pitch ...

infielder An infielder is a baseball player stationed at one of four defensive "infield" positions on the baseball field, between first base and third base. Standard arrangement of positions In a game of baseball, two teams of nine players take turns pla ...

for the

Caliente de Durango Caliente de Durango is a professional baseball team in the Mexican League based in Durango. Their home ballpark is the Estadio Francisco Villa, with a capacity of 6,000 people. The team was established in 2024 after the former Durango's Mexican L ...

of the

Mexican League The Mexican Baseball League (, or LMB, ) is a professional baseball league in Mexico. It is the oldest running professional sports league in the country. The league has 20 teams organized in two divisions, North and South. Teams play 114 games ...

. He has previously played in

Major League Baseball Major League Baseball (MLB) is a professional baseball league composed of 30 teams, divided equally between the National League (baseball), National League (NL) and the American League (AL), with 29 in the United States and 1 in Canada. MLB i ...

(MLB) for the

Detroit Tigers The Detroit Tigers are an American professional baseball team based in Detroit. The Tigers compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the American League (AL) American League Central, Central Division. One of the AL's eight chart ...

Career

Toronto Blue Jays

Lugo signed with the

Toronto Blue Jays The Toronto Blue Jays are a Canadian professional baseball team based in Toronto. The Blue Jays compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the American League (AL) American League East, East Division. Since 1989, the team has p ...

as a 16-year-old international

free agent In professional sports, a free agent is a player or manager who is eligible to sign with other clubs or franchises; i.e., not under contract to any specific team. The term is also used in reference to a player who is under a contract at present ...

in 2011 for $1.3 million, the largest

signing bonus A signing bonus or sign-on bonus is a sum of money paid to a new employee (including a professional sports person) by a company as an incentive to join that company. They are often given as a way of making a compensation package more attractive ...

paid to a Latin American infielder that year. Ben Badler of

Baseball America ''Baseball America'' (BA) is a sports publication company that covers baseball at every level, including Major League Baseball (MLB), with a particular focus on up-and-coming players in Minor League Baseball (MiLB) college, high school, and inte ...

described Lugo in a scouting report as having "a solid swing, good bat speed and makes consistent contact with natural loft, showing the potential for plus power down the road." He played his first season as a member of the

Gulf Coast League Blue Jays The Florida Complex League Blue Jays are a Rookie-level affiliate of the Toronto Blue Jays, competing in the Florida Complex League of Minor League Baseball. Prior to 2021, the team was known as the Gulf Coast League Blue Jays. The team plays its ...

in 2012, where he batted .224 in 47 games played. Lugo began the 2013 season playing with the

Bluefield Blue Jays The Bluefield Blue Jays were a minor league baseball team of the Rookie Appalachian League representing the twin cities of Bluefield, West Virginia, and Bluefield, Virginia. The team played their home games at Bowen Field at Peters Park, a histori ...

, where he posted a .297 batting average with 6 home runs and 36 RBIs in 51 games. He was then promoted to the

Vancouver Canadians The Vancouver Canadians are a Minor League Baseball (MiLB) team located in Vancouver, British Columbia. They are members of the Northwest League and the High-A affiliate of the Toronto Blue Jays. The Canadians play their home games at Nat Bail ...

, and played 16 games in which he batted .246 with one home run and 8 RBIs. Lugo was promoted to the

Lansing Lugnuts The Lansing Lugnuts are a Minor League Baseball team of the Midwest League and the High-A affiliate of the Athletics (baseball), Athletics. They are located in Lansing, Michigan, and play their home games at Jackson Field (Lansing), Jackson Fie ...

for the 2014 season. He played in a career-high 117 games, where he batted .259 with 4 home runs and 53 RBI. He began 2015 with the

Dunedin Blue Jays The Dunedin Blue Jays are a Minor League Baseball team of the Florida State League and are the Single-A affiliate of the Toronto Blue Jays Major League Baseball club. They are located in Dunedin, Florida, and play their home games at TD Ballpark, ...

and was promoted to Lansing in July.

Arizona Diamondbacks

On August 8, 2015, Lugo was traded to the

Arizona Diamondbacks The Arizona Diamondbacks are an American professional baseball team based in Phoenix, Arizona. The Diamondbacks compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the National League (NL) West Division. The franchise was established ...

for Cliff Pennington. Arizona assigned him to the

Kane County Cougars The Kane County Cougars are a professional baseball team located in Geneva, Illinois, and are members of the American Association of Professional Baseball, an official Partner League of Major League Baseball (MLB). They play their home games a ...

. In 120 total games between Dunedin, Lansing and Kane County, he batted .270 with four home runs and 47 RBIs. In 2016, he played for both the

Visalia Rawhide The Visalia Rawhide are a Minor League Baseball team of the California League and the Single-A affiliate of the Arizona Diamondbacks. They are located in Visalia, California, and have played their home games at Valley Strong Ballpark since their ...

and the

Mobile BayBears The Mobile BayBears were a Minor League Baseball team based in Mobile, Alabama, United States. The team, which played in the Southern League, served as the Double-A affiliate of the San Diego Padres (1997–2006), Arizona Diamondbacks (2007–2 ...

, compiling a combined .311 batting average with 17 home runs and 62 RBIs in 127 total games between both clubs. The Diamondbacks added him to their 40-man roster after the 2016 season. Lugo began 2017 with the

Jackson Generals The Jackson Generals were a professional baseball team located in Jackson, Tennessee. From 1998 to 2020, they were a part of Minor League Baseball's Southern League (SL) as the Double-A affiliate of the Chicago Cubs (1998–2006), Seattle Mari ...

Detroit Tigers

On July 18, 2017, the Diamondbacks traded Lugo,

Sergio Alcántara Sergio Junior Alcántara Hernández (born July 10, 1996) is a Dominican professional baseball infielder in the San Francisco Giants organization. He has previously played in Major League Baseball (MLB) for the Detroit Tigers, Chicago Cubs, Ariz ...

, and Jose King to the

for J. D. Martinez. The Tigers assigned him to the

Erie SeaWolves The Erie SeaWolves are an American professional baseball team based in Erie, Pennsylvania. They compete in Minor League Baseball (MiLB) as a member of the Eastern League's Southwest Division, serving as the Double-A affiliate of the Detroit Ti ...

, where he finished the season. In 131 games between Jackson and Erie, he slashed .277/.321/.424 with 13 home runs and 65 RBIs. On May 14, 2018, the Tigers called up Lugo after placing 3B

Jeimer Candelario Jeimer Candelario ( ; born November 24, 1993) is an American professional baseball third baseman and first baseman for the Cincinnati Reds of Major League Baseball (MLB). He has previously played in MLB for the Chicago Cubs, Detroit Tigers, and W ...

on the 10-day disabled list. The Tigers sent Lugo back down to Toledo the next day before he could make his major league debut. He was called up again on August 30, and made his debut that evening against the

New York Yankees The New York Yankees are an American professional baseball team based in the Boroughs of New York City, New York City borough of the Bronx. The Yankees compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the American League (AL) Am ...

. Lugo got his first major league hit in his third at-bat, a double off Chad Green. He hit his first major league home run on September 28 off

Josh Hader Joshua Ronald Hader (born April 7, 1994) is an American professional baseball pitcher for the Houston Astros of Major League Baseball (MLB). He has previously played in MLB for the Milwaukee Brewers and San Diego Padres. Hader is a five-time Ma ...

of the

Milwaukee Brewers The Milwaukee Brewers are an American professional baseball team based in Milwaukee. The Brewers compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the National League (baseball), National League (NL) National League Central, Central Di ...

. Lugo was assigned to the Triple A Toledo Mud Hens to start the 2019 season. He was recalled on May 16, and hit a three-run homer that afternoon. With the Tigers in 2019, Lugo hit .245 with 6 home runs and 26 RBI in 273 at-bats. In 2020, Lugo made only 11 plate appearances for the Tigers, hitting a meager .200/.273/.200. On August 17, 2020, Lugo was designated for assignment and was outrighted on August 22. He became a free agent on November 2, 2020.

Mariachis de Guadalajara

On February 15, 2021, Lugo signed with the

Mariachis de Guadalajara The Mariachis de Guadalajara ( English: Guadalajara Mariachis) were a professional baseball team in the Mexican League based in Zapopan, Jalisco, in the Guadalajara metropolitan area. Their home ballpark was the Estadio Panamericano, with a capaci ...

of the

. Lugo played in 15 games for Guadalajara, batting .279/.343/.344 with one home run, 13 RBI, and one stolen base. He did not make an appearance for Guadalajara in 2022.

Charleston Dirty Birds

On March 21, 2023, Lugo signed with the

Charleston Dirty Birds The Charleston Dirty Birds are an American professional baseball team based in Charleston, West Virginia. They are a member of the South Division of the Atlantic League of Professional Baseball, a partner league of Major League Baseball. The Dir ...

of the

Atlantic League of Professional Baseball The Atlantic League of Professional Baseball (ALPB) is a professional independent baseball league in the United States. It is an official MLB Partner League based in the Mid-Atlantic and Southeastern United States, and the headquarters are l ...

. In only 7 games for Charleston, Lugo went 4–for–17 (.235) with one RBI.

Olmecas de Tabasco

On January 26, 2024, Lugo signed with the

Olmecas de Tabasco The Olmecas de Tabasco (English: Tabasco Olmecs) are a professional baseball team in the Mexican League based in Villahermosa, Tabasco, Mexico. Their home ballpark is the Estadio Centenario 27 de Febrero. The Olmecas won their only Mexican Lea ...

of the

. In 88 appearances for Tabasco, he slashed .271/.288/.389 with seven home runs and 32 RBI. Lugo made 12 appearances for Tabasco in 2025, hitting .205/.225/.333 with one home run and two RBI.

Caliente de Durango

On May 19, 2025, Lugo was traded to the

in exchange for Leobaldo Cabrera.

References

External links

{{DEFAULTSORT:Lugo, Dawel 1994 births Living people Bluefield Blue Jays players Charleston Dirty Birds players Detroit Tigers players Dominican Republic expatriate baseball players in Canada Dominican Republic expatriate baseball players in Mexico Dominican Republic expatriate baseball players in the United States Dunedin Blue Jays players Erie SeaWolves players Gulf Coast Blue Jays players Jackson Generals (Southern League) players Kane County Cougars players Lansing Lugnuts players Major League Baseball players from the Dominican Republic 21st-century Dominican Republic sportsmen Major League Baseball second basemen Major League Baseball third basemen Mariachis de Guadalajara players Mobile BayBears players Olmecas de Tabasco players Baseball players from Baní Salt River Rafters players Tigres del Licey players Toledo Mud Hens players Vancouver Canadians players Visalia Rawhide players Caliente de Durango players