Humberto A. Sánchez (born 28 May 1983) is a Dominican

minor league Minor leagues are professional sports leagues which are not regarded as the premier leagues in those sports. Minor league teams tend to play in smaller, less elaborate venues, often competing in smaller cities/markets. This term is used in Nort ...

pitching coach In baseball, a number of coaches assist in the smooth functioning of a team. They are assistants to the manager, who determines the starting lineup and batting order, decides how to substitute players during the game, and makes strategy decision ...

and former 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 ...

pitcher In baseball, the pitcher is the player who throws ("Pitch (baseball), pitches") the Baseball (ball), baseball from the pitcher's mound toward the catcher to begin each play, with the goal of out (baseball), retiring a batter (baseball), batter, ...

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). He threw a

fastball The fastball is the most common type of pitch (baseball), pitch thrown by pitchers in baseball and softball. Its distinctive feature is its high speed. "Power pitchers," such as former major leaguers Nolan Ryan and Roger Clemens, relied on the ...

in the low to mid 90s (90 mph, approximately 145 km/h), as well as a low 90s slider, a

curveball In baseball and softball, the curveball is a type of pitch thrown with a characteristic grip and hand movement that imparts forward spin to the ball, causing it to dive as it approaches the plate. Varieties of curveball include the 12–6 curve ...

, and a

changeup A changeup is a type of pitch in baseball and fastpitch softball. The changeup is a staple off-speed pitch often used in a pitcher's arsenal, usually thrown to look like a fastball, but arriving much more slowly to the plate. Its reduced spee ...

Early life and amateur career

Sánchez was born in the

Dominican Republic The Dominican Republic is a country located on the island of Hispaniola in the Greater Antilles of the Caribbean Sea in the Atlantic Ocean, North Atlantic Ocean. It shares a Maritime boundary, maritime border with Puerto Rico to the east and ...

and moved to

New York City New York, often called New York City (NYC), is the most populous city in the United States, located at the southern tip of New York State on one of the world's largest natural harbors. The city comprises five boroughs, each coextensive w ...

when he was 10 in 1994. He attended South Bronx High School and lived three blocks away from Yankee Stadium. He was selected by the

Los Angeles Dodgers The Los Angeles Dodgers are an American professional baseball team based in Los Angeles. The Dodgers compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the National League (baseball), National League (NL) National League West, West Div ...

in the ninth round of the 2000 MLB Draft. Sánchez had expected to be picked as high as the third round and declined the Dodgers' offer of $140,000. He instead opted to play

college baseball College baseball is baseball that is played by Student athlete, student-athletes at institutions of higher education. In the United States, college baseball is sanctioned mainly by the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA); in Japan, ...

Rockland Community College Rockland Community College (RCC) is a public community college in Rockland County, New York. It is part of the State University of New York. The college, established in 1959, became the 18th community college to join the SUNY system. The colleg ...

Suffern, New York Suffern is a Administrative divisions of New York#Village, village that was incorporated in 1796 in the town of Ramapo, New York, Ramapo in Rockland County, New York. Located adjacent to the town of Mahwah, New Jersey, Suffern is located 31 miles ...

. Sánchez was limited to one inning pitched at Rockland due to elbow issues and underwent a procedure to release pressure from his ulnar nerve. He was selected in the 31st round of the

2001 MLB Draft The 2001 Major League Baseball draft, was held on June 5 and 6. First round selections Supplemental First Round selections Compensation Picks Background On June 1, 2001, Rolando Viera, a Cuban baseball pitcher who had recently left Cub ...

by 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 ...

nonetheless as a "draft and follow" candidate. Sánchez posted an 8–1 record and 1.17 ERA at

Connors State College Connors State College is a public community college in Warner and Muskogee, Oklahoma. History The college was founded as an agricultural high school in 1908 and was quickly converted to a school of agriculture. When Oklahoma became a state in ...

in Oklahoma. He won

NJCAA The National Junior College Athletic Association (NJCAA) is the governing association of community college, State college (disambiguation), state college, and junior college athletics throughout the United States. Currently the NJCAA holds 24 sepa ...

Region II Pitcher of the Year and was named All-American in 2002. Following the season, he signed with the Tigers for a $1 million bonus. In 2016, he was inducted into the Connors State College Athletic Hall of Fame.

Playing career

Detroit Tigers

After signing, he began his professional career in 2002 in Short Season A-ball with the

Oneonta Tigers The Oneonta Tigers were a minor league baseball team located in Oneonta, New York. They were members of the New York–Penn League. The Tigers were the Short-Season A classification affiliate of the Detroit Tigers, and played their home games ...

in the

New York-Penn League New or NEW may refer to: Music * New, singer of K-pop group The Boyz * ''New'' (album), by Paul McCartney, 2013 ** "New" (Paul McCartney song), 2013 * ''New'' (EP), by Regurgitator, 1995 * "New" (Daya song), 2017 * "New" (No Doubt song), 1 ...

. He held a 3.62 ERA in nine starts that year. Sánchez reached Low-A in 2003, pitching to a 7–7 record with a 4.42 ERA in 116 innings for the

West Michigan Whitecaps The West Michigan Whitecaps are a Minor League Baseball team of the Midwest League and the High-A affiliate of the Detroit Tigers. They are located in Comstock Park, Michigan, a suburb of Grand Rapids, and play their home games at LMCU Ballpar ...

. He was named to the

Midwest League The Midwest League is a Minor League Baseball league established in 1947 and based in the Midwestern United States. A Class A league for most of its history, the league was promoted to High-A as part of Major League Baseball's 2021 reorganizat ...

’s mid-season all-star team. Sánchez reached High-A in 2004, accumulating a 7–7 record, 5.21 ERA, and 115 strikeouts in 105.1 innings for the

Lakeland Tigers Lakeland is primarily a toponym. It may refer to: Places Australia *Lakeland, Queensland Canada *Lakeland (electoral district), a federal electoral district in Alberta *Lakeland County, a former municipal district in Alberta * District of La ...

. He was a Florida State League mid-season all-star and received a promotion to Double-A at the end of the season. In 2005, Sánchez was named the fifth-best prospect in the Tigers organization by ''

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 ...

''. He appeared in 15 games for the Eerie SeaWolves, pitching to a 5.57 ERA in 64.2 innings but oblique and groin injuries cost him a full season. At the end of the year, he pitched for the

Mesa Solar Sox The Mesa Solar Sox are a baseball team that plays in the East Division of the Arizona Fall League. They play their home games in Mesa, Arizona, at Sloan Park, which is also the spring training facility of the Chicago Cubs. The team was establi ...

in the

Arizona Fall League The Arizona Fall League (AFL) is an off-season baseball league owned and operated by Major League Baseball (MLB) which operates during autumn in Arizona, United States, at six different baseball complexes. Arizona Fall League rosters are filled ...

, posting a 1–0 record and 2.15

ERA An era is a span of time. Era or ERA may also refer to: * Era (geology), a subdivision of geologic time * Calendar era Education * Academy of European Law (German: '), an international law school * ERA School, in Melbourne, Australia * E ...

in six starts. In 2006, he was named the sixth-best prospect in the Tigers system by ''Baseball America''. Splitting time between Double-A and Triple-A, Sánchez held a 2.63 ERA while striking out 129 batters in 123 innings, though he missed time with elbow soreness. It was the third year in a row in which he struck out at least a batter an inning. He was the starting pitcher for the World Team at the

All-Star Futures Game The All-Star Futures Game is an annual baseball exhibition game hosted by Major League Baseball (MLB) in conjunction with the mid-summer MLB All-Star Game. A team of American League-affiliated prospects competes against a team of National League- ...

. He also earned

International League The International League (IL) is a Minor League Baseball league that operates in the United States. Along with the Pacific Coast League, it is one of two leagues playing at the Triple-A (baseball), Triple-A level, which is one grade below Major ...

Pitcher of the Week honors for the week of 18 June.

New York Yankees

On 10 November 2006, the Tigers traded Sánchez, along with minor league pitchers

Anthony Claggett Anthony Paul Claggett (born July 15, 1984) is an American college baseball coach and former Major League Baseball pitcher. He is the pitching coach at Washington State University. He played college baseball at University of California, Riverside. ...

and

Kevin Whelan Kevin J. Whelan (born January 8, 1984) is an American former Major League Baseball (MLB) pitcher who played for the New York Yankees in 2011 and for the Detroit Tigers in 2014. Amateur career Whelan attended Texas A&M University, where he played ...

, to 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 ...

for slugger

Gary Sheffield Gary Antonian Sheffield (born November 18, 1968) is an American former professional baseball outfielder who played in Major League Baseball for eight teams from 1988 to 2009. After his playing career, he became a sports agent. For most of his c ...

. He was ranked as the 57th best prospect in baseball and the third-best player in the Yankees system, according to

. Sánchez underwent

Tommy John surgery Ulnar collateral ligament reconstruction, sometimes referred to as Tommy John surgery is a surgical graft procedure where the ulnar collateral ligament in the medial elbow is replaced with either a tendon from elsewhere in the patient's body, ...

in the spring of 2007, ending his season. He spent most of 2008 rehabbing from injury, but was called up to the majors on 15 September. Sánchez made his major league debut three days later in relief against the

Chicago White Sox The Chicago White Sox are an American professional baseball team based in Chicago. The White Sox compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the American League (AL) American League Central, Central Division. The club plays its ...

. He struck out the first batter he faced. In his only other appearance, he allowed one run on one hit and two walks against 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 ...

on 25 September. After the season, Sánchez played for the

Peoria Javelinas The Peoria Javelinas are a baseball team based in Peoria, Arizona, that competes in the West Division of the Arizona Fall League. The team plays its home games at Peoria Sports Complex. The ballpark is also the spring training facility for the S ...

in the Arizona Fall League. Sánchez began the 2009 season on the disabled list. He was released by the Yankees on 25 April to make room on the roster for Mark Melancon, but was re-signed to a minor league deal with the organization on 5 May. Sánchez didn't start playing game until June. After the season, he became a minor league free agent.

Dominican Republic

Sánchez pitched for the

Dominican Republic national baseball team The Dominican Republic national baseball team ( Spanish: ''Selección de béisbol de República Dominicana'') is the national baseball team of the Dominican Republic. The team has won the Baseball World Cup in 1948 and World Baseball Classic in 2 ...

during the 2011 Caribbean Series. He appeared in two games, allowing one hit and striking out two in 3.1 innings of work.

Sultanes de Monterrey

On 18 March 2011, he signed

Sultanes de Monterrey The Sultanes de Monterrey (English: Monterrey Sultans) are a professional baseball club in the Mexican League (LMB) based in Monterrey, Mexico. Established in 1939 as Carta Blanca, the Sultanes have won ten LMB titles, most recently in 2018. Fro ...

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 ...

. Sánchez held a 3.45 ERA in 15.2 innings. He was released on 30 April.

Leones de Yucatan

Sánchez signed with

Leones de Yucatan Leones may refer to: * Colegio Los Leones de Quilpué, basketball team from Chile * Sierra Leonean Leone, currency of Sierra Leone * Leones (football team), from El Salvador * , a city in Marcos Juárez Department, Córdoba Province, Argentina * Le ...

on 1 May 2011. He pitched to a 3.93 ERA in 18.1 innings before being released on 10 June.

Camden Riversharks

Sánchez spent the 2011 and 2012 seasons with the

Camden Riversharks The Camden Riversharks were an United States, American professional baseball team based in Camden, New Jersey, from 2001 to 2015. They were a member of the Liberty Division of the Atlantic League of Professional Baseball, then unaffiliated with ...

of the independent

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 ...

. He was released on 29 June 2012.

Post-playing career

Sánchez retired after the 2013 season and was hired as a pitching coach with

IMG Academy IMG Academy is a University-preparatory school, preparatory boarding school and sports training destination in Bradenton, Florida, United States. The organization is set across over 600 acres (243 ha) and features programs consisting of sport ca ...

in Bradenton, Florida. From 2018 to 2022, he was employed by the Boston Red Sox as a pitching coach for the

Dominican Summer League Red Sox The Dominican Summer League Red Sox, often called the DSL Red Sox, are a Minor League Baseball affiliate of the Boston Red Sox of Major League Baseball, playing in the foreign Dominican Summer League. The team, classed as a Rookie League franchise, ...

References

External links

{{DEFAULTSORT:Sanchez, Humberto 1983 births Living people Camden Riversharks players Connors State Cowboys baseball players Dominican Republic expatriate baseball players in Mexico Dominican Republic expatriate baseball players in Taiwan Dominican Republic expatriate baseball players in the United States Erie SeaWolves players Gulf Coast Yankees players Lakeland Tigers players La New Bears players Leones de Yucatán players Major League Baseball pitchers Major League Baseball players from the Dominican Republic 21st-century Dominican Republic sportsmen Mesa Solar Sox players Mexican League baseball pitchers Minor league baseball coaches New York Yankees players Oneonta Tigers players Peoria Javelinas players Scranton/Wilkes-Barre Yankees players Sultanes de Monterrey players Tampa Yankees players Toledo Mud Hens players Trenton Thunder players West Michigan Whitecaps players Rockland Fighting Hawks baseball players Dominican Republic emigrants to the United States