Abdiel Saldaña

Abdiel Oscar Saldaña Barrias

• Bats Right, Throws Right
• Height 5' 11", Weight 195 lb.

• Born March 13, 1996 in David, Chiriquí Panama

BR Register page

Biographical Information

Abdiel Saldaña has pitched in the minors and for the Panamanian national team.

He was signed by Houston Astros scouts Oz Ocampo and Carlos Gonzalez in 2013. He split 2014 between the DSL Astros Blue and DSL Astros Orange, going a combined 4-1 with a save and a 3.44 ERA. Coming stateside the next summer, he fell to 0-4 with a save and a 7.01 ERA for the GCL Astros, walking an uncharacteristic 20 in 25 2/3 IP. In 2016, he was with the Greeneville Astros (1-0, Sv, 2.74 in 9 G), Tri-City ValleyCats (0-1, Sv, 1.33 in 6 G) and Quad Cities River Bandits (1 R in 4 IP), striking out 62 in 47 1/3 IP for the year with only 12 walks.

In '17, he pitched for Quad Cities (5-2, 2 Sv, 2.97 in 25 G) and the Buies Creek Astros (2-1, 5.52 in 4 G). He went 8-2 with a 3.25 ERA for Buies Creek in 2018. He was second in the 'stros chain in lowest walk rate (100+ IP), behind Ryan Hartman, as he walked 26 in 108 IP. He was also 5th in K:BB rate. The next year, he really bounced around, pitching eight games between four teams - 3 in A ball and one in rookie ball, with a composite 2-2, 3.67 record. He missed time due to a injury. That ended his time in the Houston farm system.

Pitching for the Astronautas de Los Santos in the 2022 Caribbean Series, he got the Game 1 win over the Criollos de Caguas' Alexis Díaz after a blown save, then lost a 6-5 battle to the Caimanes de Barranquilla's Sugar Ray Marimón when he allowed two 10th-inning doubles, to Carlos Martinez and Harold Ramírez. He had a 5.40 ERA for the Series and had Panama's lone win. He allowed one run in two innings for the Federales de Chiriquí in the 2023 Caribbean Series. He was excellent for the 2023 Les Capitales de Québec at 7-2, 1.78. He did not qualify for the Frontier League ERA title, which went to Cole Cook. He struck out 4 in 2 1/3 IP for Panama in the 2023 Pan American Games but allowed two runs and took the loss to Brazil's Oscar Nakaoshi.

During the 2024 Caribbean Series, he was 0-1 with a 9.82 ERA, losing to Elvis Araujo and the Tiburones de La Guaira. He began 2024 back with Les Capitales.