Anthony Maldonado

Anthony Omar Maldonado

• Bats Right, Throws Right
• Height 6' 4", Weight 220 lb.
• School Bethune-Cookman University
• High School Palm Beach Central High School
• Debut April 26, 2024

• Born February 6, 1998 in Wellington, FL USA

BR page

Biographical Information

Anthony Maldonado played for the Puerto Rican national team before making his major league debut in 2024.

Maldonado was 8-4 with a 3.02 ERA as a college freshman, making All-Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference. He improved to 7-2, 2.81 the next year and was named MEAC Pitcher of the Year. He fell to 3-5 with a save and a 3.76 ERA as a junior. The Miami Marlins took him in the 11th round of the 2019 amateur draft and he signed for a $125,000 bonus.

Making his pro debut that summer with the GCL Marlins, he went 2-1 with two saves and a 1.59 ERA in ten outings. The 2020 minor league season was wiped out by the COVID-19 pandemic. He returned to action in the 2020-2021 Puerto Rican League, going 1-0 with a save and a 0.90 ERA for the Criollos de Caguas. He was 0-1 with a 5.40 ERA in the 2021 Caribbean Series. In the finale, he relieved Héctor Hernández with a 1-1 tie in the 6th but allowed the winning rally to the Águilas Cibaeñas.

His first full season as a pro was split between the FCL Marlins (0-1, 1 R in 3 IP), Jupiter Hammerheads (0-1, 2 R in 2 IP), Beloit Snappers (1-3, 4.26 in 13 G) and Pensacola Blue Wahoos (0-1, 3 Sv, 3.38 in 5 G). In '22, he was with Pensacola (3-3, Sv, 3.67 in 27 G, 58 K in 41 2/3 IP) and the Jacksonville Jumbo Shrimp (1-0, 3 Sv, 1.74 in 15 G). He tied Robinson Martinez for 6th in the Marlins chain with 42 appearances and was third among full-time relievers with 86 K. He was 1-0 with a save and a 6.23 ERA for Caguas in 2022-2023.

Part of a fine Puerto Rican bullpen in the 2023 World Baseball Classic, he pitched once in pool play. Relieving Duane Underwood Jr. with a 9-1 lead over Nicaragua in the 8th, he formed a Maldonado battery with Martin Maldonado. He went 1-2-3, striking out Elián Miranda (who had earlier homered) and MLB vet Alex Blandino before Isaac Benard grounded out. Emilio Pagán succeeded him in the 9th. He had a fine summer with Jacksonville (7-3, 9 Sv, 1.76 ERA in 34 G), also pitching four shutout innings with Jupiter.

He began 2024 well with the Jumbo Shrimp again (3-0, 2 Sv, 2.31 in 8 G), earning a call-up to The Show when Jesús Luzardo was hurt. He made his major league debut on April 26th, starting for the Marlins against the Washington Nationals. He pitched 3 scoreless innings and was not involved in the decision as Miami lost the game, 3-1.

Related Sites

• Anthony Maldonado on mlb.com
• BR Register page