Arsenio Díaz

Arsenio Diaz Rodriguez
(Chico, Pinolo)

• Bats Right, Throws Right
• Height 6' 2", Weight 203 lb.

• Born December 14, 1945 in Arecibo P.R.
• Died November 11, 2022 in Mexico

BR Minors page

Biographical Information

Utilityman Arsenio Diaz spent 17 seasons in professional baseball, playing in 1964 and from 1966 to 1981.

He began his career at 18 years old in the Milwaukee Braves system, but then moved to the New York Mets system, where he played from 1966 to 1971. He hit 17 home runs for the Durham Bulls in his third professional campaign, 1967, then hit 18 home runs with 63 RBI in 122 games between three clubs in 1968. He had his first taste of Triple-A that year, slashing .198/.233/.396 in 96 at-bats for the Jacksonville Suns. He had 16 home runs between two clubs in 1969 and then rattled off perhaps his best season in the affiliated minors in 1970, slashing .310/.341/.479 with 16 home runs, 102 RBI and 154 hits in 134 games for the Memphis Blues. He returned to Triple-A again in 1971, hitting .259 with 23 home runs and 79 RBI in 127 games for the Tidewater Tides. On December 3rd, he was traded by the Mets with Billy Carthel, Curtis Brown and Don Koonce to the Montreal Expos for Jim Gosger. He spent a season in the Expos chain, hitting .235 with 17 home runs in 132 games for the Peninsula Whips in 1972.

He then moved to the Mexican League, where he played from 1973 to 1981. In 1973, with the Cafeteros de Cordoba, he hit .333 with 11 home runs and 52 RBI in 97 games. A few years later, with the Saraperos de Saltillo, he hit .339 with 16 home runs and 102 RBI and in 1980, in his penultimate campaign, he hit .308/.400/.509 with 19 home runs and 70 RBI in 95 games for the Acereros de Monclova.

He also made between one and four relief appearances in 1966 and each year from 1968 to 1972. He had a career 2.73 ERA in 15 relief appearances.

His birthplace has also been listed as Ponce, P.R..[1]