Carlos Gastelum (minors01)

Carlos C. Gastelum Guerrero
(Gato)

• Bats Right, Throws Right
• Height 5' 8", Weight 176 lb.

• Born May 16, 1966 in Rosamorada, Nayarit Mexico
• Died August 24, 2005 in Mérida, Yucatán, Mexico

BR Minors page

Biographical Information

Catcher Carlos Gastelum played in the Mexican League from 1986 to 2005. Not a noted hitter, his glove kept him in the game.

He debuted with the Mexico City Diablos Rojos, going 6 for 27 with two walks in 1986. He hit .286/.311/.314 in 23 games in 1987. by 1988, he was starting, with a career-high 112 games; he hit .241/.289/.272; he had the first of four career steals (in 16 tries). He hit .268/.347/.309 for the 1989 Diablos Rojos with the first of nine career homers. He batted .293/.343/.335 in his final season for the Diablos Rjos. With the Tuneros de San Luis Potosi in 1991, he hit .274/.327/.323. He spent the next three years with the Veracruz Aguila, batting .216/.243/.261 in 1992, .181/.209/.238 with a career-high 3 homers in 1993 and .225/.261/.257 in 1994.

He played for the Minatitlan Petroleros in 1995, producing at a .239/.283/.258 clip. In 1996, he hit .283/.339/.325 for the Monclova Acereros, then was at .247/.278/.274 for the same club in 1997. With the 1998 Chetumal Mayas and Ganaderos de Tabasco, he hit .192/.209/.210 in 79 games. He split 1999 between the Acereros and Cafeteros de Cordoba, with a combined line of .252/.300/.261. Moving to the Pericos de Puebla for 2000, he hit .258/.292/.317. He split 2001 between Puebla (.326/.347/.348 in 20 G) and the Mexico City Tigres (.256/.309/.311 in 40 G).

He hit .167/.231/.188 for the 2002 Tigres and .215/.235/.291 for the club in 2003. He was only 1 for 24 for the 2004 Angelopolis Tigres and 8 for 44 with a double and a walk for the 2005 Leones de Yucatan. By the end of his career, he was a player-coach. While the Leones were in the playoffs in 2005, Carlos died of a heart attack while shopping one day.