Gabriel Noriega

From BR Bullpen

Gabriel Ernesto Noriega Mussa

  • Bats Right, Throws Right
  • Height 6' 2", Weight 180 lb.

BR Register page

Biographical Information[edit]

Gabriel Noriega played in AAA in four seasons but never made the majors. He has been on the Venezuelan national team as well.

Noriega was signed by Seattle Mariners scouts Bob Engle, Pedro Avila and Emilio Carrasquel in July 2007. [1] He split 2008 between the AZL Mariners (.421/.439/.421 in 9 G) and Pulaski Mariners (.238/.266/.291 in 41 G). Baseball America rated the slick-fielding shortstop as the #4 best prospect in the Appalachian League, behind Tim Beckham, Wilmer Flores and Matt Moore. [2] He hit .311/.360/.456 for Pulaski in 2009, fielding .960 at short. He was 10th in the Appy League in average and led shortstops in fielding. [3] Baseball America downgraded him one spot, to the fifth-best prospect in the loop, between Matt Hobgood and David Holmberg. [4] He was named the All-Star utility infielder; Brian Dozier won the nod at short. [5] Baseball Prospectus listed him as the #94 prospect in all of baseball.

In 2010, he hit .227/.280/.283 for the Clinton Lumber Kings while splitting second and short with Nick Franklin. He split '11 between the High Desert Mavericks (.266/.307/.363 in 105 G) and Jackson Generals. He tied for 10th in the California League with six triples. His 124 hits tied Kyle Seager for 8th in the M's chain while he tied for 5th in triples. His career stalling, he repeated with the same two teams in 2012 - .271/.298/.373 in 31 G for High Desert, .208/.266/.223 in 84 for Jackson. He made his Venezuelan Winter League debut with the Cardenales de Lara, batting .262/.319/.292 while fielding .934 at short. He hit .300 in the postseason. [6]

With the Generals in 2013, he posted a .256/.283/.334 batting line as the main shortstop on a team that also had Chris Taylor and Brad Miller there during the season. With Lara in 2013-2014, he fell to .239/.315/.313 and fielded .970. He spent 2014 between the Tacoma Rainiers (.281/.303/.362 as a utility infielder) and Jackson (4 for 22, 2B, 3B, 2 BB). He appeared for the PCL in the 2014 AAA All-Star Game. [7] With Lara in 2014-2015, he hit .264/.283/.344 followed by .257/.278/.286 in the playoffs. [8]

Becoming a free agent, he signed with the Kansas City Royals. [9] He appeared in '15 for the Omaha Storm Chasers (.204/.212/.223 in 33 G), Northwest Arkansas Naturals (6 for 17, 2B, BB) and Idaho Falls Chukars (7 for 18, 2B, 2 BB). With the 2015-2016 Cardenales, he batted .306/.340/.429 but was 3 for 26 in the postseason. [10] He was next signed by the Arizona Diamondbacks. [11] After hitting .211/.252/.263 in 31 games for the Mobile BayBears, they let him go. He was picked up by the Milwaukee Brewers [12] and was assigned to the Biloxi Shuckers, where he batted .267/.301/.343 in 71 games.

Switching winter clubs as well, he was traded by Lara with Rafael Valera to the Bravos de Margarita for Manuel Pina. [13] With the 2016-2017 Bravos, he hit .270/.292/.355. He was 6 for 20 with a double in the postseason. [14] He split 2017 between Biloxi (.234/.243/.314 in 47 G) and Colorado Springs Sky Sox (.247/.286/.274 in 35 G). With Margarita, he fell to .227/.255/.278 but fielded .994 as their starter at short. He split 2018 between Biloxi (.214/.244/.248 in 44 G) and Colorado Springs (.279/.330/.361 in 37 G). Margarita shipped him to the Tigres de Aragua with Yorman Rodríguez for Alberti Chavez, Reinaldo Ilarraza and Albert Guaimaro. [15]

Noriega hit .308/.328/.369 for the 2018-2019 Tigres, fielding .971 as their main shortstop. He was 6 for 25 with 3 doubles and 2 walks in the playoffs. [16] He faded to .230/.280/.274 in 2019-2020, losing his starting role. Back with Magallanes for 2020-2021, he hit .259/.282/.370, backing up Yordan Manduley at 2B and Leonardo Reginatto at 3B. He was 1 for 3 in the playoffs. [17] He next appeared for Venezuela in the Americas Olympic Qualifier. A backup infielder, he took over at 1B late in a loss to the Dominican national team. He singled off Emilio Vargas and scored on a Hernán Pérez grand slam. He grounded out in the 9th against Jairo Asencio. His other appearance came against Team USA, pinch-hitting for Ramón Flores in the 9th and striking out against David Robertson. [18]

The Monagas native batted .339/.394/.515 for Magallanes in 2021-22, picking up the pace at age 31. He finished 8th in average, between Carlos Tocci and Alberto González. [19] He was 3 for 15 with a run and a RBI in the 2022 Caribbean Series and handled 24 chances error-free.

Sources[edit]

  1. ↑ 2014 Mariners Media Guide, pg. 135
  2. ↑ 2009 Baseball Almanac, pg. 374
  3. ↑ 2010 Baseball Almanac, pg. 385
  4. ↑ ibid., pg. 384
  5. ↑ ibid., pg. 385
  6. ↑ Pelotabinaria
  7. ↑ Fansided
  8. ↑ Pelotabinaria
  9. ↑ MLB.com
  10. ↑ Pelotabinaria
  11. ↑ MLB.com
  12. ↑ ibid.
  13. ↑ Pelotabinaria
  14. ↑ ibid.
  15. ↑ ibid.
  16. ↑ ibid.
  17. ↑ ibid.
  18. ↑ Americas Olympic Qualifier
  19. ↑ Venezuelan League
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