George Pena

• Bats Right, Throws Right
• Height 6' 1", Weight 190 lb.
• High School Montebello High School
• Born September 16, 1944 in Los Angeles, CA USA
• Died January 9, 2021 in Encinitas, CA USA

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Biographical Information

Catcher George Pena played thirteen seasons in the minors, reaching the AAA level for most of those years.

After graduating from Montebello High School, Pena was signed by the Los Angeles Angels and began his pro career with the Quad Cities Angels in 1963, hitting .204 in 40 games with the club. After a stint in the Chicago Cubs system, he moved on to the New York Yankees organization in 1970. That summer, he hit .246 with 15 home runs for the Syracuse Chiefs and drove in the winning run in Game Six of the Junior World Series. He had his best season in 1971, hitting .284 with 22 homers for Syracuse and earning a spot on the International League All-Star team, joining Johnny Oates as the catchers. He later played in the Detroit Tigers, Cleveland Indians, Minnesota Twins, and Houston Astros organizations.

Away from the diamond, Pena served in the U.S. Marine Reserves. He died of COVID-19 in 2021 at age 76.