Jonathan Figueroa

Jonathan Jose Figueroa

• Bats Left, Throws Left
• Height 6' 5", Weight 205 lb.

• Born September 15, 1983 in Barquisimeto, Venezuela
• Died November 8, 2009

Minors BR page

Biographical Information

Pitcher Jonathan Figueroa was signed by the Los Angeles Dodgers and made his pro debut as an 18-year-old in 2002. That year, he went 7-3 with a 1.42 ERA between the Great Falls Dodgers (2-1, 1.42) and South Georgia Waves (5-1, 1.42). Had he qualified, he would have been second in the Pioneer League and first in the South Atlantic League in ERA. Baseball America rated him as the #2 Pioneer League prospect, after James Loney and ahead of Manny Parra and Prince Fielder (among many others headed to The Show). However, he suffered a shoulder injury at the end of that season and never advanced past the Class A level.

Figueroa fell to 1-8, 4.94 for the 2003 Waves. He split 2004 between the Columbus Catfish (3-7, Sv, 6.90 despite 70 K in 67 IP) and the Vero Beach Dodgers (0-1, 7.00 in 23 G). In '05, he went 4-3 with a 6.00 ERA for Vero Beach, issuing 53 walks in 81 innings. In his third season with Vero Beach, he continued to struggle, going 1-7 with a save, 7.29 ERA and 1.97 WHIP.

In 2007, he allowed one run in 10 innings for the Great Lakes Loons,whiffing 17.

He was released by the Dodgers following the 2007 campaign and then played two years in independent leagues, going 5-2 with a 3.97 ERA and 49 K in 45 1/3 IP between the Long Beach Armada and Lincoln Saltdogs in 2007 and 3-5 with a 3.78 ERA in 16 appearances for the Saltdogs of the American Association in 2009.

Figueroa was diagnosed with lupus during the 2009 season and died at age 26 on November 8th of that year.