Jose Lobaton (minors01)

Note: This is the page for Jose Tomas Lobaton, the minor league infielder. For Jose Manuel Lobaton, major league catcher from 2009 to present, please click here.

Jose Tomas Lobaton

• Bats Right , Throws Right
• Height 5' 11" , Weight 168 lb.
• Born March 29, 1974 in Acarigua, Portuguesa, Venezuela

BR minors page

Biographical Information

Middle infielder Jose Lobaton spent eight seasons in the minor leagues with three different organizations - the Yankees, the Brewers, and the Marlins. He made it all the way to Triple-A twice but was never called up to the show.

Although he began his professional career in 1992 with the DSL Yankees.

He came stateside in 1993 and put up an impressive .345/.413/.485 batting line for the GCL Yankees. He stole 24 bases in 26 tries. He led the Gulf Coast League in slugging percentage and was second in average (.005 behind Larry Ephan). He was left off the league All-Star team and Baseball America did not name him one of the top 10 prospects in the loop.

As he advanced through the minor leagues, he proved to be the classic light-hitting middle-infielder.

Jose spent 1994 with the Oneonta Yankees and only hit .226/.297/.280 with 14 steals in 21 attempts. In '95, he was back with Oneonta and batted .221/.294/.359; he also spent 60 games with the Greensboro Bats, where his batting line was .243/.327/.330.

In 1996, Lobaton hit .232/.306/.341 for the Tampa Yankees. The next year, Jose was 3 for 23 with Tampa and batted .193/.244/.239 for the Norwich Navigators. He improved to .252/.288/.373 with 3 clubs in 1998, including a 1-for-7 with the Columbus Clippers in his AAA debut.

In '99, the Venezuelan infielder hit .244/.307/.324 for three clubs, including a .189/.255/.256 line in 36 games for the Calgary Cannons, his longest AAA stint. During his final season of pro ball, Lobaton took the mound in two contests for the Pacific Coast League Calgary Cannons. In two innings pitched, Lobaton gave up 4 earned runs on 4 hits and three walks and posted an 0-1 record.

For his career, he hit .241/.305/.336 in 584 games, discounting his year in the Dominican Summer League.

Lobaton managed the Venezuelan national team in the 2008 Americas Baseball Cup; he had coached for them in the 2005 South American Championship and 2007 Baseball World Cup.