Josmil Pinto

Josmil Oswaldo Pinto

• Bats Right, Throws Right
• Height 5' 11", Weight 210 lb.

• High School U.E. Franciscana Kumbaya

• Debut September 1, 2013
• Final Game October 2, 2016
• Born March 31, 1989 in Valencia, Carabobo Venezuela

BR page

Biographical Information

Josmil Pinto made the majors in 2013.

Pinto was signed by scout Jose Leon of the Minnesota Twins in February 2006. He hit .251/.336/.344 for the VSL Twins/Blue Jays that summer and threw out 37% of attempted base-stealers. As the #2 catcher for the 2007 DSL Twins, he batted just .193/.327/.269, though he again showed off a good arm (38% CS). Coming to the US, he improved drastically at the plate in limited action with the 2008 GCL Twins (.329/.394/.541).

Josmil was one of the top players in the 2009 Appalachian League, hitting .332/.387/.610 with 13 home runs and 55 RBI in 53 games for the Elizabethton Twins; he threw out 46% of would-be base thieves but played a lot of DH as he split catching with Tobias Streich. He was among the league leaders in average (5th, between Brandon Haveman and Cory Harrilchak), OBP (10th), slugging (1st by 25 points over Brady Shoemaker), OPS (2nd, 14 points shy of Shoemaker), hits (68, tied for 9th with Jeff Flagg), home runs (1st, 3 more than Flagg, Streich or Alonzo Harris), RBI (2nd, 4 behind Flagg), extra-base hits (2nd, one behind Shoemaker) and total bases (125, 2nd, two behind Riaan Spanjer-Furstenburg). He was named the All-Star DH, though Spanjer-Furstenburg won Player of the Year. Baseball America did not list him as one of the loop's top 20 prospects.

Pinto's production fell significantly in 2010 with the Beloit Snappers (.225/.295/.378) as the main catcher in a trio with Streich and Danny Rams. He made his Venezuelan Winter League debut that offseason, going 0 for 1 for the Tigres de Aragua. In the summer of 2011, the Valencia native was with Beloit (.250/.278/.438 in 9 G) and the Fort Myers Miracle (.262/.305/.389 in 64 G, backing up Rams). In the winter of 2011-2012, he was 1 for 5 with a double and a walk for the Tigres.

Pinto split 2012 between the Miracle (.295/.361/.473, 12 HR, 51 RBI in 93 G) and the New Britain Rock Cats (.298/.365/.553 in 12 G). He was 6th in the Florida State League in average (between Starlin Rodriguez and Alex Dickerson), 5th in slugging (between Marcell Ozuna and Kyle Roller) and 4th in OPS (between Jim Murphy and Ryan Schimpf). He and Cameron Rupp were picked as the FSL All-Star catchers. He was 5 for 28 with two doubles, a home run and three walks that winter for Aragua. Minnesota added him to their 40-man roster that winter as well.

Josmil opened 2013 with New Britain (.308/.411/.482, 64 BB, 14 HR in 107 G) and then moved up to the Rochester Red Wings (.314/.333/.486 in 19 G). He was named the Eastern League All-Star catcher, his third All-Star nod in five years, and Baseball America said he had the best strike-zone judgement in the EL. With one day left in the EL season, Pinto was second in average (.001 behind Mark Minicozzi), 3rd in OBP (behind Allan Dykstra and Jamie Johnson), 6th in slugging, 2nd to Dykstra in OPS and 10th in walks (between Brian Goodwin and Minicozzi).

Pinto was a September call-up to the Twins in 2013. In his big league debut, he hit 8th and started at catcher facing the Texas Rangers. He grounded out against Travis Blackley his first time up. In the 5th, though, he came up with a 1-0 deficit, Clete Thomas on third and one out. Pinto promptly doubled in Thomas to tie the game, then scored on a hit by Doug Bernier to give Minnesota the lead for good. Pinto later fanned against Joe Ortiz and singled off Robbie Ross for a fine debut. Behind the plate, he allowed two steals (to Leonys Martin and Alex Rios) in two tries.

In November 2015 Pinto was claimed off waivers by the San Diego Padres. About a month later he was DFA'd and claimed by the Milwaukee Brewers.

Sources

• 2013 Twins Media Guide
• Purapelota
• MILB

Related Sites

• Josmil Pinto on mlb.com