Manny Ayala

Manuel Ayala

• Bats Right, Throws Right
• Height 6' 3", Weight 225 lb.
• School Cerritos College, East Los Angeles College
• High School Montebello High School

• Born November 6, 1984 in Artesia, CA USA

BR Minors page

Biographical Information

Pitcher Manny Ayala played in the minor leagues from 2005 to 2012, reaching AAA but not the majors. He was undrafted coming out of junior college and played his first professional season in 2005 with the Mesa Miners of the independent Golden Baseball League, going 12-4, 3.05 in 22 games. That got him signed to a contract by the San Diego Padres and he played with three different teams in 2006, even reaching AAA. He started off with the Fort Wayne Wizards of the Midwest League, made one relief appearance with the Portland Beavers of the International League in early May, pitching two scoreless innings, then finished the year with the Lake Elsinore Storm of the California League. His overall record was 5-4, 4.26 in 27 games, including 12 starts, and 101 1/3 innings.

In 2007, he was outstanding for Lake Elsinore, going 11-3, 2.22, in 17 games to earn a promotion to the San Antonio Missions of the AA Texas League. Overall, he went 12-6, 3.38 in 22 starts and 130 1/3 innings and was named a California League All-Star. In 2008, he was 7-4, 4.96 in 21 games between San Antonio and Portland and was on the Padres 40-man roster. At the end of spring training in 2009, after failing to make the big league team, he was sent to the Philadelphia Phillies, but being injured, he could not pitch until mid-May. Originally slated to play in AA, he was sent down to the Clearwater Threshers of the Florida State League, but failed to impress his new bosses as he had no decisions and a 3.72 ERA in 10 relief outings: on June 24th, he was given his release, which brought his time in the affiliated minors to an end.

Not wanting to retire just yet, Manny went back to the Golden Baseball League to finish the season, this time with the Orange County Flyers, but was just 2-5, 6.16 in 10 starts. However, he managed to catch on with the Tigres de Aragua of the Venezuelan League that winter, and in 2010 had an outstanding season with Orange County, going 14-0, 2.83 in 17 games, including 13 starts. His fairytale year continued in winter ball with the Caribes de Anzoátegui, where he was 2-2, 1.98, and in the 2012 Caribbean Series, in which he won his only start. It came on February 6th against Toros del Este of the Dominican League, and he pitched five scoreless innings in a 3-0 win. However, the magic was gone the following summer, which he spent with the Calgary Vipers of the North American League, another indy circuit. He went 3-2, but with a bloated 7.76 ERA in 7 starts. He pitched only a couple of games for Anzoátegui that winter, then completed his career in 2012 with the Laredo Lemurs of the American Association, finishing at 2-4, 7.81 in 7 games.