Roberto Saucedo

Robert Cameron Saucedo Montalvo

• Bats Right, Throws Right
• Height 5' 11", Weight 205-260 lb.

• Born September 26, 1975 in Monterrey, Nuevo León Mexico

BR Minors page

Biographical Information

Robert Saucedo (also listed as Roberto Saucedo) has hit 221 home runs in the minor leagues (through 2008). He has twice led his league in home runs. A catcher and first baseman at times, Saucedo has been a frequent designated hitter, perhaps in part due to his weight.

Saucedo debuted in 1994 with the DSL Angels, hitting .338/.422/.469 and just missing the top 10 in the Dominican Summer League in batting average. In 1995, the Monterrey native hit .280/~.379/.360 for the AZL Angels. He split 1996 between three teams - the AZL Angels (.281/~.361/.406 in 18 games), Boise Hawks (1 for 2, 3 BB, 2 R) and the Cedar Rapids Kernels (0 for 3). Despite having shown good on-base percentages at each stop, his career with the California Angels chain ended that year.

In 1997, Saucedo went to the Mexican League and hit .229/.276/.400 for his hometown Monterrey Industrials. The next year, he was even worse - a .223/.336/.339 batting line in 62 games, often as a pinch-hitter. Saucedo began establishing himself in Mexico in 1999. Splitting time between Monterrey and the Reynosa Broncos, he batted .296/.395/.513 with 15 home runs in 277 AB. At age 24, he slipped backwards, only hitting .214/.302/.381.

Saucedo moved to the Cancun Lobstermen in 2001 and hit .263/~.314/.460 with 19 home runs. He almost doubled his home run production with the 2002 Two Laredos Owls by crushing 32 long balls, leading the League. He batted .315/~.393/.597 in his breakout year.

In 2003, Roberto slumped badly with the Tabasco Cattlemen, only hitting .228/~.354/.373 with 13 circuit clouts. Saucedo homered once in the 2003 Pan American Games, tying for the tourney lead; his home run came in a 7-1 upset of Cuba in the round-robin phase. Mexico won Bronze in the Games. In the winter of 2003-2004, he batted .267 and slugged .447 for the Mazatlan Deer. In the summer of 2004, Saucedo was back in form, producing at a .306/.390/.508 clip for the Mexico City Red Devils with 20 home runs and 97 RBI in 99 games. He led the Mexican League in RBI, one ahead of Morgan Burkhart and was sixth in home runs.

Saucedo had another huge year in 2005, hitting .340/.411/.648 with 35 home runs, 96 runs and 114 RBI in 99 games. He was second to Willis Otanez in RBI and won his second home run crown. He made the LMB All-Star team as the top designated hitter that season.

In the 2006 campaign, Roberto batted .324/.391/.586 with 27 home runs and 89 RBI in 106 games to finish 4th in homers, 7th in RBI and 10th in slugging. In the 2006 COPABE qualifier for the 2008 Olympics, he hit .313/.450/.750 as Mexico's first baseman, leading the team in OPS. They did not qualify for the Olympics with their performance but advanced to the final qualifier in 2008. In 2007, Saucedo hit .310/.361/.560 for Mexico City with 25 home runs and 94 RBI. He tied for 5th in circuit clouts and was third in runs batted in. In the 2007-2008 Mexican Pacific League, Saucedo hit .270/.313/.414 for Mazatlan. He joined the Yaquis de Obregón for the 2008 Caribbean Series. In their first win, he hit a 2-run homer and a 10th-inning 3-run blast (off of Oneli Perez) against the Tigres del Licey. It was Licey's only loss of the Series. Saucedo led the 2008 Series with 6 RBI and his 2 home runs tied Jose Bautista and Miguel Tejada for the lead. He hit .346/.370/.577 for the Series and scored five runs in six games. He was named to the Series All-Star team at DH, beating out Tejada, one of the biggest stars in Caribbean Series history.

Saucedo went 0 for 5 with 3 strikeouts for the Mexican team for the 2008 Final Olympic Qualification Tournament and was injured, preventing him from completing the tourney. Mexico failed to win a spot in the 2008 Olympics.

Saucedo hit a 2-run homer for the deciding blow in the finale of the 2008 Mexican League season to give the Red Devils a title. In the regular season, his batting line had been .315/.382/.566 and he had 17 homers and 67 RBI in 76 games.

Roberto was only 2 for 14 in the 2008 Americas Baseball Cup but Mexico advanced to the 2009 Baseball World Cup.

(Missing 2008-2017).

Scouting for the Pittsburgh Pirates, he signed Fernando Villegas Jr.

Sources

• Mexico City Red Devils website
• MILB.com
• The Mexican League: Comprehensive Player Statistics by Pedro Treto Cisneros
• 1995, 2005 and 2006 Baseball Guides
• 1996-2008 Baseball Almanacs
• Defunct IBAF website
• 2008 Americas Baseball Cup
• 2019 Pirates Media Guide