Rogelio Armenteros

Rogelio Armenteros Peña

• Bats Right, Throws Right
• Height 6' 1", Weight 215 lb.

• Debut June 14, 2019
• Final Game August 17, 2019
• Born June 30, 1994 in Havana Cuba

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Biographical Information

Rogelio Armenteros has pitched in Cuba, Spain and the US. He made his big league debut with the Houston Astros in 2019.

Armenteros pitched twice for Cuba in the 2009 World Youth Championship. He got the win over Russia, allowing two hits, two walks and one unearned run in four innings, fanning six. He also was 2 for 3 with a triple, two runs and three RBI at the plate in the event. In the Gold Medal game against the US, he relieved Darién Núñez with a 5-3 lead in the 7th but two inherited runners scored on an error by catcher Irán Falcón. He retired the next six batters as Cuba took a 6-5 lead. With one out in the 9th, he began to tire, walking Austin Cousino on a full count and allowing a hit to Francisco Lindor and a game-tying sacrifice fly to Kevin Kramer. Evan Powell doubled in Lindor with the game-winning run; Leandro Linares relieved and got the third out. Rogelio debuted in the 2011-2012 Serie Nacional with the Industriales, going 1-1 with a 9.45 ERA and 2.10 WHIP in five games (four starts). He defected from Cuba and signed with Spain's CB Viladecans. In 2013, he was 1-2 with three saves, a 0.52 ERA and 22 strikeouts in 17 1/3 innings for Viladecans. He was 4th in the Division de Honor in saves. He was signed by Houston Astros scout Alex Jacobs in 2014.

The right-hander made his US debut in 2015, playing for the Quad Cities River Bandits (1-0, 2.65 in 3 games) and Tri-City ValleyCats (2-2, 4.09). He pitched for the Spanish national team in the 2016 World Baseball Classic Qualifiers. He relieved Richard Salazar in the 2nd against France with a 3-0 lead and went 1-2-3, fanning Norbert Jongerius and Felix Brown in between a Maxime Lefevre grounder. In the 3rd, he ran into trouble, yielding a double to Frédéric Hanvi, retiring Rene Leveret, walking Andy Paz, giving up a double steal then serving up a two-run single to fellow Cuban Ernesto Martínez. Douglas Rodriguez singled, but Martínez was thrown out at third base. Frederic Walter grounded out but France now led 5-0. José Cruz took over for Armenteros in the 4th but the damage had been done and Spain lost, 5-3.

Armenteros opened 2016 with the Lancaster JetHawks (6-4, 4.18, a save, 107 K in 90 1/3 innings) and moved up to the Corpus Christi Hooks (2-0, 1.96) later in the season. His 140 strikeouts led Astros farmhands, four ahead of Matt Bower. He allowed 9 runs in 7 1/3 innings for the Glendale Desert Dogs of the Arizona Fall League, then opened 2017 with the Hooks and started well (2-3, a save, 1.93, 74 K in 65 1/3 innings, 1.04 WHIP in 14 games, 10 starts) then got the call up to the AAA Fresno Grizzlies.

Rogelio made his major league debut on June 14, 2019, pitching 3 innings in relief of Gerrit Cole and getting credit for a save in a 15-2 Astros win over the Toronto Blue Jays. He gave up just 2 hits and no walks while striking out 3 batters. In five games (two starts), he recorded a 1-1, 4.00 mark with a save and 18 strikeouts in 18 innings.

Sources

• 2009 World Youth Championship
• 2013 Division Honor
• World Baseball Classic
• 2017 Astros Media Guide

Related Sites

• Rogelio Armenteros on mlb.com
• BR Register page