Severino González

Severino Yunier Gonzalez Cruz
(Chevito)

• Bats Right, Throws Right
• Height 6' 1", Weight 153 lb.

• Debut April 28, 2015
• Final Game September 27, 2016
• Born September 28, 1992 in Santiago de Veraguas, Veraguas Panama

BR page

Biographical Information

When pitcher Severino González made his major league debut as the starter for the Philadelphia Phillies against the St. Louis Cardinals on April 28, 2015, it marked the first time in major league history that the starting battery for a major league team was from Panama, as his starting catcher that day was Carlos Ruiz. It was not a great start, however, as he gave up 7 runs on 10 hits in 2 2/3 innings and was charged with an 11-5 loss.

González was signed by the Phillies before the 2011 season (the scout was Allan Lewis) and pitched his first two years with the VSL Phillies in the Venezuelan Summer League. He was 1-1, 2.11 as an 18-year-old reliever in 2011, and 7-3, 1.65 as a starter in 2012. He moved to the United States in 2013 and split that season among three teams, the Lakewood BlueClaws, the Clearwater Threshers and the Reading Fightin Phils, reaching AA at the age of only 20. He was a combined 7-5, 2.00 in 25 games, including 14 starts. He pitched 103 2/3 innings and struck out 119 to confirm that he was indeed a top prospect.

In 2014, Severino went 9-13, 4.60 for Reading as he found the going a bit harder against much older competition. He gave up 169 hits in 158 1/3 innings over 27 starts, but had an excellent K/W ratio at 115/34. He made his AAA debut at the start of the 2015, season, with the Lehigh Valley IronPigs of the International League. He was 1-1, 3.57 after 3 starts when he got the call to the Show for the first time less than a month into the season. However, he lasted only 5 starts; while his 2-2 record was fine, his ERA of 8.69 showed that he still needed to work on things in the minor leagues, and he was sent down on June 8th, with the Phillies signing veteran Kevin Correia to take his place in the rotation. He was only 2-7 with a 5.11 ERA for the IronPigs by year's end. That winter, he was 0-1 with a 3.00 ERA for the Tiburones de La Guaira.

He split 2016 between Reading (2-0, 1.69 in 6 G), Lehigh Valley (0-1, 3.31) and the Phillies (1-2, 5.60 in 27 G), moving into a relief role. Still only 23, he would not return to the majors (barring a major comeback; as of 2022, he was pitching in Mexico). He allowed seven runs (six earned) in eight innings for La Guaira in 2016-2017, though he did fan 11. Signed by the Miami Marlins, he pitched in 2017 for the Jacksonville Jumbo Shrimp (5-5, 3 Sv, 4.28 in 31 G) and the New Orleans Baby Cakes (0-3, 3 Sv, 6.52 in 13 G). He tied Hunter Cervenka for second in the Marlins chain in games pitched (6 behind Tyler Kinley), was 6th in saves and tied for 8th in losses.

Pitching for the Navegantes del Magallanes in the winter, he was 2-0 with one run in 6 2/3 IP. He was 2-2 with three saves and a 5.61 ERA in 21 games for the 2018 Baby Cakes and finished the year with the Saraperos de Saltillo (0-2, 18 H, 13 R, 12 ER in 4 2/3 IP). He was on the Toros de Herrera that won the 2019 Caribbean Series, the second Panamanian team to win a [[Caribbean Series], but was lit up (4 H, 3 BB, 3 R, 3 ER in 2/3 IP). He also struggled in the 2019 Pan American Games Qualifier, giving up five runs in 2/3 of an inning for the Panamanian national team against Colombia.

After not playing summer ball, he was 2-1 with a 4.09 ERA for the Bravos de Margarita in 2019-2020. With the Federales de Chiriquí, he saved Austin Warner's opening win over the Caribes de Anzoátegui in the 2021 Caribbean Series but lost to Giovanni Soto and the Criollos de Caguas; he gave up six hits and three runs in 2 2/3 IP for the Series. In the 2022 Caribbean Series, he allowed one run in 3 2/3 IP for the Astronautas de Los Santos.

Returning to summer ball for the first time in four years, he was 0-1 with a save and a 6.00 ERA in 12 games for the '22 Guerreros de Oaxaca. He then suited up for Panama in the 2022 World Baseball Classic Qualifiers but did not appear in a game as Panama swept their two contests to win a spot in the 2023 World Baseball Classic, their first World Baseball Classic in 14 years.

Related Sites

• Severino Gonzalez on mlb.com
• BR Minors page