Steven Fuentes (minors02)

Steven Oneil Fuentes González

• Bats Right, Throws Right
• Height 6' 2", Weight 241 lb.

• Born May 4, 1997 in Puerto Armuelles, Chiriquí Panama

BR register page

Biographical Information

Steven Fuentes has pitched as high as AAA and has been on the Panamanian national team.

Fuentes was signed by Washington Nationals scout Miguel Ruiz. He was 2-3 with a 2.30 ERA for the 2014 DSL Nationals, striking out 62 in 54 2/3 IP. Coming stateside, he had a 3-4, 5.22 record for the GCL Nationals in '15. In 2016, he went 2-1 with three saves and a 3.65 ERA for the Auburn Doubledays, only making one start after alternating between the rotation and bullpen the prior two seasons. He split 2017 between the Potomac Nationals (0-1, 7.71 in 2 G) and Hagerstown Suns (4-3, 2 Sv, 4.41 in 25 G).

The Panamanian hurler held opponents to a .200 average in 2018. That summer, he pitched for Hagerstown (2-1, 3 Sv, 2.35 in 9 G) and Potomac (3-3, 3 Sv, 3.00 in 24 G) again. The next year, he fanned 89 in 80 2/3 IP while walking 22 between Potomac (1-1, Sv, 0.53 in 8 G) and the Harrisburg Senators (5-4, 2.69 in 15 G). In his AA debut, he began to be used as a starting pitcher again. The 2020 minor league season was wiped out by the COVID-19 pandemic. Baseball America rated him as having the best change-up in the Nats system entering 2021. He had a rocky summer with Harrisburg (0-1, 6.97 in 2 G), the Rochester Red Wings (0-5, 19.96 in 7 G), Wilmington Blue Rocks (6 R, 5 ER in 9 G) and FCL Nationals (0 R in 3 IP). Some of the struggles can be attributed to a shoulder injury that sidelined him.

That winter, he allowed four hits, three walks and six runs (four earned) in 2/3 IP in a forgettable three innings for the Estrellas de Oriente. Baseball America again rated him as having the best change-up in Washington's farm system. He fared better with Harrisburg at 4-7, 4.70 but walked 50 in 92 innings and hit 17 batters. Only Kai-Wei Teng hit more batters in the Eastern League that year. He did well for the Federales de Chiriquí in the 2023 Caribbean Series, allowing two runs (one earned) in six innings against the Indios de Mayagüez. He was initially on Panama's roster for the 2023 World Baseball Classic but was a late cut.

He had a fine 2023 with the independent Les Capitales de Québec, going 9-2 with a 2.35 ERA. He was .02 behind Frontier League ERA leader Cole Cook but did not pitch enough to qualify. He did tie for 5th in wins. In the 2023 Pan American Games, he started Panama's opener and dueled Porfirio López evenly for four innings (4 H, 0 BB, 1 R, 4 K) before Harold Araúz took over; Panama got a big win.