Jonathan Albaladejo Santana ( /ˌælbələˈdeɪhoʊ/ AL-bə-lə-DAY-hoh;born October 30,1982) is a Puerto Rican professional baseball coach and former pitcher who is currently the Manager for the Trois-Rivières Aigles of the Frontier League. He played in Major League Baseball (MLB) for the Washington Nationals,New York Yankees and Arizona Diamondbacks,as well in Nippon Professional Baseball (NPB) for the Yomiuri Giants.
Albaladejo was selected by the San Francisco Giants in the 34th round (1,021st overall) of the 2000 Major League Baseball Draft,but did not sign. [1] In the following year he was selected by the Pittsburgh Pirates in the 19th round (564th overall),and signed on June 6,2001.
He spent a number of years in the minors in the Pirates system as a starting pitcher,and in 2005 was converted to a reliever. The Pirates released him on April 25,2007. [2]
On May 3,2007,Albaladejo signed a minor league contract with the Washington Nationals. [2] He played most of the season for the Class-AA Harrisburg Senators,compiling a 4.17 earned run average in 21 appearances. [3] He moved up to the Class-AAA Columbus Clippers and finished the season extremely well,posting an ERA of 0.78 in 14 appearances. When rosters expanded in September,the Nationals,then leading the league in innings pitched by relievers,brought him up. [4]
On September 5,2007,Albaladejo made his Major League debut. In the top of the third inning,in a game against the Florida Marlins,Tim Redding was injured by a batted ball and needed to be replaced. Albaladejo entered the game with two men on and one out,and allowed a ground ball (where an inherited runner scored) and a pop up. In the fourth inning,Albaladejo struck out the side,and then was relieved. [5]
On December 4,2007,he was traded to the New York Yankees for relief pitcher Tyler Clippard. [6] [7]
He made the Yankees' Opening Day roster in 2008, [8] but only pitched in seven games while recording a 3.95 ERA. [3] He suffered a stress fracture in his elbow on May 9,2008,and was ruled out for the season in June. [9] Albaladejo again made the Yankees' major league roster to start the 2009 season. [10] After posting an ERA of 6.00 in 18 appearances through May 22,he was optioned to Triple-A Scranton/Wilkes-Barre to make room on the roster for pitcher Chien-Ming Wang. [11] In 17 innings at Triple-A,he compiled a 1.59 ERA and 0.65 WHIP,earning a promotion back to the majors when Wang was placed on the disabled list on July 5,2009. [12] Albaladejo was sent back down to Scranton on July 10,2009,to make room for Mark Melancon. [13]
Albaladejo began the 2010 season with Scranton/Wilkes-Barre. After a poor spring training,Albaladejo transitioned from his two-seam fastball to his four-seam fastball,which allowed him more control. [14] He was named International League Pitcher of the Week from July 5–12,and from July 12–18, [15] and pitched in the Triple-A All-Star Game. [16] After saving 31 games in 32 chances with a 0.96 ERA,he was called up to the Yankees on July 20. [17] However,he was optioned back to Scranton/Wilkes-Barre on July 24 to make room for Sergio Mitre. [18]
Albaladejo set an International League single-season record for saves in 2010 with 43 (the previous record was 38). [19] [20] He was named to the International League Postseason All-Star team. [21] [22] He was called up by the Yankees when the rosters expanded at the start of September and pitched