Christian Villanueva
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Position:
3B
Born:
06/19/91
Height:
5'11"
Weight:
200
B/T:
R/R
Acquired:
Signed as a minor league free agent on December 12, 2016 (SDP). Originally signed as an international free agent (Mexico) on May 31, 2009 (TEX).
Most Recent Stats at Time of Debut
| Hitting .296 with 20 home runs and 86 RBIs in 109 games at El Paso (Triple-A) with 28 doubles for a .369 OBP and a .528 SLG. |
Info & MLB Debut Date
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Contract purchased from El Paso on September 18 when rosters expanded. MLB Debut Date: 09/18/17 |
Debut Details
| September 18, in a 4-2 win against the Diamondbacks. The starting third baseman, he batted sixth and went 0-for-3. In the first against left-handed starter Patrick Corbin he struck out swinging for the third out. In the fourth, with one on and one out, he reached base by hitting into a force out at second. In the sixth, against right-handed reliever J.J. Hoover, he reached on an error by Hoover. |
Player Notes
| Villanueva, who becomes the 259th player to debut in 2017, eclipsing the 2016 total of 258, has earned the popular baseball designated "well-traveled," having been originally signed out of Mexico by the Rangers, then traded to the Cubs on July 31, 2012, with pitcher Kyle Hendricks for pitcher Ryan Dempster, and then, after declaring for minor league free agency in December of 2016, signing with the Padres. He missed all of 2016 due to a broken right leg suffered during spring training. In 2015, between Tennessee (Double-A) and Iowa (Triple-A) with the Cubs system, he hit .257 with 20 home runs, 95 RBIs and 23 doubles for a .438 SLG. An excellent defensive third baseman with moderate power, he's reached the 20-home mark in his last two active seasons. In 2013, he was a Southern League All-Star at Tennessee hitting .261 with 19 home runs, 72 RBIs and 41 doubles but when he split 2015 between Tennessee and Iowa his numbers dipped to .230-10-58, though he added 30 doubles. |