Raimel Tapia

Raimel Antonio Tapia Linarez (born February 4, 1994) is a Dominican professional baseball outfielder for the Colorado Rockies of Major League Baseball (MLB).

In this Spanish name, the first or paternal surname is Tapia and the second or maternal family name is Linarez.
Raimel Tapia
Tapia in 2017
Colorado Rockies – No. 15
Outfielder
Born: (1994-02-04) February 4, 1994
San Pedro de Macorís, Dominican Republic
Bats: Left Throws: Left
MLB debut
September 2, 2016, for the Colorado Rockies
MLB statistics
(through 2020)
Batting average.285
Home runs13
Runs batted in86
Teams

Career

The Colorado Rockies signed Tapia as an international free agent in 2010. He spent the 2013 season with the Grand Junction Rockies of the Rookie-level Pioneer League, and was named the league's player of the month for July.[1] He had a 29-game hitting streak for Grand Junction.[2][3] After the season, he was named the Topps Pioneer League Player of the Year for 2013[4] and was named by Baseball Prospectus as the #97 prospect in all of baseball prior to the 2014 season. The Rockies added him to their 40-man roster after the 2015 season.[5]

Tapia began the 2016 season with the Hartford Yard Goats of the Class AA Eastern League, and was selected to appear in the 2016 All-Star Futures Game.[6] The Rockies promoted him to the Albuquerque Isotopes of the Class AAA Pacific Coast League in August.[7]

The Rockies promoted Tapia to the major leagues on September 2, 2016.[8]

On July 20, 2018, Tapia hit a two out, two strike, go-ahead pinch grand slam in the top of the 7th inning against Arizona Diamondbacks reliever Archie Bradley to give the Rockies an 11–8 lead. It was the first grand slam of Tapia's career and would ultimately prove to be the difference as the Rockies would go on to win the game 11–10.

In 2018, in 25 at bats he hit .200/.259/.480.[9] He had the fastest baserunning sprint speed of all major league designated hitters, at 28.6 feet/second.[10]

Tapia received the majority of the playing time in 2020 after Ian Desmond bowed out of the season because of the pandemic. In 51 games, Tapia hit .321, drove in 17 runs and stole 8 bases.

Scouting report

Tapia has been noted for altering his batting stance during at-bats. He generally stands at the plate with an upright stance except when there are two strikes against him, at which point he crouches deeply, dropping his eye level approximately five and three quarter inches.[11]

References
  1. "GJ Rockies' hit machine Tapia selected as Pioneer League's player of month for July". GJSentinel.com. August 13, 2013. Retrieved March 31, 2014.
  2. "Grand Junction's Tapia extends hitting streak to 29 games". Billingsgazette.com. August 1, 2013. Retrieved March 31, 2014.
  3. "Losing streak ends, but so does Tapia's hitting streak | Pioneer League News". Minor League Baseball. Retrieved March 31, 2014.
  4. "Colabello among Trautman winners | Pioneer League News". Minor League Baseball. Retrieved March 31, 2014.
  5. "Rockies' John Axford designated for assignment". Colorado Rockies. Retrieved February 4, 2016.
  6. Rockies prospects Jeff Hoffman, Raimel Tapia named to All-Star Futures Game – The Denver Post
  7. Sickenger, Ken (August 9, 2016). "apia shows Isotopes why he is a prospect". Albuquerque Journal. Retrieved September 2, 2016.
  8. Rockies prospect Raimel Tapia promoted to the majors - Purple Row
  9. Raimel Tapia Stats | Baseball-Reference.com
  10. Statcast Sprint Speed Leaderboard | baseballsavant.com
  11. Piellucci, Mike Can Raimel Tapia's Unorthodox Swing Trump Baseball's Conventional Wisdom? Vice Sports. March 20, 2016
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