Japhet Amador

Japhet Isidro Amador Hernandez (born January 19, 1987), nicknamed "El Gigante de Mulegé" (English: The giant from Mulegé), is a Mexican professional baseball first baseman and designated hitter for the Diablos Rojos del México of the Mexican League. He previously played for the Tohoku Rakuten Golden Eagles of Nippon Professional Baseball (NPB).

This article uses Spanish naming customs: the first or paternal family name is Amador and the second or maternal family name is Hernandez.
Japhet Amador
Amador with the Rakuten Eagles
Diablos Rojos del México – No. 29
First baseman/Designated hitter
Born: (1987-01-19) January 19, 1987
Mulegé, Baja California Sur, Mexico
Bats: Right Throws: Right
NPB debut
June 25, 2016, for the Rakuten Golden Eagles
NPB statistics
(through 2018 season)
Batting average.250
Hits190
Home runs52
Runs batted in126
Teams

Career

Diablos Rojos del Mexico

Amador was born in Mulegé, Baja California Sur. From 2007 through a portion of the 2013 season, Amador played in the Mexican League, last playing for the Diablos Rojos del México. In 2012, he hit 15 home runs through 81 Mexican League games; he hit 17 home runs in 61 games that year during winter baseball in the Mexican Pacific League.[1] In 104 games for the Diablos Rojos in 2013, Amador hit .368 with 36 home runs and 121 runs batted in (RBI).[1]

Houston Astros

On August 18, 2013 the Astros signed him and assigned him to the triple-A Oklahoma City RedHawks.[2] When the Astros signed him, Amador weighed 330 pounds.[3] He played 10 games for Oklahoma City.[1] The organization then sent him to the Peoria Javelinas of the Arizona Fall League.[4]

In February 2014, the Astros reported that Amador was in Mexico dealing with a family emergency, that he would not be reporting for the beginning of spring training and that they were not sure whether he would report to the Astros at all.[3] Amador reported to camp a couple of weeks late, and reporter Evan Drellich wrote that Amador's pregnant wife had been ill. Drellich said that Amador had hurt his already low chances of playing first base with the Astros.[5]

Amador appeared in seven games with Class AAA Oklahoma City early in the 2014 season.[1][6]

Second stint with Diablos Rojos del México

By May, he had been returned to the Diablos Rojos on the agreement that he would rejoin the Astros organization when the Mexican League season was finished.[6] He hit 13 home runs that year in 64 games with the Diablos Rojos.[1]

In 2015, Amador led the Mexican League in home runs, hitting 41 during the regular season and earning the league's Most Valuable Player award. He hit 14 more home runs during winter baseball in the Mexican Pacific League.[7]

Tohoku Rakuten Golden Eagles

He signed with the Tohoku Rakuten Golden Eagles of Nippon Professional Baseball after the 2015 season.[8]

In August 2018, while playing for the Golden Eagles, Amador was suspended for six months after testing positive for the banned substances chlortalidone and furosemide. Amador stated that he would appeal the suspension, and claimed that he would never intentionally take any banned drugs. Leading up to his suspension, Amador had a .269 average and 20 home runs in 62 games played for the club.[9] Amador became a free agent after the season.

Third stint with Diablos Rojos del México

In 2019, Amador returned to Mexico to play with the Diablos Rojos del México.[10]

In Mexico, the 6'4" Amador has acquired the nickname "El Gigante de Mulegé",[11] which is Spanish for "The Giant from Mulegé." Only one 300-pound player in baseball history has made the major leagues.[6]

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References
  1. Japhet Amador Register Statistics & History. Baseball-Reference.com. Retrieved February 25, 2016.
  2. Sickels, John. "Astros sign Mexican slugger Japhet Amador".
  3. Drellich, Evan (February 19, 2014). "Japhet Amador may not report to Astros". Houston Chronicle. Retrieved May 1, 2015.
  4. Magruder, Jack. "Amador looks to showcase his power in AFL".
  5. Drellich, Evan (March 3, 2014). "Japhet Amador needs at least a week to be game-ready". Houston Astros. Retrieved May 1, 2015.
  6. Campa, Emmanuel (May 7, 2014). "Japhet Amador sueña con llegar a Grandes Ligas" (in Spanish). Excélsior. Retrieved May 1, 2015.
  7. Clair, Michael (January 13, 2016). "Nobody hit more home runs in 2015 than... Japhet Amador?". MLB.com. Retrieved February 25, 2016.
  8. "Amador a Águilas de Rakuten en Japón" (in Spanish). milb.com. December 18, 2015. Retrieved February 25, 2016.
  9. Coskrey, Jason (August 9, 2018). "Eagles' Japhet Amador banned six months for doping". The Japan Times. Retrieved August 9, 2018.
  10. "Regresa Japhet Amador a la Pandilla Roja" (in Spanish). January 15, 2019. Retrieved January 15, 2019.
  11. Alarcón, Roberto (November 5, 2014). "El 'Gigante de Mulegé' está con el madero encendido". El Informador (in Spanish). Retrieved May 1, 2015.
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