Steven Moya

Steven Moya (born August 9, 1991) is a Puerto Rico born-Dominican Repubilc professional baseball player for the Orix Buffaloes of Nippon Professional Baseball (NPB). He previously played in Major League Baseball (MLB) for the Detroit Tigers and the Chunichi Dragons of Nippon Professional Baseball (NPB).

Steven Moya
Moya with the Buffaloes
Orix Buffaloes – No. 1
Right fielder / First baseman
Born: (1991-08-09) August 9, 1991
Río Piedras, Puerto Rico
Bats: Left Throws: Right
Professional debut
MLB: September 1, 2014, for the Detroit Tigers
NPB: April 20, 2018, for the Chunichi Dragons
MLB statistics
(through 2016 season)
Batting average.250
Home runs5
Runs batted in11
NPB statistics
(through 2019 season)
Batting average.258
Home runs14
Runs batted in54
Teams

Career

Detroit Tigers

Moya signed with the Detroit Tigers as a non-drafted free agent in 2008.[1] In 2012, Moya had Tommy John surgery, which caused him to play in only 59 games that year.[2] Moya was added to the teams 40-man roster on November 20, 2013.[3]

Moya batting for the Lakeland Flying Tigers, advanced-A affiliates of the Tigers, in 2013

Moya started the 2014 season with the Double-A Erie SeaWolves.[4][5] On June 24, it was announced Moya had been named to the All-Star Futures Game.[6] Moya was named the Eastern League All-Star Game MVP after he hit a grand slam in the fifth inning.[7]

On August 28, 2014, Moya was named the 2014 Eastern League Most Valuable Player. Moya finished the season batting .273 (142-for-515) with 33 doubles, three triples, 35 home runs, 105 RBI, 81 runs scored, 16 stolen bases, a .555 slugging percentage and a .306 on-base percentage in 133 games this season. Moya is the first SeaWolves player to be named the league's MVP since the SeaWolves entered the Eastern League in 1999.[8] Moya set a new single-season franchise record for total bases (286), extra-base hits (71), home runs (35) and RBI (105).[9] Moya was named the Detroit Tigers' minor league player of the year.[10]

Moya batted .265 (39-for-147) from August 1 on with 12 doubles, five home runs and 19 RBIs. He finished the season with the Mud Hens batting .240 (120-for-500) with 30 doubles, 20 home runs, 74 RBIs, 27 walks and 162 strikeouts.

Moya made his major league debut on September 1, 2014 as a pinch hitter in the 9th inning, where he recorded a single in his first career at-bat off Austin Adams of the Cleveland Indians.[11] Following the 2014 season, Moya went on to play for the Glendale Desert Dogs of the Arizona Fall League. In 23 games, he batted .289 with six doubles, one triple, five home runs, and 19 RBI. Moya was also named to the Arizona Fall League Rising Stars Game.[12]

Moya with the Tigers

He was called up by the Tigers on September 8, 2015 as a September call-up.[13] He was 4-for-25 in nine September games.

On March 26, 2016, he was optioned to the Triple-A Toledo Mud Hens.[14] On May 12, 2016 he was recalled from Triple A. He was optioned back to Toledo later, but was recalled again on June 16, 2016, upon an injury to the Tigers starting right fielder, J. D. Martinez. Moya was optioned back to AAA Toledo on July 17, 2016. After batting .324 in June with four home runs, he was 3-for-23 in July and had some defensive lapses in right field. Manager Brad Ausmus stated he wanted Moya to work on his outfield defense in a "less stressful environment".[15] He was outrighted to Triple-A on March 31, 2017, and elected free agency on November 6.

Chunichi Dragons
Moya with the Dragons

On December 1, 2017, Moya signed a one-year contract with the Chunichi Dragons of Nippon Professional Baseball (NPB).[16] On April 20, 2018, he made his NPB debut.[17]

Orix Buffaloes

On June 30, 2019, it was announced that Moya had been traded to the Orix Buffaloes for cash.[18][19] On December 20, 2019, Moya signed a 1-year extension to remain with the Buffaloes.[20]

Awards and accomplishments

Personal life

Moya was born in Puerto Rico to Dominican Republic parents, and when he was 2 months old, his family returned to the Dominican Republic.[22]

References
  1. Iott, Chirs (March 13, 2013). "Detroit Tigers prospect Steven Moya gets high praise in morning, three hits in afternoon". MLive. Retrieved March 13, 2013.
  2. Kornacki, Steve (March 10, 2014). "Tigers taking a serious look at Steven Moya". Fox Sports. Retrieved March 10, 2014.
  3. "Tigers purchase contracts of seven players". MLB.com. November 20, 2013. Retrieved November 20, 2013.
  4. Kornacki, Steve (July 23, 2014). "Tigers prospect Steven Moya is tearing up Double-A pitching". Fox Sports. Retrieved July 23, 2014.
  5. Henning, Lynn (July 27, 2014). "Underrated Steven Moya showing he's destined for stardom". The Detroit News. Retrieved July 27, 2014.
  6. Schmehl, James (June 24, 2014). "Detroit Tigers prospects Jake Thompson, Steven Moya named to All-Star Futures Game". MLive. Retrieved June 24, 2014.
  7. Cahill, Teddy (July 16, 2014). "Moya named Eastern League ASG MVP". MLB.com. Retrieved July 16, 2014.
  8. "Steven Moya Named Eastern League Most Valuable Player". Erie SeaWolves. August 28, 2014. Retrieved August 28, 2014.
  9. "Moya Sets Records as 'Wolves Down Ducks". Erie SeaWolves. August 30, 2014. Retrieved August 30, 2014.
  10. Slovin, Matt (September 12, 2014). "Moya, Kubitza take home Minor League Awards". MLB.com. Retrieved September 12, 2014.
  11. Iott, Chris (September 1, 2014). "Tigers 12, Indians 1: Miguel Cabrera has two home runs, four hits in rout of Cleveland". MLive. Retrieved September 1, 2014.
  12. Fenech, Anthony (December 7, 2014). "Steven Moya working on plate discipline to stay in majors". Detroit Free Press. Retrieved December 7, 2014.
  13. Beck, Jason (September 8, 2015). "Tigers call up 4, designate Fields". MLB.com. Retrieved September 8, 2015.
  14. Beck, Jason (March 26, 2016). "Tigers option hot-hitting Moya to Triple-A". MLB.com. Retrieved March 26, 2016.
  15. Sipple, George (July 17, 2016). "Why the Tigers demoted Steven Moya, kept Tyler Collins". Detroit Free Press. Retrieved July 18, 2016.
  16. Adams, Steve (December 1, 2017). "NPB/KBO Signings: Moya, Noesi, Bernadina, Paredes". mlbtraderumors.com. Retrieved December 2, 2017.
  17. "モヤ、いきなり４安打デビュー　竜７回炎の７点大逆転". 中スポ 東京中日スポーツ (in Japanese). April 20, 2018. Retrieved April 22, 2018.
  18. "スティーブン・モヤ選手獲得のお知らせ". オリックスバファローズ公式サイト (in Japanese). June 30, 2019. Retrieved December 23, 2019.
  19. "オリックスが金銭でモヤを獲得！オリックスと中日の交換トレードも成立 ｜ BASEBALL KING" (in Japanese). Retrieved 2019-07-01.
  20. "外国人選手契約締結のお知らせ". オリックスバファローズ 公式サイト (in Japanese). December 20, 2019. Retrieved December 23, 2019.
  21. Cahill, Teddy (December 10, 2014). "Fall League names 22 to Top Prospects Team". MLB.com. Retrieved December 10, 2014.
  22. Yamell Rossi Jesni (October 28, 2015). "Steven Moya, de corazón criollo, nacido en Puerto Rico" (in Spanish). Diario Libre. Retrieved December 23, 2019.
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