Emilio Bonifacio
From BR Bullpen
Emilio Jose Bonifacio Rosario
- Bats Both, Throws Right
- Height 5' 11", Weight 180 lb.
- Debut September 2, 2007
- Born April 23, 1985 in Santo Domingo D.R.
[edit] Biographical Information
Emilio Bonifacio was signed by Arizona Diamondbacks scout Junior Noboa in 2001. He played for the DSL Diamondbacks in 2002 before coming stateside in 2003.
Bonifacio hit .250/.357/.333 with 5 runs and 3 steals (without getting caught) in six games for the Tigres del Licey in the 2008 Caribbean Series as the leadoff man for the titlists. In July 2011, he had a 26-game hitting streak, the second longest in the history of the Florida Marlins. Largely as a result of the streak, he was named the National League's Player of the Month for July, having hit .380 with a .466 on-base percentage during the month, while stealing 16 bases and scoring 27 runs. He played 152 games for the Marlins that season, in spite of not having a set position: he started 61 games at shortstop, 48 in the outfield spread between all three spots, 30 at third base and a pair at second base. In spite of all this moving around, he accumulated 641 plate appearances, and hit .296, scoring 78 runs, stealing 40 bases and hitting 26 doubles. In 2012, he was given the starting centerfield job at the start of the season as the Marlins became the Miami Marlins and after 39 games, was hitting .268 with a National League-leading 20 stolen bases. On May 18th, however, he injured his left thumb on a steal attempt and was placed on the disabled list for the first time of his career after the next game, and then had to undergo surgery on May 25th.
