Gilberto Reyes

From BR Bullpen

Gilberto Rolando Reyes Polanco

Bats Right, Throws Right
Height 6' 2", Weight 203 lb.

Debut June 11, 1983
Final Game October 6, 1991
Born December 10, 1963 in Santo Domingo, D.R.

[edit] Biographical Information

Gil Reyes had many cups of coffee with the Los Angeles Dodgers in the 1980's and finally became the starting catcher in his last major league season with the Montreal Expos.

Born in the Dominican Republic in 1963, he was playing in the minors in 1980 at age 16. He was a weak hitter from 1980-82, but in 1983 at age 19 became a much better hitter for the San Antonio Dodgers in the Texas League, where he hit .282 in 33 games, and for the Albuquerque Dukes in the PCL, where he hit .306 in 20 games. That got him a ticket to the majors for the first time.

Although he came up to the Dodgers five different times during the 1980's, he was always in the minors for most of each season, generally with the Albuquerque Dukes, although he also hit .303 with a .418 slugging percentage for the San Antonio Dodgers in 1984. Since he was a young player, it was always expected that he would be the Dodgers catcher of the future. Even in his third year in the majors in 1985, he was still one of the ten youngest players in the league.

However, he was finally traded to the Montreal Expos late during spring training in 1989. In 1990, he became the regular catcher, but hit only .217.

A New York Times article from 1992 indicates that Reyes had been in a rehab center in 1990 due to alcohol problems, and in 1992 was suspended by Fay Vincent for "violating his aftercare program and baseball's drug policy". It was apparently because he had a positive test while playing winter ball in the Dominican Republic. Source: New York Times article, 2/8/92. Following a grievance hearing, it was ruled April 3 that Reyes should be treated as a first-time offender and the suspension was lifted.

In his major league career, he hit .202 in 258 at-bats, and had no home runs and no triples.

In 1996, five years after he had stopped playing professional baseball in the USA, he appeared in 17 games with the Ottawa Lynx in the International League.

2001 Manager Cordoba Coffee Growers

2006 Manager DSL Mets