Manuel Ascanio

Manuel José Ascanio Méndez

• Bats Right, Throws Right
• Height 6' 1", Weight 210 lb.

• School Indiana Institute of Technology
• High School Mount View School (San Rafael District, Escazú)

• Born January 12, 2000 in Venezuela

BR register page

Biographical Information

Manuel Ascanio has played for the Costa Rican national team and in Italy's Serie A1.

He was born in Venezuela and then moved to Costa Rica. Coming to the US for college, he was 2-for-7 with two walks and a double as a freshman and 6-for-18 with a double and four walks in the COVID-19-shortened 2020. In '21, he hit .322/.359/.455 then .289/.333/.436 in 2022. In the 2023 Central American and Caribbean Games Central American Qualifier, he was the catcher for Costa Rica. Batting third in their opener, he singled off El Salvador's Nelson Alfaro his first time up. He hit .400/.500/.467 with 3 RBI in 5 games, handling 39 chances error-free and throwing out one of two base-stealers. He tied Juan Montes for 4th in hits (6), tied for 8th in RBI, was 5th in average (between Lombardo Padilla and Sandy Bermúdez), ranked 5th in OBP (between Fabián Vizcaíno and Elmer Reyes), was 7th in OPS (between Padilla and Reyes) and third in fielding (Marco Lemus and Melvin Novoa were also at 1.000, in more chances). He was named the All-Star catcher; Yader Monge was the only other Costa Rican picked.

Switching countries again, he played in Italy that summer, hitting .331/.407/.485 with 33 RBI in 35 games for Rovigo, tying Manuel Joseph for 7th in the 2023 Serie A1 in RBI. He fielded .989 and threw out 45%; he was 6th in runners caught stealing (15). In 2024, he moved to Parma but fell to .286/.320/.363, fielding .986 and throwing out 25%. He was 7th in putouts (245, between Romolo Pomplio and Eugene Helder). He produced at a .266/.357/.344 clip for 2025 Parma. Playing mostly first base, he fielded .997 and was third in putouts (310, behind Reinaldo Estana and Chris Proctor). In the 2025 Central American Games, he helped Costa Rica to a Silver Medal, matching their best finish ever in a Central American Games in baseball, from back in 1986.