Samy Natera Jr.

Samuel Natera

• Bats Left, Throws Left
• Height 6' 4", Weight 230 lb.
• School New Mexico State University
• High School Lydia Patterson Institute College Prep
• Debut June 6, 2026

• Born November 5, 1999 in Ciudad Juárez, Chihuahua MEX

BR page

Biographical Information

Pitcher Samy Natera Jr. reached the major leagues in 2026.

Natera was born in Mexico but went to high school in El Paso, TX, across the border from his birth city of Ciudad Juárez. He was his high school's MVP in both baseball and basketball. He allowed 4 runs in 4 2/3 IP as a college freshman at New Mexico State University in 2020, in a season cut short by the COVID-19 pandemic. He was 2-3 with a 6.47 ERA in 2021, striking out 68 but walking 41 in 48 2/3 IP. For the Wareham Gatemen in the Cape Cod League that summer, he pitched four perfect innings, striking out 7. Back with New Mexico State, he had 44 K in 26 IP in 2022, going 2-1 with a 6.92 ERA and walking 20. The Los Angeles Angels were interested enough to pick him in the 17th round of the 2022 amateur draft and he signed for a $125,000 bonus.

He split 2023 between the Tri-City Dust Devils (2-8, 4.20, 108 K in 83 2/3 IP) and Rocket City Trash Pandas (0-1, 11.57 in 2 G). He tied for 5th in the Northwest League in losses and was 7th in strikeouts. Among Angels farmhands, only Jake Kalish (11) had more losses but Natera was 5th in strikeouts (between Kenny Rosenberg and Kalish). He tied for 5th with 10 hit batsmen and tied for 2nd with 12 wild pitches. Returning to Tri-City in 2024, he had a 2-0, 0.60 record in 5 games, missing significant time with an elbow injury. With the Mesa Solar Sox, he was 1-0 with a 0.75 ERA and 17 K in 12 IP that fall.

In 2025, he split time between Rocket City (4-1, 8 Sv, 2.64 in 41 G) and the Salt Lake Bees (3.86 in 8 G), reaching AAA. He struck out 85 in 57 innings that summer but issued 42 walks. He tied for 8th in the Southern League in saves and tied Dylan Phillips for third in the Angels chain in that department. He tied Jared Southard for the organizational lead with 49 pitching appearances. He then made the Mexican national team for the 2026 World Baseball Classic. and pitched twice in relief in the tournament, not giving up a run on 1 hit while striking out 3 in 1 1/3 inning of work. He started the 2026 season with Salt Lake and was 5-0, 3.00 with 1 save after 20 games when he was called up to L.A. on June 5th. He made his debut the next day, pitching two scoreless innings of relief in a 9-2 loss to the Los Angeles Dodgers.

Related Sites

• Samy Natera Jr. on mlb.com
• BR Register page
• New Mexico State University bio`