Biography
José Manuel Lobatón (born October 21, 1984) is a Venezuelan professional baseball catcher for the Chicago Cubs organization. He has played in Major League Baseball (MLB) for the San Diego Padres, Tampa Bay Rays, Washington Nationals and New York Mets.
Early life
Lobatón was the youngest of four children raised in northeastern Venezuela by their father, a taxi driver, and their stay-at-home mom. In 2002, at 17 years old, he signed with the San Diego Padres for $70,000.
Minor league career
Lobatón made his Minor League debut in 2003, and spent 2004 and 2005 with the Idaho Falls Padres, Eugene Emeralds, and the Fort Wayne Wizards. He spent the 2007 season with the Lake Elsinore Storm and played the 2008 season with the San Antonio Missions. He played his entire 2010 season in the Rays minor league system.
Major league career
San Diego Padres
Lobatón made his Major League debut on July 5, 2009, against the Los Angeles Dodgers. He only played in 7 games with the Padres going .176 in 17 at-bats with 3 hits and 0 RBI's. He was designated for assignment on July 28.
Tampa Bay Rays
Two days after being designated for assignment, Lobatón was claimed off waivers by the Tampa Bay Rays and reported to Double A Montgomery. His 2011 season ended with him going .118 with only 4 hits in 34 at-bats. Lobaton hit his first Major League home run against the Baltimore Orioles on July 25, 2012. During a three-game series against the Toronto Blue Jays from August 16–18, 2013, Lobaton hit a walk-off triple and walk-off home run, becoming the first catcher to do so since Wally Schang in 1917 and only the fourth player overall since 2002. Lobatón hit a 9th inning walk-off home run off of Red Sox closer Koji Uehara to defeat the Boston Red Sox in game three of the 2013 American League Division Series. Lobaton is the only Rays player to hit a walk-off home run in the postseason, and the first Ray to hit a home run into the Rays Touch Tank (the others being Luis Gonzalez and Miguel Cabrera). It was the only walk-off home run of the 2013 postseason.
Washington Nationals
On February 13, 2014, he was traded to the Washington Nationals (along with Felipe Rivero and Drew Vettleson) in exchange for Nathan Karns. Lobatón and the Nationals avoided salary arbitration on December 1, 2016, agreeing to a $1.575 million salary for the 2017 season. In March 2017, he declined an offer to replace Salvador Pérez on the roster of the Venezuela national baseball team at the 2017 World Baseball Classic so that he could stay in spring training with Nationals and compete for a spot on the club's roster.
New York Mets
On December 15, 2017, Lobatón signed a minor league contract with the New York Mets. He was designated for assignment on May 19, 2018 and outrighted to the Triple-A Las Vegas 51s. He had his contract purchased again on June 1, 2018. Loboton was Designated for assignment on June 11, 2018. He cleared waivers and was outrighted to Triple-A.
Seattle Mariners
On December 7, 2018, Lobatón signed a minor league contract with the Seattle Mariners.
Los Angeles Dodgers
On August 9, 2019, the Los Angeles Dodgers acquired Lobatón from the Mariners in exchange for cash considerations. Lobatón was released by the Dodgers organization on July 1, 2020.
Chicago Cubs
On July 15, 2020, Lobatón signed a minor league deal with the Chicago Cubs.
Personal life
Lobaton married his wife, Nina, at Tropicana Field on July 3, 2012. The couple had a son in 2013.