Guillermo Quiróz

Template:Short description Template:Use mdy dates Template:Infobox baseball biography Guillermo Antonio Quiroz (Template:IPA; born November 29, 1981) is a Venezuelan former professional baseball catcher and current manager of The Birmingham Barons the AA affiliate of the White Sox]]. He has played in Major League Baseball (MLB) for the Toronto Blue Jays, Seattle Mariners, Texas Rangers, Baltimore Orioles, Boston Red Sox and San Francisco Giants.

Amateur career

Quiróz was born in Maracaibo, Venezuela on November 29, 1981. He played Little League Baseball for Cocquivacoa, and was teammates with Yusmeiro Petit. In 1994, Cocquivacoa won Venezuela's first Little League World Series title.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref> Then aged 10, Quiróz started every game that season as a catcher.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref> Two year later, Quiróz won the Senior League World Series.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref>

Professional career

Toronto Blue Jays

Quiróz was signed by the Toronto Blue Jays as a non-drafted free agent in 1998, before his 17th birthday, with a $1 million signing bonus.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref> He progressed through Toronto's system as the team's number-one catching prospect. In addition, Baseball America rated him as the Blue Jays' third best prospect in their 2004 pre-season rankings, and the 35th best prospect in all of baseball.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref><ref>Template:Cite news</ref>

Defensively, Quiróz has good skills. In 2003, he threw out 45% of base stealers, and was the starting catcher for the World Team in the 2003 All-Star Futures Game.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref>

He missed the end of the 2003 season with a collapsed lung.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref> The broken hand and torn arm muscle he suffered in 2004 hurt his chances of taking over as the Blue Jays' starting catcher in 2005.<ref name=apfred/> Gregg Zaun and Greg Myers were re-signed to give Quiróz more time in the minors.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref> However, Quiróz was set further back that season, due to shoulder strain and another collapsed lung.<ref name="apfred">Template:Cite news</ref>

In 2006, the Blue Jays signed catcher Jason Phillips initially as the backup to Gregg Zaun. They later signed Bengie Molina to be their new starter. This placed three catchers ahead of Quiróz on the Blue Jays' depth chart.<ref name="phillipsbackup">Template:Cite news</ref><ref>Template:Cite news</ref>

Seattle Mariners

On March 31, 2006, Quiróz was put on waivers by the Blue Jays, but was picked up by the Seattle Mariners on the same day.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref> Quiróz started the seventh game of the 2006 season for the Mariners, but was outrighted to Triple-A Tacoma Rainiers eight days later.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref> Quiróz spent the rest of the season between Triple-A Tacoma and the Double-A San Antonio Missions.

Texas Rangers

Quiróz was signed by the Texas Rangers on December 28, 2006.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref> He spent most of the 2007 season with the Triple-A Oklahoma RedHawks until a September call-up to the majors. At the end of the 2007 season, the Rangers outrighted Quiróz to the minors, but he refused the assignment and became a free agent.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref><ref>Template:Cite news</ref>

Quiróz playing for the Baltimore Orioles in 2008

Baltimore Orioles

On December 3, 2007, Quiróz signed a one-year major league contract with the Baltimore Orioles.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref> He spent the 2008 season as the backup to catcher Ramón Hernández.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref><ref>Template:Cite news</ref> He was invited to spring training and expected to compete for the backup catcher position at the start of the 2009 season,<ref>Template:Cite news</ref><ref>Template:Cite news</ref> but was released on March 21.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref>

Second stint with Mariners

In April 2009, Quiróz signed a minor league deal with the Seattle Mariners.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref> On May 14, 2009, he was assigned to the Double-A West Tenn Diamond Jaxx from the Triple-A Tacoma Rainiers.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref> On May 26, 2009, he was called up from West Tenn to the Seattle Mariners.<ref name=":0">Template:Cite news</ref> On June 19, 2009, Quiróz was designated for assignment.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref> He was later re-signed to a minor league deal in February 2010.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> Quiróz refused an assignment to the Rainiers at the end of the season and became a free agent on November 3, 2010.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref>

San Diego Padres

On January 5, 2011, Quiróz signed a minor league deal with the San Diego Padres.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref> He was invited to spring training to be the backup to Nick Hundley,<ref>Template:Cite news</ref> but did not win the job and spent the season playing for the Tucson Padres.

Seattle Mariners (third stint)

On December 14, 2011, Quiróz signed a minor league contract with the Seattle Mariners.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref><ref>Template:Cite news</ref> He received an invitation to spring training, but did not play for the Mariners in 2012. Instead he played for their Triple-A affiliate Tacoma Rainiers.

Boston Red Sox

On September 4, 2012, the Mariners traded Quiróz to the Boston Red Sox for cash considerations.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref><ref>Template:Cite web</ref> Quiróz was designated for assignment on October 4.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref> According to the International League transactions page, Quiróz was outrighted to the Pawtucket Red Sox on October 10, but chose to become a free agent.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>

San Francisco Giants

On November 20, 2012, He signed a minor league deal with an invite to spring training with the San Francisco Giants.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref> On May 4, 2013 Quiróz hit his first career walk-off home run, a tenth inning, pinch-hit homer against former battery mate Brandon League of the Los Angeles Dodgers, leading the Giants to a 10–9 victory.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref> He was designated for assignment on August 8. He cleared waivers and was sent outright to Triple-A on August 11.

On November 15, 2013, Quiróz signed a minor league contract to return to the Giants.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref> In November 2014, Quiróz was outrighted to Triple A.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref> He refused the assignment and became a free agent on November 3,<ref>Template:Cite news</ref> and then was re-signed to another minor league contract with the Giants.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref> He was released on July 15, 2015.

Cleveland Indians

On February 12, 2016, Quiróz signed a minor league contract with the Cleveland Indians that included an invitation to spring training.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref><ref>Template:Cite news</ref> In 75 games for the Triple–A Columbus Clippers, he batted .264/.314/.447 with 11 home runs and 38 RBI. Quiróz elected free agency following the season on November 7.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>

Quiróz re–signed with Cleveland on another minor league contract on November 21, 2016.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> He was released on March 31, 2017.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>

Coaching career

Quiróz was named a coach for the Triple-A Charlotte Knights for the 2019 season.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> In January 2020, he was named manager of the Kannapolis Cannon Ballers, the Single-A affiliate of the Chicago White Sox. <ref>Template:Cite web </ref>

Quiróz was named manager of the High-A affiliate, Winston-Salem Dash, for the 2023 season. On January 18, 2025, Quiróz was announced as the manager of the Birmingham Barons, Chicago's Double-A affiliate.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>

See also

• List of Major League Baseball players from Venezuela

External links

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