LOS ANGELES, CA — When the Dodgers traded with the Tampa Bay Rays for Tyler Glasnow, they also got Manuel Margot. The 29-year-old right-handed hitting outfielder from San Cristobal, Dominican Republic, will give the Dodgers another solid defensive position player who can play left field and center field against lefties. This will allow manager Dave Roberts to rest James Outman, who struggled last year against left-handed pitchers.
Nicknamed Yoandry, Margot was initially signed by Boston Red Sox scouts Manny Nanita and Craig Shipley as a 17-year-old before the 2012 season. The Red Sox immediately had him play in the Dominican Summer League, where he was selected for the DSL All-Star game. The organization later voted him as their 2012 Red Sox Minor League Latin Program Player of the Year. In 2015, he was part of the trade that sent four prospects to the San Diego Padres for closer Craig Kimbrel. He became the Padres’ regular center fielder in 2018, starting in 123 games, and was considered a plus defender in center field. Then, just before the 2020 season began, he was traded with a prospect to the Rays for pitcher Emilio Pagan.
In Tampa, he became a part-time player before seeing more playing time in center field with the departure of gold & platinum glove starter Kevin Kiermaier, who left in free agency for Toronto.
Manuel Margot was one of the main leaders in the Rays’ clubhouse throughout his Tampa Bay tenure, especially among the Latino players and coaches – Image Credit: Latino Sports
At Tampa, Margot showed outstanding leadership for the club’s Latin American players. “He’s like the group’s father,” said former teammate Luis Patiño through interpreter Manny Navarro. “He helps us out a lot.” His former manager, Kevin Cash in Tampa Bay, said this about Miguel: “The way he plays the game… I mean, he runs everything out, gives quality at-bats, is a good teammate, is supportive,” Cash said. “He understands, at certain parts of the year, his role might not be [starting] every single day of the week, but he’s always ready when he’s maybe not in the lineup. That goes a long way, certainly within our team.”
The Dodgers went after Glasnow and got a gift when the Rays made him part of the deal.
As a side note about one of Margot’s off-the-field interests, he has had a passion for riding horses going back to when he was a young boy and his late father worked on a farm. He still loves to ride his horse, Pencoté, and here in California, he can ride Pencoté throughout the beautiful countryside where many Hollywood Westerns were filmed, “Ride Em Cowboy!”
Tonight after the game on @BallyRays, Manuel Margot, Francisco Mejia & a 🐎 farm. @manuelmargot rode horses growing up & owns them now. @francisco_miguel1327 has loved animals from a young age.
How better to get know these these crucial pieces to the roster than riding some🐎? pic.twitter.com/sKN4WbPTtC
— Tricia Whitaker (@TriciaWhitaker) October 4, 2022
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