Sergio Alcántara
Sergio Junior Alcántara Hernández is a Dominican professional baseball infielder in the Washington Nationals organization. He has previously played in Major League Baseball for the Detroit Tigers, Chicago Cubs, Arizona Diamondbacks, San Diego Padres, and San Francisco Giants.
Career
Arizona Diamondbacks
Alcántara signed with the Arizona Diamondbacks as an international free agent on July 10, 2012 for a $700,000 signing bonus. He made his professional debut in 2013 with the rookie-level Arizona League Diamondbacks and spent the whole season there, slashing.243/.398/.320 with 16 RBI in 48 games. In 2014, Alcántara played for the Missoula Osprey where he batted.244 with one home run and 18 RBI in 70 games, and in 2015, he played for the Kane County Cougars and Hillsboro Hops where he posted a combined.223 batting average with one home run and 28 RBI in 91 total games between the two teams. Alcántara spent 2016 with the AZL Diamondbacks, Hillsboro, Kane County, and the Visalia Rawhide, compiling a.284 batting average with one home run and 26 RBI in 76 total games. He began 2017 back with Visalia.Detroit Tigers
On July 18, 2017, the Diamondbacks traded Alcántara along with Dawel Lugo and Jose King to the Detroit Tigers in exchange for J. D. Martinez. Detroit assigned him to the High-A Lakeland Flying Tigers and he finished the season there. In 121 total games between Visalia and Lakeland, he slashed.266/.334/.339 with three home runs, 35 RBI, and a.673 OPS.On November 20, 2017, the Tigers added Alcántara to their 40-man roster to protect him from the Rule 5 draft. In 2018, he spent the full season with the Double-A Erie SeaWolves, where he hit.271 with a home run, 37 RBI, and eighteen doubles. For the second straight season, Alcántara would remain at the Double-A level for the full season during the 2019 season. Playing in 102 games he finished the season with a.247 average and.346 OBP. Alcántara hit two home runs, had 27 RBI, but walked 48 times, six times more than in 2018. Alcántara was invited to spring training for the 2020 season but it was cut short due to the COVID-19 pandemic. When the league started but up in the summer, Alcántara missed the beginning of summer camp when he tested positive for COVID-19.
On September 4, 2020, the Tigers called up Alcántara as the 29th man for a doubleheader against the Minnesota Twins but was sent back down to the alternate training site afterwards without getting a chance to play. He was called up again the next day and made his major league debut on September 6. Alcántara hit a home run in his first at-bat with the Tigers, becoming the eighth Tiger player to accomplish this feat, and the first position player for the Tigers to do since Reggie Sanders in 1974. Overall with the 2020 Detroit Tigers, Alcántara batted.143 with one home run and one RBI in 10 games.
On January 29, 2021, Alcántara was designated for assignment by the Tigers following the signing of Wilson Ramos.
Chicago Cubs
On February 5, 2021, Alcántara was claimed by the Chicago Cubs off waivers from the Tigers. On February 18, Alcántara was designated for assignment after the signing of Brandon Workman was made official. On February 20, Alcántara was outrighted and invited to spring training as a non-roster invitee. He was assigned to the Triple-A Iowa Cubs to begin the regular season. On May 30, Alcántara was selected to the active roster. In 89 appearances for the Cubs, he batted.205/.303/.327 with five home runs, 17 RBI, and three stolen bases.Alcántara was designated for assignment by Chicago on March 23, 2022, to make room on the roster for Mychal Givens.