Carlos Cortes Bio
Carlos Andres Cortes (born June 30, 1997) is an American professional baseball outfielder for the Athletics of Major League Baseball (MLB). He made his MLB debut in 2025 after several seasons developing in the minor leagues. Drafted by the New York Mets in the third round of the 2018 MLB draft, Cortes built his professional resume across multiple affiliates before signing with the Athletics organization in late 2024.
Cortes has spent his career as a position player capable of playing the corner outfield positions, and he has worked steadily through every level of professional baseball. His journey through the minor leagues and skill development has established a foundation for his current role with the Athletics.
Early Life and Background
Carlos Andres Cortes was born on June 30, 1997, in Winter Park, Florida. He grew up in central Florida and attended Lake Howell High School in Winter Park, where he played high school baseball and developed into a draft-eligible prospect. His background in a baseball-rich region of Florida gave him early and consistent access to competitive amateur baseball.
After completing his time at Lake Howell, Cortes was selected by the New York Mets in the 20th round of the 2016 Major League Baseball draft. He chose not to sign with the Mets at that point and instead committed to playing college baseball. That decision set the stage for his next chapter at the University of South Carolina.
Path to Baseball
Cortes enrolled at the University of South Carolina, where he played college baseball for the Gamecocks during the 2017 and 2018 seasons. During the summer of 2017, he played collegiate summer baseball in the Cape Cod Baseball League for the Yarmouth-Dennis Red Sox, an experience that placed him against many of the top amateur players in the country.
In his sophomore season of 2018, Cortes hit .265 with 15 home runs and 44 RBI for the Gamecocks. His power production that year drew national attention, and he was ranked the 177th best prospect by Baseball America heading into the 2018 draft. That spring performance convinced the Mets to select him again, this time in the third round.
Carlos Cortes Career
Early Career (2018-2019)
The Mets selected Cortes with the 83rd overall pick in the third round of the 2018 MLB draft, and he signed with the organization for a reported $1 million signing bonus on June 25, 2018. He made his professional debut that summer with the Low-A Brooklyn Cyclones, where he hit .264/.338/.382 with four home runs and 24 RBI. The debut season gave him a measured introduction to the pace and rigor of professional baseball.
Cortes spent the 2019 season with the High-A St. Lucie Mets. Over 127 appearances, he slashed .255/.336/.397 with 11 home runs, 68 RBI, and 26 doubles, showing steady on-base skills and doubles power. He did not appear in a game in 2020 because the minor league season was canceled due to the COVID-19 pandemic, but he stayed active that winter by playing in the Australian Baseball League for the Sydney Blue Sox.
New York Mets Era (2021-2024)
Cortes spent the 2021 season with the Double-A Binghamton Rumble Ponies, batting .257/.332/.487 with 14 home runs and 57 RBI over 79 games. His power numbers climbed at the higher level, reinforcing his profile as an offensive corner outfielder. The following year, he split 2022 between Binghamton and the Triple-A Syracuse Mets, slashing .223/.295/.369 with 12 home runs and 55 RBI across 123 games.
In 2023, Cortes played 118 games for Triple-A Syracuse, batting .241/.355/.428 with 15 home runs and 54 RBI. He returned to Syracuse in 2024 and appeared in 83 games, hitting .246/.330/.456 with 16 home runs, 52 RBI, and three stolen bases. After the 2024 season, Cortes elected free agency on November 4, 2024, ending his run in the Mets system.
Athletics Era (2024-Present)
On November 18, 2024, Cortes signed a minor league contract with the Athletics, beginning a new chapter in his professional career. The Athletics added Cortes to their 40-man roster on July 15, 2025, and immediately optioned him back to the Triple-A Las Vegas Aviators. The roster move signaled that the organization viewed him as part of its major league plans.
Cortes made his MLB debut with the Athletics in July 2025. On July 24, in a game against the Houston Astros, he recorded his first MLB RBI on a sacrifice fly in the top of the second inning, then threw out a runner at second from far right field in the bottom of the third, and singled for his first MLB hit in the top of the fourth. On September 6, 2025, Cortes hit his first career home run, a solo shot off Scott Kingery of the Los Angeles Angels.
Driving Style and Strengths
Cortes is recognized for his right-handed power bat and his ability to play the corner outfield positions. He has consistently produced double-digit home run totals at every full-season minor league stop and has shown the patience to draw walks, as reflected in his on-base percentages across levels.
Notable Events and Milestones
His signing for a reported $1 million bonus in 2018 marked him as one of the Mets’ notable draft investments that year. His MLB debut with the Athletics in 2025 produced a memorable first game, with an RBI, a defensive assist, and a base hit all in the same afternoon. He later added his first major league home run in September 2025.
Carlos Cortes Career Wins
Across his professional career, Carlos Andres Cortes has appeared at every level of the New York Mets minor league system, from Low-A Brooklyn through Triple-A Syracuse, before joining the Athletics organization. He posted double-digit home run totals in each of his full minor league seasons from 2019 through 2024 and reached the major leagues for the first time in 2025.
Minor League Highlights
Cortes opened his career with the Low-A Brooklyn Cyclones in 2018 and advanced one level per year through the Mets system, reaching Triple-A Syracuse in 2022. His strongest statistical season came in 2021 with Double-A Binghamton, where he batted .257/.332/.487 with 14 home runs and 57 RBI in 79 games. He added 16 home runs for Syracuse in 2024, his final season in the Mets organization.
Other Performances
During the canceled 2020 minor league season, Cortes played winter ball for the Sydney Blue Sox of the Australian Baseball League, gaining valuable at-bats against international competition. He also spent a summer with the Yarmouth-Dennis Red Sox of the Cape Cod Baseball League in 2017, one of the premier collegiate summer circuits in the United States.
Carlos Cortes Family
Family Background and Baseball Lineage
Carlos Andres Cortes was raised in Winter Park, Florida, where he attended Lake Howell High School and developed as a baseball player. Public details about his parents and broader family are limited, and his background story has largely been told through his amateur and professional career rather than through family connections in the sport.
Personal Life
Cortes is an American citizen by birth, having been born and raised in Florida before moving on to college in South Carolina and then to professional baseball outposts across the country. Public information about his personal relationships, marital status, or children has not been widely reported.
2025 Season Performance
Cortes opened 2025 in the Athletics organization following his November 2024 minor league deal. He was added to the Athletics’ 40-man roster on July 15, 2025, and optioned to the Triple-A Las Vegas Aviators, the Athletics’ top affiliate. His call-up to the major league roster came shortly afterward, and he made his MLB debut in July 2025.
In his debut game on July 24 against the Houston Astros, Cortes produced an RBI on a sacrifice fly, a strong throw from right field to nab a runner at second, and a single for his first major league hit, all within his first few innings in the big leagues. On September 6, 2025, he hit his first career home run off Scott Kingery of the Los Angeles Angels, another milestone moment in his first major league season.
The remainder of the 2025 season gave Cortes an opportunity to settle into a major league role with the Athletics and to build on a strong debut stretch. With his power bat and corner outfield profile, he enters the back half of 2025 looking to establish himself as a regular contributor in the Athletics’ outfield.