Jeimer Candelario Bio
Jeimer Candelario is an American professional baseball third baseman and first baseman who is currently a free agent. Born on November 24, 1993, in New York City, he moved to the Dominican Republic at the age of five. Candelario signed with the Chicago Cubs in 2010 and made his MLB debut in 2016. Over the years, he has played for the Cubs, Detroit Tigers, Washington Nationals, and Cincinnati Reds. He has also represented the Dominican Republic in international baseball competitions.
Early Life and Background
Jeimer Candelario was born on November 24, 1993, in New York City, New York. When he was five years old, his family relocated to the Dominican Republic so that his father could open a baseball training center. Growing up around that facility gave Candelario an early and constant exposure to the sport and helped shape his development as a young player in the Dominican baseball system.
His upbringing split between New York City and the Dominican Republic gave him a bicultural foundation that influenced both his personal identity and his approach to the game. The training environment created by his father provided a structured path toward professional baseball, and Candelario committed to that route at a young age.
Path to Professional Baseball
Candelario signed with the Chicago Cubs as an international free agent on November 20, 2010, beginning his path through the organization’s farm system. He made his professional debut the following year with the Dominican Summer League Cubs and steadily climbed the minor league ladder, spending time with the Boise Hawks, Kane County Cougars, Daytona Cubs, Myrtle Beach Pelicans, and Tennessee Smokies between 2012 and 2015. After the 2015 season, the Cubs added him to their 40-man roster, signaling that he was part of the team’s long-term plans.
In 2016, Candelario opened the year with the Triple-A Iowa Cubs of the Pacific Coast League and batted .333 in his first 25 games, forcing the organization’s hand. The Cubs promoted him to the major league club on July 3, 2016, to replace the injured Chris Coghlan, and he made his MLB debut the same day against the New York Mets. Although he appeared in only five games that season, he finished the year as a member of the Cubs organization when the team won the 2016 World Series title.
Jeimer Candelario Career
Early Career (2016–2017)
Candelario’s first major league stint came in 2016 with the Chicago Cubs, where he went 4-for-11 in five games before being optioned back to Triple-A Iowa. Although he was not on the Cubs’ postseason roster, he was part of the 40-man roster when the team won the 2016 World Series, earning his first championship ring. He spent most of 2017 in the minors before a midseason trade changed the direction of his career.
On July 31, 2017, the Cubs traded Candelario, along with Isaac Paredes and a player to be named later or cash considerations, to the Detroit Tigers in exchange for Alex Avila and Justin Wilson. The Tigers assigned him to the Toledo Mud Hens before promoting him to the major leagues on August 7. With the 2017 Tigers, Candelario went 31-for-94, hitting two home runs and driving in 13 runs in his first extended look in the big leagues.
Detroit Tigers Era (2017–2022)
Candelario became the Tigers’ regular third baseman in 2018 and later hit his first career multi-homer game on May 26 against the Chicago White Sox starter Hector Santiago. He finished 2018 with a .224 batting average, 19 home runs, and 54 RBIs. In 2019, he recorded his first career five-hit game on March 31 against the Toronto Blue Jays but was optioned to Toledo after a slow start. He returned late in the year and finished 2019 hitting .203 with eight home runs and 32 RBIs.
In the shortened 2020 season, Candelario was moved from third base to first base following an injury to C. J. Cron and was named American League Player of the Week for September 7–13. During that week, he hit .423 with four doubles, three home runs, and nine RBI in eight games, and he homered in both games of a doubleheader on September 10, becoming the first Tigers player to accomplish that feat since Leonys Martín in 2018. He hit .297 with seven home runs and 29 RBIs in 52 games and led Detroit with 21 extra-base hits.
Candelario’s strongest season with Detroit came in 2021, when he hit .271 with 16 home runs, 67 RBIs, and an MLB-leading 42 doubles. He led the Tigers with 61 extra-base hits and a team-best 3.2 Wins Above Replacement, and was named Tiger of the Year by the Detroit chapter of the Baseball Writers’ Association of America for the second straight season, becoming the first player since Miguel Cabrera in 2012 and 2013 to win the award in back-to-back years. He returned in 2022 on a one-year deal but hit .217 with 13 home runs and 50 RBIs before being non-tendered and reaching free agency.
Washington Nationals and Chicago Cubs (2023)
On November 29, 2022, Candelario signed a one-year, $5 million contract with the Washington Nationals. He became their everyday third baseman in 2023 and slashed .258/.342/.481 with 16 home runs, 53 RBIs, and six stolen bases in 99 games. On July 31, 2023, the Nationals traded him back to the Chicago Cubs for DJ Herz and Kevin Made. In 41 games with the Cubs, he batted .234/.318/.445 with six home runs, 17 RBIs, and two stolen bases, and he became a free agent after the season.
Cincinnati Reds Era (2024–2025)
On December 11, 2023, Candelario signed a three-year, $45 million contract with a club option for a fourth year with the Cincinnati Reds. In 2024, he made 112 appearances and hit .225/.279/.429 with 20 home runs, 56 RBIs, and four stolen bases. His 2025 season was cut short, as he batted .113/.198/.213 with two home runs and 10 RBI in 22 games before being designated for assignment on June 23, 2025. He was released by Cincinnati after clearing waivers on June 29.
New York Yankees (2025)
On July 5, 2025, Candelario signed a minor league contract with the New York Yankees. He made 61 appearances for the Triple-A Scranton/Wilkes-Barre RailRiders, slashing .203/.289/.357 with seven home runs and 31 RBI. Following the season, he elected free agency on November 6, returning to the open market.
Notable Events and Milestones
Among the highlights of Candelario’s career are his 2016 World Series title with the Chicago Cubs, his MLB-leading 42 doubles in 2021, and his back-to-back Detroit Tiger of the Year awards in 2020 and 2021. He is the first Detroit player since Miguel Cabrera to win that honor in consecutive seasons and is the first Tiger to homer in both ends of a doubleheader since Leonys Martín in 2018.
Jeimer Candelario Family
Family Background and Baseball Lineage
Candelario’s early connection to professional baseball came through his father, who opened a baseball training center in the Dominican Republic when the family moved there. That facility served as a launching point for Candelario’s career and gave him a clear pathway into the sport as a child.
2025 Season Performance
Candelario’s 2025 season began with the Cincinnati Reds, where he struggled to find offensive consistency and was designated for assignment on June 23 before being released after clearing waivers on June 29. After his release, he signed a minor league deal with the New York Yankees on July 5 and spent the remainder of the year with the Scranton/Wilkes-Barre RailRiders, working to rediscover his swing at the Triple-A level. Across 61 games in the minors, he hit .203 with seven home runs and 31 RBI, a respectable but modest showing given his usual major league production.
On November 6, 2025, Candelario elected free agency, putting him back on the open market heading into the offseason. With several organizations likely in need of a versatile corner-infield bat who can play both third base and first base, his 2026 outlook will depend on where he lands and what role he is offered.