José Buttó Bio
José Alejandro Buttó is a Venezuelan professional baseball pitcher for the San Francisco Giants of Major League Baseball (MLB). He previously played in MLB for the New York Mets after signing with the organization as an international free agent in 2017. A versatile arm who has worked as both a starter and a reliever, Buttó made his MLB debut in 2022 and has continued to develop into a reliable piece of major league pitching staffs.
Across his first several major league seasons, Buttó has shown the ability to log innings in a variety of roles. His career path from the Dominican Summer League through the Mets’ farm system, and eventually to the Giants, has marked him as a steady, workmanlike pitcher who adapts to what his team needs.
Early Life and Background
José Alejandro Buttó was born on March 19, 1998, and grew up in Venezuela, where baseball is a national passion and a common pathway for young athletes. From an early age, he focused on pitching, refining his mechanics and building the arm strength that would eventually attract professional scouts.
Venezuela has produced many major league pitchers, and Buttó followed that traditional pipeline toward professional baseball. His amateur progression drew the attention of the New York Mets, who signed him as an international free agent on June 2, 2017. That signing launched his professional career while he was still a teenager.
Path to Baseball
Buttó made his professional debut with the Dominican Summer League Mets in 2017, posting a 1.44 ERA across 15 appearances and 8 starts. That strong opening season gave the organization confidence that the young Venezuelan had the tools to climb the minor league ladder.
In 2018, Buttó split time between the rookie-level Kingsport Mets and the Low-A Brooklyn Cyclones, making 12 appearances with 11 starts and recording a 3.86 ERA with 55 strikeouts across more than 60 innings. He spent the entire 2019 season with the Single-A Columbia Fireflies, going 4-10 with a 3.62 ERA and 109 strikeouts in 112 innings over 25 starts, demonstrating the durability and strikeout ability that defined his development.
Like many minor leaguers, Buttó did not play in 2020 after the season was canceled because of the COVID-19 pandemic. He returned in 2021 and made 20 combined starts between High-A Brooklyn and the Double-A Binghamton Mets, posting a 4-6 record with a 3.83 ERA and 110 strikeouts across 98 and two-thirds innings. On November 19, 2021, the Mets added him to their 40-man roster to protect him from the Rule 5 draft, an important step toward a major league future.
José Buttó Career
Early Career (2017-2021)
Buttó began his professional journey in the Dominican Summer League in 2017, where his 1.44 ERA announced him as a prospect to watch. Over the next several seasons he advanced one level at a time, moving from Kingsport and Brooklyn to Columbia and eventually to Binghamton, sharpening his pitch mix and learning how to handle larger workloads.
His development years produced steady rather than flashy numbers, with high strikeout totals and innings-eating tendencies. By the end of 2021, Buttó had earned his place on the Mets’ 40-man roster and was positioned to begin the 2022 season at Double-A Binghamton.
New York Mets Breakthrough (2022-2025)
Buttó began 2022 with Double-A Binghamton, where he posted a 6-5 record and 4.00 ERA with 108 strikeouts across 20 games and 18 starts. On August 21, 2022, he was promoted to the major leagues for the first time to make a spot start against the Philadelphia Phillies. In that debut, Buttó allowed 7 runs on 9 hits and 2 walks across 4 innings before being optioned back to Triple-A Syracuse the following day.
He returned to the majors several times in 2023 after opening the year at Syracuse, with his longest stay coming after the September roster expansion. Across 9 games and 7 starts for the Mets in 2023, he recorded a 1-4 record with a 3.64 ERA and 38 strikeouts in 42 innings. In 2024, Buttó posted a 7-3 record with a 2.55 ERA and 79 strikeouts in 74 innings across 37 games as both a starter and reliever, highlighted by his first major league save on July 10 in a 6-2 win over the Washington Nationals.
Buttó made the Mets’ Opening Day roster in 2025 and appeared in 34 games for New York before being placed on the injured list in July due to illness. He was reactivated later that month following three scoreless rehab appearances for the Florida Complex League Mets and the Syracuse Mets, finishing his Mets tenure with a 3-2 record and a 3.64 ERA, one save, and 41 strikeouts over 47 innings.
San Francisco Giants Era (2025-Present)
On July 30, 2025, the Mets traded Buttó, Drew Gilbert, and Blade Tidwell to the San Francisco Giants in exchange for pitcher Tyler Rogers. The trade gave Buttó a fresh opportunity on the West Coast and a chance to contribute to a contending club.
In 21 appearances for the Giants to close the 2025 season, Buttó compiled a 2-1 record with a 4.50 ERA and 17 strikeouts across 20 innings. Across both clubs in 2025, he pitched 67 innings in 55 games, finishing the year with a 5-3 record, a 3.90 ERA, 1 save, and 58 strikeouts.
Driving Style and Strengths
Buttó is known for his strikeout ability and his willingness to work in any role, whether as a starter or a multi-inning reliever. His career features consistent swing-and-miss totals, with seasons of 100 or more strikeouts in the minor leagues and steady punch-outs at the major league level. Coaches have valued his adaptability, composure on the mound, and capacity to handle high-leverage situations when called upon.
Notable Events and Milestones
One of the defining moments of Buttó’s career came on August 21, 2022, when he made his MLB debut as a spot starter against the Philadelphia Phillies. Another milestone arrived on July 10, 2024, when he recorded his first major league save in a 6-2 win over the Washington Nationals. His trade to the Giants on July 30, 2025, marked another major turn, giving him a new organization and a fresh postseason chase.
José Buttó Career Highlights
Buttó’s professional resume includes a major league debut in 2022, an Opening Day roster spot with the Mets in 2025, and a midseason trade to the San Francisco Giants later that same year. He has compiled wins in both starting and relief roles and has shown the durability to log heavy innings at multiple minor league levels.
MLB Highlights
Buttó’s most productive MLB season to date came in 2024, when he went 7-3 with a 2.55 ERA and 79 strikeouts across 74 innings for the Mets. He added his first major league save during that campaign and pitched in 37 games as both a starter and a reliever. In 2025, he combined his work for the Mets and Giants to post a 5-3 record with a 3.90 ERA, 1 save, and 58 strikeouts across 67 innings.
Minor League Performances
Across the Dominican Summer League, Kingsport, Brooklyn, Columbia, Binghamton, and Syracuse, Buttó built his reputation as a high-strikeout innings-eater. He produced a 1.44 ERA in his 2017 debut season, a 3.86 ERA across the rookie and Low-A levels in 2018, a 3.62 ERA with 109 strikeouts at Columbia in 2019, and a 4-6 record with a 3.83 ERA and 110 strikeouts in 2021.
José Buttó Family
Family Background and Personal Life
Buttó is married to his wife, Emely, and the couple has a son named Allan. Outside of baseball, his family life has been a steady presence as he has moved between minor league cities and the major league clubs of New York and San Francisco.
2025 Season Performance
The 2025 season was a year of transition for Buttó. He began the year on the Mets’ Opening Day roster and served in a versatile bullpen and spot-start role through the first half of the season, going 3-2 with a 3.64 ERA, one save, and 41 strikeouts in 47 innings for New York before a July stint on the injured list for illness.
Following his trade to the Giants on July 30, 2025, Buttó settled into a relief role in the National League West, finishing the year with a 2-1 record and a 4.50 ERA in 20 innings over 21 appearances for San Francisco. Across both clubs, he totaled 67 innings in 55 games, with a 5-3 record, a 3.90 ERA, 1 save, and 58 strikeouts, providing his new team with a flexible arm down the stretch.