José Ramírez Bio
José Enrique Ramírez, born on September 17, 1992, in Baní, Dominican Republic, is a Dominican professional baseball third baseman for the Cleveland Guardians of Major League Baseball (MLB). The switch-hitter signed with the Cleveland Indians as an international free agent in 2009 and made his MLB debut in 2013, quickly rising through the minor leagues to become one of the franchise’s most productive players. Known for his powerful hitting and speed on the bases, Ramírez has earned seven All-Star selections and multiple Silver Slugger Awards. In 2016, he helped lead the Indians to the World Series, hitting .310 in the series, which the Indians ultimately lost.
Early Life and Background
José Enrique Ramírez grew up in poverty in Baní, Dominican Republic, as the first-born son of Silveria Mateo and Sito Ramírez. By the age of 13, he was already playing in a league for adults, sharpening his skills on local diamonds long before he entered the professional ranks. He looked up to MVP Miguel Tejada, who also grew up in Baní and often returned to do philanthropic work, a legacy Ramírez would later continue.
As a teenager, Ramírez played baseball in the Dominican Prospect League, where his bat began to attract attention from international scouts. In 2009, at the age of 17, Ramírez and other unsigned prospects traveled to the Cleveland Indians’ Dominican facility in Boca Chica. Indians scout Ramon Peña noticed the oft-overlooked Ramírez when Ramírez racked up 11 hits in four games across three days, leading to a professional contract. He signed with the Indians, receiving a $50,000 signing bonus.
Path to Baseball
After signing in 2009, Ramírez sat out the 2010 season and made his professional debut in 2011 with the Arizona Indians of the Rookie-level Arizona League, where he batted .325 in 48 games. He also played for the Toros del Este of the Dominican Winter League during the offseason to continue his development against veteran competition. The following year, he played for the Mahoning Valley Scrappers of the Class A-Short Season New York-Penn League and Lake County Captains of the Class A Midwest League, climbing steadily through Cleveland’s farm system. In 2013, he started the season with the Akron Aeros of the Double-A Eastern League, his final stop before reaching the majors.
José Ramírez Career
Early Career (2013–2014)
The Indians promoted Ramírez to the major leagues on September 1, 2013, and he made his MLB debut that day, entering the game as a pinch runner during the ninth inning and scoring on Mike Avilés’ game-winning grand slam. He recorded his first major league hit on September 9 against the Kansas City Royals, lining a single to left field off Royals starter Ervin Santana. Ramírez began the 2014 season in the minor leagues but was promoted to the majors on May 1, as second baseman Jason Kipnis went on the disabled list, providing him with an early taste of everyday play.
Ramírez began to get regular playing time at shortstop on July 31, 2014, after the Indians traded shortstop Asdrúbal Cabrera. He hit his first major home run on August 9 in his first career three-hit game and finished the 2014 season batting .262 in 237 at-bats, compiling 62 hits and 10 steals, tied for fourth-most on the team.
Indians Breakthrough (2015–2016)
In 2015, Ramírez made his first Opening Day roster and started on Opening Day, batting ninth and playing shortstop. After struggling through the first half of the season and a brief demotion to the Triple-A Columbus Clippers, he returned on August 3 and played much better, hitting .280 in September and October with 21 hits and a career-high four home runs in one month. The experience of moving between the majors and minors hardened his approach heading into the following year.
In 2016, Ramírez hit .312/.363/.462 and became the first player during the season to hit in every spot in the lineup when he batted fourth on June 28. On June 19, he hit a walk-off single in the 10th inning against the Chicago White Sox, beginning a 14-game winning streak that set a franchise record at the time. He finished the season with career-highs of a .312 batting average, 46 doubles, 11 home runs, 76 RBIs, 22 stolen bases, and 4.8 Wins Above Replacement. In the World Series, he hit .310 with one double, one home run, and one walk, though the Cubs ultimately prevailed in seven games.
Guardians Era (2022–Present)
On April 6, 2022, Ramírez signed a 5-year, $124 million extension with the Cleveland Guardians, the largest contract awarded in franchise history and including a full no-trade clause. In Cleveland’s home opener that season, he doubled in the ninth inning for his 1,000th career hit and won AL Player of the Month Award for April. He led the major leagues with 44 doubles and 20 intentional walks, batting .280/.355/.514 with 29 home runs and 126 RBIs across 685 plate appearances. On June 8, he notched his first career three-home run game against the Red Sox.
In 2023, he batted .282/.356/.475, led the AL in intentional walks, and was second in the AL in walk-to-strikeout ratio. On September 29, 2024, when the final game of the regular season against the Houston Astros was canceled due to rain, Ramírez finished the season batting .279/.335/.537 with 39 doubles, 39 home runs, and 41 stolen bases, falling one home run shy of becoming the seventh player to join the 40–40 club. In the postseason, he batted .229/.364/.486 in 10 games as Cleveland lost in the American League Championship Series to the New York Yankees.
Driving Style and Strengths
Ramírez is a switch-hitter whose elite plate discipline sets him apart, producing the highest batted ball pull percentage in the major leagues at 56.8% in 2021. He combines above-average exit velocity with consistent contact, making him a threat to hit for both average and power from both sides of the plate. His base-running instincts and growing speed have made him a member of the 30–30 club and a constant presence on the base paths.
Notable Events and Milestones
In 2025, Ramírez became the first Cleveland player to have 250 home runs and 250 stolen bases, the 24th player in MLB history to achieve the mark, and the first primary third baseman to do so. On August 12, he set the Guardians franchise record for most multi-homer games with 27, breaking a tie with Albert Belle and Jim Thome. On September 25 against the Detroit Tigers, he became Cleveland’s all-time extra-base hits leader with 726, surpassing Earl Averill.
José Ramírez Career Wins
Across more than a decade in the major leagues, Ramírez has built a résumé defined by doubles, extra-base hits, and stolen bases, collecting individual hardware while keeping Cleveland in postseason contention. His most decorated campaigns include the 2017 season, when he led the major leagues with 56 doubles and posted a .318 batting average, and the 2018 season, when he joined the 30–30 club with 39 home runs and 34 stolen bases.
Major League Highlights
In 2017, Ramírez finished with an MLB-leading 56 doubles, a .318 batting average, .957 OPS, 29 home runs, 83 RBIs, and 107 runs scored, earning his first career Silver Slugger Award and a third-place finish in the AL Most Valuable Player voting. In 2018, he became the first Indians player to achieve 30 home runs, 30 stolen bases, 100 runs scored, and 100 RBIs in the same season. In 2020, he earned his third career Silver Slugger Award and a second-place finish in the AL MVP voting.
Other Performances
Ramírez played for the Toros del Este of the Dominican Winter League early in his career, gaining valuable experience against veteran competition during the offseason. He also played for the Akron Aeros of the Double-A Eastern League in 2013 before his call-up to the majors.
José Ramírez Family
Family Background and Racing Lineage
José Enrique Ramírez is the first-born son of Sito Ramírez and Silveria Mateo, who raised him in Baní, Dominican Republic. His brother, Jose Báez Ramírez, signed with Cleveland in 2018 and retired in 2023 after playing for the Arizona Complex League Guardians, continuing the family’s connection to the game.
Personal Life
Ramírez is married to his wife, Rosedith, and the couple has three children. He has continued the philanthropic legacy of his childhood idol Miguel Tejada, and an all-turf field, donated by Ramírez and the Cleveland Guardians, is located near Ramírez’s childhood home and bears his name.
2025 Season Performance
Ramírez’s 2025 campaign reinforced his standing as one of the franchise’s all-time greats, beginning with his second career three-home run game on April 4 against the Angels, which also tied the franchise record for multi-homer games. On May 1, he stole his 250th career base against the Minnesota Twins, becoming the first player in franchise history with at least 250 home runs and 250 stolen bases, and the 24th player to pull off the feat in MLB history. He was the first primary third baseman to accomplish the feat and the seventh player to achieve it with one team in major league history.
On July 21, he hit a three-run home run against the Baltimore Orioles in the first inning, reaching the 20-homer, 20-stolen base milestone for the seventh time in his career, becoming only the sixth player in history to record seven such seasons. On September 19, he played his 1,600th game in a Cleveland uniform, becoming the first player in 100-plus years in franchise history to accomplish that feat. The next day, he hit his 30th home run of the season, becoming the first player in Guardians history with three 30–30 seasons, and just the second switch-hitter and third baseman to do so in major league history, after Howard Johnson.