Miguel Andújar Bio
Miguel Enrique Andújar is a Dominican professional baseball player who works as a left fielder and third baseman. Born on March 2, 1995, in San Cristóbal, Dominican Republic, he has built a steady career across Major League Baseball since his 2017 debut. He is currently a free agent after playing most recently for the Cincinnati Reds.
Across his MLB career, Andújar has suited up for the New York Yankees, Pittsburgh Pirates, Oakland Athletics, and Cincinnati Reds. He is best remembered for a stellar 2018 rookie campaign in which he set a Yankees rookie record with 47 doubles and finished second in the American League Rookie of the Year voting.
Early Life and Background
Miguel Enrique Andújar was born in San Cristóbal, Dominican Republic, a city long associated with Dominican baseball talent. Growing up in the Dominican Republic placed him in one of the most fertile baseball cultures in the world, where the sport operates almost as a daily routine from a young age.
Like many prospects from the region, Andújar developed his game through local amateur play and showcases before reaching a level that attracted Major League scouts. His right-handed bat and infield skills made him an appealing international target in his mid-teens.
Path to Baseball
Andújar signed with the New York Yankees as an international free agent in July 2011 at age 16. He made his professional debut in 2012 with the Gulf Coast Yankees and worked his way steadily up the Yankees’ developmental ladder, splitting 2013 between the Gulf Coast Yankees 2 and the Single-A Charleston RiverDogs in 2014.
In 2015, Andújar moved to the Tampa Yankees of the High-A Florida State League, and he opened 2016 there before a promotion to the Trenton Thunder of the Double-A Eastern League. He finished the year in the Arizona Fall League and was added to the Yankees’ 40-man roster after that season, signaling his arrival as a serious prospect.
Miguel Andújar Career
Early Career (2017)
Andújar began 2017 back with Trenton, where he batted .312 with seven home runs and 52 RBIs through 67 games, leading the Eastern League. After a season-ending injury to Gleyber Torres, he was promoted to Triple-A Scranton/Wilkes-Barre, and his strong play there pushed him toward the major leagues.
On June 28, 2017, the Yankees promoted Andújar to serve as the designated hitter against the Chicago White Sox. He went 3-for-4 with four RBIs and a walk in that debut, setting a Yankees record for most RBIs in a player’s first game. He was optioned back to Triple-A the next day to keep playing third base every day, and he returned in September when rosters expanded.
New York Yankees Breakthrough (2018)
Andújar opened 2018 at Triple-A but was promoted on April 1 after an injury to Billy McKinney. He hit his first major league home run on April 17 and later that month joined Joe DiMaggio and Mickey Mantle as the only Yankees under 24 to record extra-base hits in seven straight games. On May 4, he delivered his first career walk-off, an RBI single in a 7-6 win over the Cleveland Indians, and on June 5 he hit his first major league grand slam.
His biggest milestone came on September 29, when his 45th double of the season broke Joe DiMaggio’s 1936 record for most doubles by a Yankees rookie. Andújar finished the year batting .297/.328/.527, and despite seeing the lowest percentage of fastballs of any MLB hitter, he ranked among the league’s top rookie sluggers. He finished second in the American League Rookie of the Year voting behind Shohei Ohtani.
The 2019 and 2020 seasons were largely lost to a right shoulder injury that required surgery in May 2019. When Andújar returned in 2020 spring training, the Yankees began using him as a left fielder, adding outfield to his resume. He spent much of 2020 and 2021 shuttling between the active roster, the injured list with a strained wrist, and Triple-A, and on June 4, 2022, after a brief recall, he requested a trade. He was designated for assignment on September 22, 2022.
Pittsburgh Pirates (2022–2023)
The Pittsburgh Pirates claimed Andújar off waivers on September 25, 2022, and he appeared in nine games down the stretch, hitting .250/.275/.389 with no home runs and 9 RBI. He signed a one-year contract worth $1.525 million in November to avoid arbitration.
The 2023 season was turbulent, with multiple designations for assignment and outright assignments to Triple-A Indianapolis. Between stints in Indianapolis, where he hit .284/.364/.500 with three home runs and 15 RBI in 23 games, Andújar returned to the Pittsburgh roster and batted .250/.300/.476 with four home runs and 18 RBI in 30 major league games. After the season he was removed from the 40-man roster.
Oakland Athletics Era (2024–2025)
On November 6, 2023, Andújar was claimed off waivers by the Oakland Athletics. He signed a one-year contract worth $1.7 million in November and was announced to have suffered a torn meniscus on March 22, 2024, requiring surgery that kept him out 4–6 weeks. He returned to play 75 games for Oakland, slashing .285/.320/.377 with four home runs, 30 RBI, and three stolen bases, before a season-ending core muscle surgery announced by manager Mark Kotsay on August 28.
On January 9, 2025, Andújar agreed to a $3 million contract with the Athletics to avoid arbitration. He made 60 appearances for the team, slashing .298/.329/.436 with six home runs, 27 RBI, and one stolen base, before being moved again at the trade deadline.
Cincinnati Reds (2025)
On July 31, 2025, the Athletics traded Miguel Andújar to the Cincinnati Reds in exchange for Kenya Huggins. The move marked his fourth MLB organization and gave him an opportunity to contribute to a National League contender for the stretch run. He finished the year as a free agent after his contract expired.
Driving Style and Strengths
Andújar has long been valued as a right-handed contact-and-extra-base-hit hitter who controls the strike zone and handles off-speed pitching. He has shown rare plate discipline for a young hitter, posting one of the lowest fastball rates seen in the majors in 2018 while still driving the ball to all fields. Defensively, he transitioned from everyday third baseman to a corner outfield role to extend his career.
Notable Events and Milestones
His 2018 rookie season stands as the centerpiece of his career, capped by a Yankees rookie record 47 doubles and a runner-up finish in AL Rookie of the Year voting. Other signature moments include a four-RBI major league debut on June 28, 2017, a first career walk-off against Cleveland in May 2018, and a first career grand slam on June 5, 2018. In March 2022, he was the victim of a robbery at his farm in San Cristóbal, surviving the incident without being shot.
Miguel Andújar Career Wins
Andújar’s career highlights are defined more by offensive consistency and milestones than by raw win totals, given his role as a position player rather than a pitcher. His most decorated stretch came with the Yankees in 2017–2018, when his bat helped fuel a 100-win season and a playoff run.
Major League Highlights
With the Yankees, Andújar established himself as a doubles machine, including his record-setting 2018 campaign. He delivered a walk-off single against Cleveland and produced a memorable debut with four RBIs against the Chicago White Sox, showing a knack for clutch moments early in his career.
Other Wins & Performances
Andújar’s most productive late-career run came with the Athletics, where he posted a .298 batting average in 2025 and a .285 average in a shortened 2024. Across his Pirates, Athletics, and Reds stints, he showed he could still produce at the plate even as injuries reshaped his role.
Miguel Andújar Family
Family Background and Racing Lineage
Andújar grew up in San Cristóbal, Dominican Republic, in a region known for producing major league talent. Public details about his parents and immediate family remain limited.
Personal Life
In March 2022, Andújar was robbed at gunpoint at his farm in San Cristóbal. He was beaten in the incident but was not shot, although a relative was shot in the finger during the robbery.
2025 Season Performance
Andújar opened 2025 with the Oakland Athletics after agreeing to a $3 million contract in January to avoid arbitration. He delivered 60 appearances and a .298/.329/.436 slash line with six home runs, 27 RBI, and one stolen base, reaffirming his value as a steady right-handed bat.
At the trade deadline on July 31, 2025, the Athletics traded him to the Cincinnati Reds for Kenya Huggins, giving him a fresh opportunity with a National League contender. The midseason move signaled the Athletics’ continued rebuild and gave Andújar a platform to chase a postseason roster spot.
After finishing the year with Cincinnati, Andújar entered free agency once again. His 2025 showing, combined with positional versatility between left field and third base, positioned him as a viable bench or platoon option for clubs looking for right-handed thump heading into the next league year.