Leody Taveras

Leody Taveras (born September 8, 1998) is a Dominican professional baseball outfielder for the Baltimore Orioles of Major League Baseball (MLB).^[1] A switch-hitter who throws right-handed, Taveras stands 6 feet 2 inches tall and weighs 195 pounds, known for his speed, defensive skills in center field, and base-stealing ability.^[2] He made his MLB debut on July 24, 2020, with the Texas Rangers, the team that originally signed him as a 16-year-old international free agent on July 2, 2015, for a $2.1 million bonus.^[3] Taveras spent the bulk of his career with the Rangers from 2020 to early 2025, where he established himself as a versatile outfielder capable of playing all three positions.^[1] During his tenure, he contributed to the team's success, including winning the 2023 World Series as a key defensive player in center field during the postseason.^[1] On May 6, 2025, Taveras was claimed off waivers by the Seattle Mariners from the Rangers, where he appeared in 28 games, batting .174 with limited power before being designated for assignment, clearing waivers, and being outrighted to Triple-A; he elected free agency on October 10.^[1]^[4] On November 5, 2025, Taveras agreed to a one-year, $2 million contract with the Orioles, pending a physical, adding depth to their outfield roster as a potential platoon option and defensive specialist.^[5] Over his MLB career through 2025, spanning 533 games across the Rangers and Mariners, he has compiled a .236 batting average, 418 hits, 41 home runs, 177 RBIs, and 75 stolen bases.^[1] Taveras hails from Tenares, Dominican Republic, and is the cousin of former MLB player Willy Taveras and minor league player Luis Taveras, both known for their speed on the bases.^[2]

Early life

Leody Taveras was born on September 8, 1998, in Tenares, Hermanas Mirabal Province, Dominican Republic.^[1] He grew up in a baseball-loving family and is the cousin of former MLB outfielder Willy Taveras and minor league outfielder Luis Taveras, both known for their speed.^[2] Taveras developed an early interest in baseball at age six, watching the 2005 Houston Astros' postseason run on a small television with his family in Tenares. They rooted for the Astros due to Willy Taveras, who was playing center field for the team that year and hit .349 in the playoffs.^[6] Inspired by his cousin, Willy advised Taveras at age eight to start training as a switch-hitter, a skill he has utilized throughout his career.^[7]

Professional career

Minor league career

Taveras signed with the Texas Rangers as an international free agent in July 2015 and made his professional debut that year in the Dominican Summer League, where he batted .258 with 5 home runs and 21 stolen bases over 57 games.^[8] In 2016, he split time between the rookie-level Arizona League Rangers and short-season Spokane Indians in the Northwest League, posting a .271 average with 1 home run and 18 stolen bases in 73 games while beginning to refine his outfield defense. The following year, 2017, Taveras advanced to full-season Low-A Hickory Crawdads in the South Atlantic League, where he hit .249 with 8 home runs and 20 stolen bases across 134 games, demonstrating consistent speed with over 30 combined stolen bases across the two seasons and showing growth in his center field range.^[8]^[9] Taveras received a promotion to High-A Down East Wood Ducks in the Carolina League for the 2018 season, batting .273 with 10 home runs and earning selection to the Carolina League Mid-Season All-Star Game as well as the All-Star Futures Game.^[9] During 2019, Taveras played across Double-A Frisco RoughRiders and Triple-A Round Rock Express, compiling a .247 average overall with 12 home runs and 21 stolen bases in 131 games; MLB Pipeline ranked him as the Rangers' No. 3 prospect entering the season. Throughout his minor league tenure, he navigated minor injuries and focused on enhancing his plate discipline to complement his plus speed and defensive tools.^[8]

Texas Rangers career

Taveras made his Major League Baseball debut with the Texas Rangers in 2020 amid the shortened COVID-19 season, appearing in 33 games while posting a .227 batting average with 4 home runs.^[1] Despite offensive struggles, his defensive prowess in center field stood out, earning praise for highlight-reel plays that underscored his speed and range. From 2021 to 2022, Taveras transitioned into a platoon role as an outfielder, combining for a .225 batting average, 8 home runs, and 21 stolen bases across 148 games.^[1] He showcased elite baserunning ability but faced challenges with a high strikeout rate, limiting his everyday playing time.^[10] Taveras experienced a breakout season in 2023, establishing himself as a regular center fielder with a .266 batting average, 14 home runs, and 14 stolen bases in 143 games.^[1] In the postseason, he delivered a crucial solo home run in Game 1 of the ALCS against the Houston Astros, helping secure a series victory. During the World Series, Taveras contributed defensively over 5 games, en route to the Rangers' championship win.^[11] In 2024, Taveras shifted to a reserve outfielder role, appearing in 151 games with a .229 batting average and 12 home runs while maintaining his reputation for superior center field defense.^[2] His versatility allowed him to cover multiple outfield positions effectively.^[12] During the 2025 season, prior to being placed on waivers and claimed by the Mariners on May 6, Taveras played 30 games for the Rangers, batting .241 with 1 home run and 6 stolen bases.^[13] Across his full tenure with the Texas Rangers from 2020 to mid-2025, Taveras appeared in 505 games, compiling a .236 batting average and 39 home runs.^[1] Defensively, he provided value in center field with positive contributions in several seasons.

Seattle Mariners stint

On May 6, 2025, the Seattle Mariners claimed outfielder Leody Taveras off waivers from the Texas Rangers, adding him to their roster as a center fielder to bolster their outfield depth.^[14] The 26-year-old switch-hitter, who had struggled early in the season with Texas, reported to the Mariners and quickly integrated into the lineup, primarily patrolling center field with his plus-range defense.^[15] Taveras's arrival was seen as an opportunity to leverage his speed and glove work, though his offensive contributions proved limited during his brief tenure.^[16] In 28 games with Seattle, Taveras batted .174 with 2 home runs, 9 RBI, and 3 stolen bases, posting an on-base percentage of .198 and a slugging percentage of .272.^[1] Despite the underwhelming batting stats, he showcased his defensive prowess, including a tremendous throw to home plate that nailed a runner in the eighth inning against the Nationals on May 29 and a running grab in deep right-center to rob a potential extra-base hit from the Twins' Ryan Jeffers the following day.^[17]^[18] These plays highlighted his arm strength and range, aligning with his reputation as a reliable outfield defender, though the Mariners experimented with him in various lineup positions without settling on a fixed role.^[19] Taveras's time with Seattle ended on June 9, 2025, when the Mariners designated him for assignment to recall outfielder Dominic Canzone from Triple-A.^[20] He cleared waivers and was outrighted to the Triple-A Tacoma Rainiers on June 13, but ultimately elected free agency on October 10, 2025, concluding his short stint with the organization.^[21]^[1]

Baltimore Orioles signing

Following a brief stint with the Seattle Mariners in 2025, where he was claimed off waivers from the Texas Rangers in May before being designated for assignment in June and spending the remainder of the season in Triple-A Tacoma, Taveras elected free agency in October.^[22]^[21] On November 6, 2025, Taveras signed a one-year contract with the Baltimore Orioles worth $2 million, pending a physical, marking the team's first major league free-agent addition of the offseason.^[23]^[5] The deal provides Taveras, a 27-year-old switch-hitter with strong career defensive metrics in center field—including 20 outs above average from 2023 to 2024 per FanGraphs—an opportunity to compete for a bigger role after years as a part-time contributor across multiple organizations.^[24] In Baltimore, Taveras is expected to serve as a depth outfielder and backup in center field, utilizing his plus speed (14 stolen bases in 2023) and glove work to fill in during injuries or rest days for starters like Cedric Mullins.^[23]^[25] The signing addresses the Orioles' need for versatile outfield insurance while allowing Taveras to pursue more consistent playing time following his journeyman path from Texas to Seattle earlier in the year.^[26]

Personal life

Taveras is the cousin of former Major League Baseball outfielders Willy Taveras and Luis Taveras.^[2] He and his wife, Genny, have three children: sons Leyron (born September 26, 2017) and Leryson (born August 16, 2019), and daughter Emma (born September 20, 2023).^[2]