Quick Facts
Biography
Manuel "Manny" Banuelos (born March 13, 1991) is a Mexican professional baseball pitcher in the Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim organization. He previously played in Major League Baseball (MLB) for the Atlanta Braves.
Career
New York Yankees
In 2008, the Yankees signed four players, including Banuelos and Alfredo Aceves, from the Mexican League for $450,000. Banuelos participated in the All-Star Futures Game in 2009.
Banuelos missed some time during the 2010 season with an appendectomy, but has since demonstrated strong development, with a mid-90s fastball and above-average secondary pitches that include a changeup and curveball. In 2010, Banuelos split time between the Class-A Advanced Tampa Yankees and the Class-AA Trenton Thunder. Banuelos was also a standout during the 2010 season of the Arizona Fall League, earning the start in the team's all-star game.
Before the 2010 season, He was rated as the Yankees sixth best prospect according to Baseball America, and in 2011 he was rated as the fourth best. He was also one of the top 50 overall prospects according to MLB.com.
In 2011, Banuelos was invited to spring training with the Yankees for the first time, drawing rave reviews. Mariano Rivera said that he believes Banuelos is the best pitching prospect he has seen. He won the James P. Dawson Award, given annually to the best rookie in camp. He was promoted to the Scranton/Wilkes-Barre Yankees of the Triple-A International League on August 2.
Banuelos was again invited to spring training in 2012. After struggling through injuries during the 2012 season, Banuelos underwent Tommy John surgery, and, therefore, missed the entire 2013 season. He returned to pitch for Scranton/Wilkes-Barre in 2014.
Atlanta Braves
On January 1, 2015, Banuelos was traded to the Atlanta Braves for pitchers David Carpenter and Chasen Shreve. He was invited to spring training, and sent to Triple–A Gwinnett on March 27. He was called up to the major leagues to make his debut on July 2, 2015. Banuelos pitched 5 2⁄3 innings and recorded seven strikeouts and no earned runs against the Washington Nationals that same day. He ended the outing by hitting Denard Span and Danny Espinosa and was removed from the game due to cramping and dehydration. Later that month, tests revealed that Banuelos had a bone spur. He was sent to the minors for rest and rehabilitation, before a second callup in September. The bone spur continued to bother him, and Banuelos underwent surgery to remove it on September 17.
In 2016, Banuelos contended for a spot in the rotation. However, on March 22, he began to feel discomfort in his pitching elbow and underwent an MRI that uncovered no irregularities. The team placed Banuelos in extended spring training until May, when he was cleared to join Gwinnett after a one game rehab assignment with the low A Rome Braves. On May 23, 2016, he was optioned to AAA Gwinnett. Banuelos was designated for assignment on August 12, after a demotion to AA Mississippi.
Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim
On August 21, 2016, Banuelos signed a minor league contract with the Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim.