Other totals included seven HR and 40 RBI in 49 games and 191 at-bats. On October 26, 2014, Taveras and his girlfriend, Edilia Arvelo, both died in a car accident[38][39] on the Sosúa-Cabarete freeway in Puerto Plata, Dominican Republic,[40][41] in which his red Chevrolet Camaro ran off the road and hit a tree. He was batting .318 with a .502 SLG at Memphis. Oscar Taveras passed away on October 26, 2014 at the age of 22. 1) Taveras’ MLB debut: On May 31, Oscar Taveras made his debut for the St. Louis Cardinals. [24], Making his MLB debut at Busch Stadium on the afternoon of Saturday, May 31, against the San Francisco Giants, Taveras flied out in his first at-bat. A large decal in his memorial was posted in the home team bullpen of Busch Stadium along with the ones of Hancock and former pitcher Darryl Kile, who died of coronary artery disease during the 2002 season while still active. 18 to honor Taveras", "Toxicology report confirms Taveras was intoxicated at time of fatal crash", https://www.usatoday.com/story/sports/mlb/2014/11/12/official-taveras-was-drunk-during-fatal-crash/18937679/, "Cards plan to honor Taveras in several ways", https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Oscar_Taveras&oldid=995242316, Canadian expatriate baseball players in the United States, Canadian people of Dominican Republic descent, Major League Baseball players from the Dominican Republic, People from Puerto Plata, Dominican Republic, Road incident deaths in the Dominican Republic, Short description is different from Wikidata, Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License, May 31, 2014, for the St. Louis Cardinals, September 28, 2014, for the St. Louis Cardinals, pre-2012 (#74), pre-2013 (#2), pre-2014 (#3), pre-2012 (#23), pre-2013 (#3), pre-2014 (#3), Cardinals organization Player of the Year, Cardinals Minor League Player of the Year, Cardinals organization Player of the Month, 2011 (#11), 2012 (#3), 2013 (#1), 2014 (#1), Career statistics and player information from, This page was last edited on 19 December 2020, at 23:59. He started in right field and batted third, collecting one hit in three at-bats. Cementerio Municipal, Sosua, Puerto Plata, Debut: Originally from Puerto Plata, Dominican Republic, Oscar Taveras grew up in a town called Sosúa. The talent which scouts had discovered in the Dominican Republic quickly actualized, as he hit.322 with eight HR and 43 RBI in 53 games. Question, Comment, Feedback, or Correction? May 31, 2014 [32] To allow him more playing opportunities, the Cardinals traded slumping incumbent right fielder Allen Craig to the Boston Red Sox on the July 31 non-waiver trade deadline. 18,248th in MLB history) This is a game used ball that was used during this game and authenticated by MLB. Many thanks to him. He spent the entire season there, playing 124 games before participating in winter league play. Mid Rivers Newsmagazine is St. Charles County’s exclusive direct-mailed community newspaper. Because of his bat speed and the wide range of pitch locations of which he could hit, Taveras successfully unraveled what are termed as "pitcher's pitches", which helped contribute to his high batting average. The writing was to honor St. Louis Cardinals outfielder Oscar Taveras who died Sunday in a car accident in his native Dominican Republic. [33] His first career three-hit game was on September 7 against the Milwaukee Brewers. [12][13] MLB.com also ranked Taveras as the Cardinals' number-one prospect,[14] and the number-three prospect in its Top 50 Prospects. [36], With a wide batting stance and slight leg kick that "allows him to maintain both incredible balance and timing", he shifted his weight on his left (back) leg "before connecting with the ball with an explosive, quick swing." [42] Taveras suffered multiple injuries and was pronounced dead while receiving care at Sosúa Cabarete Medical Center. That is what a family does. Arvelo suffered injuries to the head and to the chest. [1], Questions arose as to whether he was intoxicated in that fatal crash on the Sosúa-Cabarete freeway. Do you have a sports website? The team granted his request. He became the youngest to hit a home run in his major league debut for the Cardinals since Eddie Morgan in 1936. He played all three outfield positions while spending most of the time in center field. [6], After winning the Midwest League batting title at age 19, Taveras began to garner notice outside the Cardinals organization. [9], Taveras won his first of two Cardinals Minor League Player of the Month awards in 2012 for April after batting .340 (32–94) with six HR and 21 RBI. You are bidding on a Game Used Baseball from Oscar Taveras' MLB Debut on 5/31/14. He made his big league debut on May 31, 2014 and homered for his first hit. Kansas City Royals starting pitcher Yordano Ventura wrote "R.I.P. Afterwards, he returned to the Dominican Republic; had he stayed in Canada, he would have entered the draft after high school. One hit was a home run that tied the score in Game 2 of the National League Championship Series against the Giants, the only game the Cardinals won in the series; as it turned out, it was the final hit in his career. Lived in Sosua, Dominican Republic, in the offseason. According to his father, Francisco Taveras, at about age five, he started to call himself "El Fenómeno," which is Spanish for "The Phenomenon". Cardinals chairman William DeWitt, Jr. issued the following statement: We are all stunned and deeply saddened by the tragic loss of one of the youngest members of the Cardinals family. Baseball America named him the Cardinals' third-best prospect prior to the 2012 season[7] and ranked him 74th in all of baseball. WS2014 Gm5: Rosenthal reports on Taveras' passing. Taveras was named the Texas League Player of the Year. Do you have a blog? It occurred with one out in the bottom of the fifth inning against starting pitcher Yusmeiro Petit. [9] Baseball America conferred the club with their Minor League Team of the Year award. [43], Cardinals Manager Mike Matheny stated "there is not a more accurate word ("love") for how a group of men share a deep and genuine concern for each other. Find out more. September 28, 2014 In 80 games this season, Taveras batted .239 with three home runs and 22 RBI. [5], Taveras earned another promotion to the Quad Cities River Bandits of the Class A Midwest League (MWL) in 2011 and spent the entire season there. Despite missing a full month, his hitting continued to improve by obtaining 33 multi-hit games, 17 three-hit contests and five four-hit games. Buyer pays $7 s&h. His preparation also received high marks. [4] Through 2013, Taveras' career minor league batting average was .320 with 45 home runs and 275 RBIs in 374 games. The next year, he won the Texas League batting title and was the Texas League Player of the Year and Cardinals organization Player of the Year. [19], Beginning in the 2014 season, MLB.com ranked Taveras as the second-best prospect in all of MLB, behind only Byron Buxton of the Minnesota Twins organization. Justice recalls Taveras' journey to the Major Leagues. He played right field, batted sixth, and hit a home run in the fifth inning. [51], DSL Cardinals, Johnson City, and Quad Cities (2009–11), Cardinals' Minor League Player of the Year, National Baseball Hall of Fame and Museum, List of baseball players who died during their careers, List of people from the Dominican Republic, "Top prospect has Canadian passport to WBC", "St. Louis Cardinals star prospect Oscar Taveras tearing it up in Triple-A", "Oscar Taveras Minor League statistics and history", "Oscar Taveras profile, Bio: 2011 highlights", "Baseball America St. Louis Cardinals top 2012 prospects", "Oscar Taveras profile, Bio: 2012 highlights", "Taveras and Maness win Cardinals Minor League honors", "Baseball America 2013 Cardinals top prospects", "Cards recognize Minor League Players of Year", "Team Canada wants Oscar Taveras (on a technicality)", "Oscar Taveras profile, Bio: 2013 highlights", "Top prospect Taveras to have season-ending surgery", "Matheny challenges Taveras to keep pushing", "Cardinals calling up top prospect Taveras: Outfielder batting .325 at Triple-A; Adams goes on DL with tight calf", "Cardinals set to promote 'crown jewel' of farm system in Oscar Taveras", "Taveras time: Cardinals finally promote top OF prospect", "Cards rookie Taveras killed in car accident", "All the Oscar Taveras news that's fit to print", "Patience rewarded: Taveras makes MLB debut, homers", "Taveras announces arrival, impacts Cards' win", "St. Louis Cardinals promote Oscar Taveras, place Matt Adams on the DL", "Cardinals activate Matt Adams, send Oscar Taveras to minors", "The St. Louis Cardinals should demote Oscar Taveras", "Resurgent Wainwright stymies reeling Brewers", "Cardinals' Oscar Taveras will make bigger 2014 impact than Tigers' Nick Castellanos", "Cardinals Oscar Taveras set to be the next big thing in baseball", "How did Oscar Taveras die? 2013. [4] He was actually 31 plate appearances short of qualifying; however, his adjusted batting average after adding the hitless at-bats still gave him the title. His contact rate of 92.3% on pitches outside of the strike zone surpassed the MLB average of 65.7% for all non-pitchers. He elicited comparisons to former MLB outfielder and fellow Dominican Vladimir Guerrero—with a powerful and smooth, balanced stroke, Taveras successfully hit pitches well outside of the strike zone. "He would say, 'I’m going to make you the happiest dad in the world. "[45], Observances on behalf of Arvelos and Taveras were held for Game 6 of the World Series, including a moment of silence before the first pitch. He batted .362 with 17 hits in 47 at bats for the month of May. Doubt in one’s own capacities is among the most very human of qualities.    vs. ARI 3 AB, 0 H, 0 HR, 0 RBI, 0 SB, Rookie Status: St. Louis Cardinals outfielder Oscar Taveras, a 22-year-old slugger who was regarded as one of the majors' top prospects, died Sunday in a car accident in his native Dominican Republic. After coming off the bench in the August 28 game against Burlington, he went 3-for-3 with a home run and missed hitting for the cycle by a double. His 3-for-4, home run, double and two-RBI effort helped earn him unanimous Most Valuable Player honors for the game. Watch our How-To Videos to Become a Stathead, Subscribe to Stathead and get access to more data than you can imagine. [31], One month after his first call-up, the Cardinals recalled Taveras on June 30. Subscribe to our Free Newsletter, This Month in Sports ReferenceFind out when we add a feature or make a change. [49][50] After the second alcohol-related fatality to a Cardinals player in a decade, following that of Josh Hancock in 2007, John Mozeliak lamented the circumstances of the player's death. (Age 21-346d, The first was for the week of July 17, after batting .600 (15 hits in 25 at bats) with five multi-hit games, 10 runs scored and five RBI. In his first big league game, Cardinals top prospect Oscar Taveras clubbed a towering solo home run. [21], On May 30, 2014, the Cardinals called Taveras up to their MLB roster[22] in one of the most anticipated promotions in all MLB. [23][24][25] He became the first from Sosúa to reach the major leagues. NLCS Gm2: Taveras hits pinch-hit game-tying home run. Taveras was the Texas League MVP for the 2012 Springfield Cardinals, who won the Double-A circuit that season, and the outfielder hit his first big-league home run … [18] Surgery to correct the sprain, performed by Dr. Robert Anderson, ended his season in August. Join our linker program. [37] With an ability to drive the ball to all fields, his power ceiling was high, projected with 25 to 30 home runs in his peak. Or write about sports? In his 124 total games, he played 93 in center field, 15 in right and one in left. Oscar Taveras died Sunday in a car crash in the Dominican Republic, at the age of 22. Cardinals general manager John Mozeliak made a statement saying: I simply can’t believe it. We have tools and resources that can help you use sports data. The home run … [35] Taveras finished the 2014 season with a batting average of .239 in 80 major league games. [51], In January 2015, DeWitt announced plans for the Cardinals to renovate a baseball field in Sosúa in Taveras's honor, modeled after the Cardinals Care facilities in Greater St. Louis. Authorities say, Sunday, Oct. 26, 2014, Taveras has died in a car accident in the Dominican Republic. Touted as one of the best prospects in decades, Oscar Taveras came out of the Cardinals farm system with a prodigious .321 average and armfuls of awards. With prodigious batting skills, Taveras was a consensus top-five minor league prospect in 2013 and 2014. June 19, 1992 Career: 3 HR, .239 BA, 22 RBI, RF, Cardinals 2014, b:L/t:L, born in Dominican Republic. Cardinals Outfielder Oscar Taveras' last MLB at-bat. He won the league Rookie of the Year award after batting .316 with five home runs and 17 RBI as the Águilas clinched the league's best record. Much of the play-by-play, game results, and transaction information both shown and used to create certain data sets was obtained free of charge from and is copyrighted by RetroSheet. In Baseball America's "Best Tools" survey, he was rated the "Best Hitter for Average" in the Cardinals organization. He ended the season with a 22-game on-base streak that spanned from August 4 to September 3. News was confirmed by Dionisio Soldevila, and according to the USA Today, Taveras had been driving home to the town of Sosua. FILE - This October 12, 2014 photo shows St. Louis Cardinals' Oscar Taveras as he reacts after hitting a home run during the seventh inning in Game 2 of the National League baseball championship series against the San Francisco Giants. SF@STL: Taveras launches a solo shot for first hit. Played in 46 games for Memphis (AAA) before a right ankle injury, suffered while sliding into 2nd base on 6/23, sidelined him for the remainder of the season. He batted .581 (18–31) with another five multi-hit games, two home runs and 11 RBI. When he belted that pinch-hit home run off Giants reliever Jean Machi in Game 2 of the NLCS, the ball tucking just inside the taxi cab-yellow foul pole in right field to knot the game at 3-all, you knew his was special. I want to be a star. He also hit a game-tying home run in Game 2 of the 2014 National League Championship Series against the Giants. He wears the best number in the world which is 18. On October 28, the Cardinals left the right field lights on at Busch Stadium[46] and released a Twitter photo of the scene the next day. His miss rate of 2.5% on swinging strikes was significantly lower than the MLB average of 9.1%. From May 11 to June 11, he was out of action due to a hamstring injury. The Cardinals optioned him to minor league camp on March 14. on October 13. [8] The Cardinals assigned him to play for the Springfield Cardinals of the Class AA Texas League. Exceeded rookie limits during 2014 season, More Óscar Taveras Pages at Baseball Reference, Every Sports Reference Social Media Account, Site Last Updated: Saturday, February 13, 11:44PM. [17] The Cardinals added Taveras to their 40-man roster on November 20, 2013. [2], The St. Louis Cardinals signed Taveras as an international amateur free agent on November 25, 2008 for $145,000. The home run proved to be the game-winning run as the Cardinals won, 2–0. It was in Game 5 of the NLCS. Born: It also started to rain, immediately forcing a 47-minute delay. The patch will omit Taveras's No. During those same 10 games, he fashioned two three-hit games and one four-hit outing. On May 31, 2014, Taveras homered in his major league debut against the San Francisco Giants and went on to hit .239 in 80 regular season games, playing mostly right field. On October 26, 2014, he died in a car accident in the Dominican Republic shortly after the Cardinals were eliminated from the playoffs.    vs. SFG 3 AB, 1 H, 1 HR, 1 RBI, 0 SB, Last Game: [23] In his last 10 games, he collected hits in all but one, batting .462. In 18 games, he provided at least one RBI, and in nine, recorded multiple runners driven in. The much hyped debut of St. Louis Cardinals outfielder Oscar Taveras lived up to its billing, as the 21-year old hit a home run in his first game as a major leaguer. Further, he earned two MWL Player of the Week (PoW) awards. I’m the best,'" recounted his father. [5], Although Taveras' defensive skills were not as prodigious as his hitting abilities, he ran routes well and had solid instincts. Also similar to Guerrero, he possessed a strong and accurate throwing arm. Now, the NLCS home run … Logos were compiled by the amazing SportsLogos.net. He played in just 15 games after that for the season and in 46 total. (Age 22-101d) O.T #18" on his hat along with other tributes on his cleats and glove. It represents zero of the traits, however, exhibited by Cardinals outfielder Oscar Taveras in the footage embedded here of that same player recording his first hit and home run simultaneously against the San Franciscans. I want to be a major leaguer. Become a Stathead & surf this site ad-free. [4] An aggressive hitter, Taveras maintained control with his smooth swing. Oscar Taveras probably should have hit his first major league home run a month ago. Cardinals teammates remember outfielder after he was killed at 22", "St. Louis Cardinals prospect Oscar Taveras killed in car crash", "Oscar Taveras dead, Cardinals player killed in car accident", "Mike Matheny statement on Oscar Taveras", "Commissioner's statement regarding Oscar Taveras", "Yordano Ventura's hat with Oscar Taveras tribute going to Hall of Fame", "Cardinals find perfect way to honor Oscar Taveras", "Cards to let Martinez wear No. [17], For the season, Taveras rendered a .306 batting average with 12 doubles, five home runs and 32 RBI. Taveras crushed his first career home run 418 feet over the right-field fence, a solo blast in the fifth inning for his first hit, to give the Cardinals their first run before they went on to win, 2-0, over the Giants. [28][29], Taveras hit his first MLB single the next day, June 1. Some high school data is courtesy David McWater. His postseason debut was in the National League Division Series against the Los Angeles Dodgers. Oscar Francisco Taveras (June 19, 1992 – October 26, 2014) was a Dominican–Canadian professional baseball outfielder who played one season for the St. Louis Cardinals of Major League Baseball (MLB). [34] That series, he played three of the four games, collecting five hits in eight at-bats with a home run and four RBI. Taveras ended the regular season with one home run in his last 134 at-bats. "[44] Commissioner of Baseball Bud Selig stated "With heavy hearts, tonight we play Game 5 of the 2014 World Series in the memory of these two young people. The team would also wear black circular patches inscribed with OT (Taveras's initials) inside a white circle on their jerseys. The talent which scouts had discovered in the Dominican Republic quickly actualized, as he hit .322 with eight HR and 43 RBI in 53 games. Over six minor league seasons, he batted .321 with a .519 slugging percentage. The 21-year-old St. Louis Cardinals rookie made his MLB debut on Saturday against the San Francisco Giants, and he … in Puerto Plata, Dominican Republic, Buried: Oscar Taveras Stats, Fantasy & News. Ventura himself went on to die in a car crash in the Dominican Republic less than 3 years later. [26] Taveras was held hitless in consecutive games just once. do, Died: [37] Earlier in his professional career, he gained a reputation for concentrating too heavily on hitting at the expense of his fielding. Authorities say, Sunday, Oct. 26, 2014, Taveras has died in a car accident in the Dominican Republic. [9], Taveras' season totals for 2012 included 23 HR, 94 RBI and a league-leading .321 batting average, his second minor league batting title. Although team officials believed that his ankle had fully healed in time for 2014 spring training, he hesitated to fully trust the ankle in performance. He ranked second in hits (153), RBI and slugging percentage (.572), and tied for fourth both in home runs and triples (7). In a skills ("Best Tools") survey, Baseball America found Taveras the "Best Hitter for Average". Many of the mourners wore jerseys with "El Fenómeno" printed on their backs. Beginning June 8, he amassed a 12-game hitting streak. [47], More than an estimated 5,000 gathered for Taveras's funeral in Sosúa, including about 40 who gathered on the rooftop of a cemetery church. [6], The second PoW award Taveras earned with the River Bandits was for the week ending August 28. Oscar was an amazing talent with a bright future who was taken from us well before his time. The Cardinals’ Oscar Taveras hits a solo home run in his second major league at bat in the fifth inning during a game against the San Francisco Giants on Saturday at Busch Stadium in St. Louis. The Book: Playing the Percentages in Baseball, Home Run (Line Drive to Deep RF Line); Pierzynski Scores, Home Run (Fly Ball to Deep RF Line); Wong Scores, (For more accurate walk-off HR totals, see the. They assigned him to the rookie league Dominican Summer League Cardinals the next season. But there was something singular about Oscar Taveras’ left-handed stroke. [9], Selected to the Texas League All-Star team, Taveras started in center field and batted fourth. Although he hit just.265 with one home run (HR) and 42 runs batted in (RBI) in 65 games, Taveras earned a promotion to the Johnson City Cardinals of the Rookie-level Appalachian League in 2010. He was here to uplift kids and put the town on the map. He hit safely in 94 games and reached base in 107. He also hit .372 (73 of 196) with 12 HR and 49 RBI in the sixth inning and later. Win Expectancy, Run Expectancy, and Leverage Index calculations provided by Tom Tango of InsideTheBook.com, and co-author of The Book: Playing the Percentages in Baseball. Full-year historical Major League statistics provided by Pete Palmer and Gary Gillette of Hidden Game Sports. October 26, 2014 Our reasoning for presenting offensive logos. St. Louis Cardinals outfielder Oscar Taveras, a 22-year-old slugger who was regarded as one of the majors' top prospects, died Sunday in a car accident in his native Dominican Republic. Our reasoning for presenting offensive logos. Oscar, a young member of the baseball family, was full of promise and at the dawn of a wonderful career in our game, evident in his game-tying home run against the Giants exactly two weeks ago. The outfielder was the recipient of a litany of awards and won batting titles in two minor leagues, including hitting .386 for the Midwest League title in 2011. [48] Taveras had left behind a one-year-old son, Oscar Yadier Taveras. St. Louis Cardinals' Oscar Taveras is congratulated by Carlos Martinez (44) after hitting a home run during the seventh inning in Game 2 of the National League baseball championship series against the San Francisco Giants Sunday, Oct. 12, 2014, in St. Louis. [20] The Cardinals invited him to spring training. A hamstring injury followed, limiting him to just six at-bats. In addition, he led the Texas League in extra base hits (67), doubles (37), total bases (273) and intentional walks (10). Rare stuff. 18 because Martínez is already wearing it as his uniform number as a tribute. That week, he also achieved three three-hit games and two four-hit games. Taveras lived in Montreal from ages 12 to 16 and obtained Canadian citizenship. in Puerto Plata, Dominican Republic and direct mailed to more than 64,000 households in St. Charles County, Missouri. [3][4] Although he hit just .265 with one home run (HR) and 42 runs batted in (RBI) in 65 games, Taveras earned a promotion to the Johnson City Cardinals of the Rookie-level Appalachian League in 2010. Are you a Stathead, too? Especially productive against right-handed pitching, he forged a .366 batting average (37-for-101) with four HR and 24 RBI. However, the Cardinals believed that Taveras showed the range and skill to be an effective center fielder so he began taking an apprenticeship to learn the position.[4]. [6] For the season, Taveras batted .386 with a .444 on-base percentage (OBP), .584 slugging percentage (SLG), eight HR and 62 RBI in 78 games. He earned PoW honors for the week ending June 10 – which included the five-hit game – after batting .500 (14–28) with two home runs, four RBI and 11 runs scored. Still, Taveras is a player worth trying to shoehorn into a lineup. [9] He was named the Cardinals' Minor League Player of the Year. I first met Oscar when he was 16 years old and will forever remember him as a wonderful young man who was a gifted athlete with an infectious love for life who lived every day to the fullest.