LaMonte Wade Jr. Bio
LaMonte Aaron Wade Jr. (born January 1, 1994) is an American professional baseball first baseman who is currently a free agent. He has played in Major League Baseball (MLB) for the Minnesota Twins, San Francisco Giants, Los Angeles Angels, and Houston Astros, and is nicknamed “Late Night LaMonte” for his late-inning hitting. Wade played college baseball for the Maryland Terrapins and was selected by the Twins in the ninth round of the 2015 MLB draft before making his MLB debut in 2019.
Early Life and Background
LaMonte Aaron Wade Jr. was born on January 1, 1994, in Owings Mills, Maryland, where he grew up and developed his early interest in baseball. He attended St. Paul’s School in Brooklandville, Maryland, where he lettered in both baseball and basketball, playing primarily outfield and pitching on the diamond. His high school play earned him multiple honors, including All-Maryland Interscholastic Athletic Association recognition in 2010, 2011, and 2012, and a place on the 2012 Preseason Under Armour All-American Team. He was also ranked the No. 1 prospect in the 2012 high school class in Maryland by Dynamic Baseball.
After high school, Wade attended the University of Maryland, College Park, joining the Maryland Terrapins baseball program. He began as a first baseman in his freshman year before shifting to center field, and across three college seasons he posted a .394 on-base percentage, walking more often than he struck out. In 2015, he slashed .335/.453/.468, finishing second in the Big Ten Conference in on-base percentage. He also played collegiate summer baseball in 2014 with the Brewster Whitecaps of the Cape Cod Baseball League.
Path to Baseball
Wade’s college production, paired with his strong on-base skills, made him an attractive prospect for the 2015 MLB draft. The Minnesota Twins selected him in the ninth round with the 260th overall pick, and he signed a contract that included a $163,800 signing bonus. He was sent to the Elizabethton Twins of the Rookie-level Appalachian League to begin his professional career, where he batted .312/.428/.506 with a .934 OPS and was named an Appalachian League post-season All Star. His plate discipline and on-base ability were the foundation of his prospect profile.
LaMonte Wade Jr. Career
Early Career (2015–2018)
Wade quickly moved through the Twins’ minor league system after his 2015 debut at Elizabethton. He began 2016 with the Cedar Rapids Kernels of the Single-A Midwest League, started in the 2016 Midwest League All-Star Game, and was promoted midseason to the Fort Myers Miracle of the High-A Florida State League. He finished 2016 batting .293/.402/.438 with eight home runs and 51 runs batted in (RBIs), earning MILB.com Organization All Star honors.
In 2017, Wade played for the Chattanooga Lookouts of the Double-A Southern League, batting .292/.397/.408 with 76 walks and earning mid-season All-Star recognition, before a late-season stint with the Surprise Saguaros of the Arizona Fall League. He returned to Chattanooga to open 2018, earned another Southern League mid-season All-Star nod, was promoted to the Triple-A Rochester Red Wings in June, and was added to the Twins’ 40-man roster after the season.
Minnesota Twins Debut (2019–2020)
The Twins promoted Wade to the major leagues on June 27, 2019, and he made his MLB debut on June 28 against the Chicago White Sox. In 2019, he batted .196/.348/.375 with two home runs and five RBIs across 56 at-bats, playing primarily center field. In the shortened 2020 season, he batted .231/.318/.308 with one RBI in 39 at-bats. On February 4, 2021, the Twins traded Wade to the San Francisco Giants in exchange for pitcher Shaun Anderson.
San Francisco Giants (2021–2025)
Wade emerged as a fan favorite in San Francisco during the 2021 season, batting .253/.326/.482 with 18 home runs and 56 RBIs. His late-inning heroics earned him the nicknames “Late Night LaMonte” and “Late Inning LaMonte,” and he was presented with the 2021 Willie Mac Award as the Giants’ most inspirational player. He proved especially dangerous in the ninth inning, when he hit .565/.583/.826, and excelled with runners in scoring position and two outs.
In 2022, Wade’s role shrank after a brief Triple-A stint, and he batted .207/.305/.359 with eight home runs and 26 RBIs for the Giants. He agreed to a one-year, $1.375 million contract in January 2023 to avoid salary arbitration, and on June 2, 2023, he recorded the 100th splash hit at Oracle Park off Dean Kremer of the Baltimore Orioles. That season he hit .256/.373/.417 with 17 home runs and 45 RBIs across 135 appearances.
Wade and the Giants agreed to a $3.5 million salary for 2024, but a strained hamstring in late May sidelined him for at least four weeks, and he finished the year with a .260/.380/.381 line, eight home runs, and 34 RBIs in 117 games. He made 50 appearances for San Francisco in 2025 before struggling to a .167/.275/.271 line, and the Giants designated him for assignment on June 4, 2025.
Los Angeles Angels (2025)
On June 8, 2025, the Los Angeles Angels acquired Wade in a trade with the Giants for a player to be named later or cash considerations. Across 30 appearances for Los Angeles, he batted .169/.260/.215 with one home run, three RBIs, and one stolen base, and the Angels released him on August 2, 2025. Per Baseball Reference, Wade finished 2025 tied with Michael Toglia for the fewest batting wins above replacement in the majors, at minus-1.7 WAR.
Houston Astros (2026)
After a brief 2026 stint in the Chicago White Sox organization, Wade signed a major league contract with the Houston Astros on June 4, 2026, joining their active roster. He was assigned uniform No. 31 by the club as he continued his big-league career.
Driving Style and Strengths
Wade’s game has long been built on plate discipline, contact quality in pressure spots, and positional flexibility across the diamond. With the Giants, he logged significant time at first base and in both corner outfield spots, and his batting eye helped him post on-base percentages well above the league average in his strongest seasons. His late-inning production turned him into one of the most reliable clutch hitters in San Francisco’s lineup.
Notable Events and Milestones
Highlights of Wade’s career include his MLB debut on June 28, 2019, his 2021 Willie Mac Award with the Giants, the 100th splash hit at Oracle Park on June 2, 2023, and his major league deal with the Houston Astros on June 4, 2026. Through games played on June 8, 2026, his career MLB line stood at .236 batting average, 56 home runs, and 189 runs batted in.
LaMonte Wade Jr. Career Wins
Wade’s on-field résumé is built more around on-base value and clutch hitting than around championship trophies, and the verified milestones in his career include his 2021 Willie Mac Award, his role on Giants playoff contenders, and his progression to a fourth MLB organization.
San Francisco Giants Highlights
Wade spent parts of five seasons with the San Francisco Giants from 2021 through 2025, compiling 18 home runs and 56 RBIs in his standout 2021 campaign, when he was also recognized with the team’s Willie Mac Award. He later authored the 100th splash hit at Oracle Park in June 2023, a memorable chapter in the ballpark’s history. He finished his Giants tenure with multiple seasons of strong on-base numbers before being designated for assignment in June 2025.
Other Wins and Performances
Wade’s developmental track record is decorated with minor league All-Star nods, including Appalachian League post-season All Star in 2015, Midwest League All-Star in 2016, and Southern League mid-season All-Star in both 2017 and 2018, underscoring the steady rise that carried him to the majors.
LaMonte Wade Jr. Family
Family Background and Racing Lineage
Wade is from Owings Mills, Maryland, and has a brother, Jamal, who also played baseball for the Maryland Terrapins, giving the family a direct connection to the same college program that produced LaMonte’s professional career.
Personal Life
Wade grew up in the Baltimore suburb of Owings Mills and attended St. Paul’s School in nearby Brooklandville, where his path in baseball and basketball began before his college career at Maryland. He is widely known by the fan-given nickname “Late Night LaMonte,” a nod to the late-inning hitting that defined his best stretches with the San Francisco Giants.
2025 Season Performance
Wade’s 2025 campaign was split between two clubs and was statistically the most difficult of his major league career. With the San Francisco Giants, he appeared in 50 games and batted .167/.275/.271 with one home run and 15 RBIs before being designated for assignment on June 4, 2025. After his trade to the Los Angeles Angels on June 8, 2025, he produced .169/.260/.215 with one home run, three RBIs, and a stolen base in 30 appearances, and he was released on August 2, 2025.
Across the full 2025 season, Wade combined for 80 games played, two home runs, and 18 RBIs, and he finished tied with Michael Toglia for the lowest batting WAR in MLB at minus-1.7. The year marked a sharp downturn from his 2021 peak, when he had been an All-Star-caliber presence in San Francisco’s lineup, and it set the stage for his subsequent moves through the White Sox and Astros systems.