Ramón Laureano Bio
Ramón Emilio Laureano Jr. (born July 15, 1994) is a Dominican professional baseball outfielder for the San Diego Padres of Major League Baseball (MLB). He has previously played in MLB for the Oakland Athletics, Cleveland Guardians, Atlanta Braves, and Baltimore Orioles. He made his MLB debut in 2018 with the Athletics, where he gained recognition for his strong defensive skills and powerful arm.
A right-handed batter and fielder, Laureano has built a reputation as a center-field defender with one of the strongest throwing arms in the game. Across his MLB career he has also produced at the plate, compiling 113 home runs and 349 runs batted in through the 2026 season.
Early Life and Background
Ramón Emilio Laureano Jr. was born on July 15, 1994, in Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic. He is the only son of Nina and Ramón Laureano. Growing up in the Dominican Republic, he was surrounded by a baseball culture that has produced many of the sport’s biggest stars.
Like many young Dominican players, Laureano began playing baseball at an early age, developing the tools that would later define his professional career. His speed, arm strength, and outfield instincts emerged during his formative years in Santo Domingo and laid the foundation for his move into American professional baseball.
Path to Major League Baseball
Laureano attended Northeastern Oklahoma A&M College, where he played college baseball and refined his skills as an outfielder. His performance there caught the attention of Major League scouts, and in 2014 he was selected by the Houston Astros in the 16th round of the MLB Draft.
He began his professional career that summer with the Greeneville Astros, batting .189 with one home run and two runs batted in over 16 games. In 2015 he advanced to the Quad Cities River Bandits and hit .265 with four home runs, 34 runs batted in, and 18 stolen bases. Laureano split 2016 between the Lancaster JetHawks and the Corpus Christi Hooks, finishing with a combined .319 batting average, 15 home runs, 73 runs batted in, and a .955 on-base plus slugging mark. After returning to Corpus Christi in 2017 and posting 11 home runs and 24 stolen bases, he was traded to the Oakland Athletics in November 2017 in a deal that sent pitcher Brandon Bailey to Houston.
Ramón Laureano Career
Oakland Athletics (2018–2023)
Laureano made his Major League debut on August 3, 2018, after the Athletics called him up from the minors. That same night, he delivered a walk-off single in the 13th inning against the Detroit Tigers to break a scoreless tie, becoming the first Athletic since RBIs became an official statistic in 1920 to record a walk-off RBI hit as his first major league hit. He later hit his first two home runs off Bartolo Colón in a shutout victory over the Texas Rangers, and by late September he had become the first player in Athletics franchise history to record two multi-homer games within his first 30 major league contests.
In 2019, Laureano batted .288 with 24 home runs and 67 runs batted in while playing a full season in center field. He produced one of the defensive highlights of the year on May 7, robbing Joey Votto of a home run against the Cincinnati Reds, a play that helped support Mike Fiers’s second career no-hitter. The 2020 season brought an ejection against the Houston Astros after he charged the opposing bench, resulting in a six-game suspension that was later reduced to four. In 2021 he was suspended 80 games after testing positive for the performance-enhancing drug nandrolone, and he underwent core surgery in October of that year. He returned in 2022 and signed a one-year, $3.55 million contract with Oakland in January 2023, but was designated for assignment in August.
Cleveland Guardians (2023–2024)
On August 7, 2023, the Cleveland Guardians claimed Laureano off waivers from Oakland. In 41 games down the stretch for Cleveland, he hit .243/.342/.382 with three home runs and 14 runs batted in, providing outfield depth during the Guardians’ postseason run.
Laureano struggled at the plate in 2024, batting .143/.265/.229 with one home run and four runs batted in over 31 contests before the Guardians designated him for assignment in May 2024. He was released later that month while still owed $5.15 million in guaranteed money.
Atlanta Braves (2024)
Shortly after his release, Laureano signed a minor league contract with the Atlanta Braves organization and joined the Triple-A Gwinnett Stripers. He posted a .362 batting average with three home runs and 12 runs batted in across 14 games before being added to Atlanta’s active roster on June 15, 2024, when center fielder Michael Harris II went down with a hamstring strain.
In 67 games with the Braves, Laureano slashed .296/.327/.505 with 10 home runs, 29 runs batted in, and five stolen bases, delivering one of his most productive stretches at the plate. Atlanta non-tendered him in November 2024, making him a free agent, and he joined the Leones del Escogido of the Dominican Professional Baseball League for the winter season.
San Diego Padres Era (2025–Present)
On July 31, 2025, the Baltimore Orioles traded Laureano and Ryan O’Hearn to the San Diego Padres in a multi-player deal. He finished the 2025 campaign batting .281 with 24 home runs and 76 runs batted in overall between his stops, though a finger sprain sustained in late September sidelined him for at least the first round of the postseason before the Padres were eliminated by the Chicago Cubs in the Wild Card Series.
In 2026, Laureano made the Padres’ Opening Day roster as their starting left fielder. He appeared in 53 games before right hip inflammation sent him to the 10-day injured list in early June. On June 5, the Padres announced he had undergone labrum surgery on his hip, an injury expected to keep him out for four to five months and likely end his 2026 season. He was transferred to the 60-day injured list the same day.
Driving Style and Strengths
Although primarily an outfielder rather than a baserunner in the traditional sense, Laureano has built his reputation on a combination of bat speed, patience at the plate, and one of the strongest and most accurate throwing arms in Major League Baseball. He has shown the ability to play all three outfield positions effectively, with the arm strength to deter baserunners and the range to cover significant ground in center field. His offensive profile blends power with on-base skills, allowing him to contribute both as a run producer and as a table-setter when he reaches base.
Notable Events and Milestones
Among Laureano’s most memorable moments are his walk-off single in his major league debut, his two multi-homer games within his first 29 career contests for Oakland, and his robbing of Joey Votto during Mike Fiers’s no-hitter. He has also represented his heritage by playing winter ball for the Leones del Escogido in the Dominican Professional Baseball League.
Ramón Laureano Career Wins
Across his Major League career, Ramón Emilio Laureano Jr. has played for the Oakland Athletics, Cleveland Guardians, Atlanta Braves, Baltimore Orioles, and San Diego Padres. While individual game win totals vary by season, his career is marked by consistent outfield production, key defensive plays, and several standout individual performances.
MLB Career Highlights
Laureano made an immediate impact with the Athletics in 2018, highlighted by his walk-off single in his debut and his record-setting multi-homer pace. His strongest full season came in 2019, when he batted .288 with 24 home runs and 67 runs batted in. He rebounded effectively in 2025, hitting .290/.355/.529 with 15 home runs for the Baltimore Orioles before being dealt to the Padres at the trade deadline.
In his postseason appearances, Laureano drove in the Athletics’ lone run of the 2019 American League Wild Card Game with a sacrifice fly. He also reached the postseason with San Diego in 2025 before a finger injury curtailed his participation in the Wild Card Series against the Chicago Cubs.
Ramón Laureano Family
Family Background and Lineage
Ramón Emilio Laureano Jr. is the only son of Nina and Ramón Laureano. He was raised in Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic, where baseball is a central part of family and community life.
Personal Life
Laureano has spent much of his professional career based in the United States while continuing to maintain ties to the Dominican Republic. He played winter ball for the Leones del Escogido after the 2024 season, reflecting his ongoing connection to Dominican baseball.
2025 Season Performance
Laureano began the 2025 season with the Baltimore Orioles after signing a one-year, $4 million contract on February 4, 2025. In 82 appearances with Baltimore, he batted .290/.355/.529 with 15 home runs, 46 runs batted in, and four stolen bases, emerging as a reliable middle-of-the-order presence before the trade deadline.
On July 31, 2025, Laureano was traded to the San Diego Padres alongside Ryan O’Hearn as Baltimore retooled its roster. After the move, he finished the year batting .281 with 24 home runs and 76 runs batted in overall between the two clubs, supplying the Padres with right-handed power and outfield depth.
His 2025 campaign ended on a difficult note when he sprained a finger on September 24 against the Milwaukee Brewers, an injury that kept him out of at least the first round of the postseason. The Padres were subsequently eliminated by the Chicago Cubs in the Wild Card Series, closing the book on a strong individual year for Laureano.