Luis Contreras (baseball)

Contreras started his professional career in the Empire Professional Baseball League, playing for the Puerto Rico Islanders, and leading them to a league championship title in 2018 with a 3-1 record and 1.74 ERA over 57 innings.^[1]

After going unselected the 2019 Major League Baseball draft, Contreras signed with the Eastside Diamond Hoppers of the United Shore Professional Baseball League.^[2] In 5 games (4 starts), Contreras compiled a 2–2 record and 4.70 ERA with 39 strikeouts and one save across 23 innings pitched.

On June 19, 2019, Contreras signed a minor league contract with the Milwaukee Brewers organization.^[3] He split the campaign between the rookie–level Arizona League Brewers, Single–A Wisconsin Timber Rattlers, and Double–A Biloxi Shuckers. In 16 games split between the three affiliates, Contreras accumulated a 4–4 record and 2.86 ERA with 73 strikeouts across 50+1⁄3 innings pitched.^[4] He did not play in a game in 2020 due to the cancellation of the minor league season because of the COVID-19 pandemic.^[5]

Contreras returned to action with Biloxi in 2021, but only made 3 starts in which he logged a 5.19 ERA with 19 strikeouts.^[6] In 2022, he made 35 appearances out of the bullpen for Biloxi and the Triple–A Nashville Sounds, compiling a 3.88 ERA with 73 strikeouts across 51 innings of work.^[7]

Contreras split the 2023 campaign between Biloxi and Nashville, making 39 total appearances and registering a 4–3 record and 4.55 ERA with 90 strikeouts across 63+1⁄3 innings.^[8] He elected free agency following the season on November 6, 2023.^[9]

Contreras signed a minor league contract with the Houston Astros on November 26, 2023.^[10] In 19 games for the Triple–A Sugar Land Space Cowboys, he recorded a 1.40 ERA with 20 strikeouts across 19+1⁄3 innings pitched. On June 16, 2024, Contreras was selected to the 40-man roster and promoted to the major leagues for the first time.^[11] On June 21, he was optioned back to Triple–A, without having appeared for the Astros, and briefly became a phantom ballplayer.^[12] The following day, Contreras was recalled back to the major leagues.^[13] He made his MLB debut on June 23.

Contreras made nine appearances for Houston in 2025, struggling to a 6.75 ERA with 13 strikeouts over 12 innings of work. Contreras was designated for assignment by the Astros on August 7, 2025.^[14] He cleared waivers and was sent outright to Triple-A Sugar Land on August 9.^[15] Contreras elected free agency following the season on November 6.^[16]

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