Samy Natera Jr.
Mexican baseball player (born 1999)
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Samuel Natera Jr. (born November 5, 1999) is a Mexican professional baseball pitcher for the Los Angeles Angels of Major League Baseball (MLB). He made his MLB debut in 2026.
| Samy Natera Jr. | |
|---|---|
| Los Angeles Angels – No. 52 | |
| Pitcher | |
| Born: November 5, 1999 Ciudad Juárez, Mexico | |
Bats: Left Throws: Left | |
| MLB debut | |
| June 6, 2026, for the Los Angeles Angels | |
| MLB statistics (through September 13, 2026) | |
| Win–loss record | 2–2 |
| Earned run average | 5.55 |
| Strikeouts | 56 |
| Stats at Baseball Reference | |
| Teams | |
| |
Amateur career
Natera Jr. attended Lydia Patterson Institute College Prep School in El Paso, Texas. At first, he mainly played basketball, and played baseball as a first baseman. When 17, he was converted into a pitcher.[1] In high school, he was named Lydia Patterson Institute Athlete of the Year, and School MVP in both baseball and basketball.[2] Natera Jr. played college baseball at New Mexico State University. In 2021, he appeared in 14 games with 10 starts, pitching 48+2⁄3 innings with a 6.47 ERA, and played collegiate summer baseball with the Wareham Gatemen of the Cape Cod Baseball League.[3] In 2022, he only pitched in 8 games due to injuries, recording a 6.92 ERA and 44 strikeouts.[4]
Professional career
The Los Angeles Angels drafted Natera Jr. in the 17th round of the 2022 Major League Baseball draft, the 508th overall selection. He signed with the team for a $125,000 bonus.[5] He made his professional debut 2023 with High-A Tri-City Dust Devils, posting a 4.20 ERA over 20 starts.[1] He played 2024 with High-A, went 2–0 with a 0.60 ERA in 5 games. After the season, he was selected as a representative from Angels for 2024 Arizona Fall League, posting a team-low 0.75 ERA in 12 innings pitched.[6]
Natera Jr. started 2025 with the Double-A Rocket City Trash Pandas. He was promoted to Triple-A Salt Lake Bees on August, recording a 4–1, 2.64 ERA, and 68 strikeouts in 47.2 innings at Double-A.[7] Natera posted a 3.86 ERA with 17 strikeouts and 11 walks in 9+1⁄3 innings over eight appearances at Triple-A.[8]
Natera was assigned to Triple-A Salt Lake to begin the 2026 campaign, where he compiled a 5–0 record and 3.00 ERA with 44 strikeouts and one save across 20 appearances. On June 5, 2026, Natera was selected to the 40-man roster and promoted to the major leagues for the first time.[9] He made his MLB debut on June 8 against the Texas Rangers.[10]
International career
Natera Jr. played for Team Mexico in 2026 World Baseball Classic.[11]