Wilson Ramos

Minnesota Twins

Ramos was signed by the Minnesota Twins as a non-drafted free agent on July 7, 2004. He caught 43% of potential base stealers in his minor league career, and has a .987 fielding percentage. In 2008, with the Twins' High-A affiliate, the Fort Myers Miracle, he batted .242 with eight home runs and 42 runs batted in in the first half of the 2008 season, helping his team capture the Florida State League first-half West Division title. When 2008 Florida State League All-Star catcher James Skelton of the Lakeland Flying Tigers suffered an injury, Ramos was added to the West Division All-Star team, joining teammates Robert Delaney, Brian Dinkelman, Jeff Manship, Anthony Slama and Danny Valencia.

Ramos' batting average jumped to .333 in the second half of 2008. For the season, he batted .288 with thirteen home runs, and was named to the All FSL Team. His 78 RBIs was fourth in the Florida State League.

Ramos entered the 2009 season ranked as the Twins third best prospect by Baseball America behind Aaron Hicks and Ben Revere, and #71 in all of minor league baseball. The Twins added Ramos to their 40-man roster, and invited him to Spring training. After which, he was assigned to the Twins' double A Eastern League affiliate, the New Britain Rock Cats. He broke his right index finger in May and suffered a hamstring injury in June, forcing him to do a nearly two-month rehab assignment, during which he hit three home runs in five games with the Gulf Coast League Twins. Ramos rejoined his team in August, and batted .317 with four home runs and 29 RBIs for the season.

Ramos batted over .400 in spring training in 2010. However, with Joe Mauer behind the plate, the Twins sent Ramos to the Triple-A Rochester Red Wings rather than have him serve in a back-up role in the majors.

Ramos received his first major league call-up on May 1, when Mauer was sidelined by a bruised left heel and was limited to emergency pinch hitting. Ramos took the roster spot of Pat Neshek, who was placed on the 15-day disabled list retroactive to April 29 with inflammation of the middle finger on his right hand.

On May 2, facing the Cleveland Indians, Ramos slapped a single between third base and the shortstop in the top of the second inning for his first major league hit. Ramos went four-for-five on the day with three singles and a double. He is the first Twins player since Kirby Puckett in 1984 to collect four hits in a major league debut, and the only catcher in modern history (since 1900) to collect four hits in his MLB debut.

On May 3 he followed up his debut by going 3 for 4 and driving in his first RBI. All told, he played seven games with the Twins while filling in for Mauer, batting .296 with three doubles and one RBI. On May 13, with Mauer ready to return to action, and José Morales coming off the DL, Ramos was reassigned to Rochester.

Washington Nationals

On July 29, 2010, Ramos was traded to the Washington Nationals along with Joe Testa for closer Matt Capps.

In 2011, Ramos was chosen by Baseball America as the catcher on its All-Rookie Team.

On May 12, 2012, Ramos tore an anterior cruciate ligament in his right knee while trying to field a passed ball in a game against the Cincinnati Reds. He was placed on the 60-day disabled list for the 2012 season.

Ramos and Kurt Suzuki began 2013 as the Nationals starting catchers. However, on April 13, Ramos hurt his hamstring while trying to beat out a ground ball, putting him on the disabled list, with Jhonatan Solano replacing him and Suzuki started. After being activated on April 29, Ramos quickly went back on the disabled list on May 16 with the same injury. Ramos was activated on July 4, and in his first game back against the Brewers, he went 3-4 with a three-run home run and 5 RBI. His solid July, in which he hit .302/.333/.540 with 4 HR and 17 RBI in 18 games, earned him more starts over Suzuki before they eventually traded Suzuki to Oakland on August 23. Ramos finished the year as the starting catcher. In 78 games with the Nationals, Ramos hit .272/.307/.470 with 16 HR and 59 RBI.

Ramos broke his left hand in the opening game of the 2014 season and left the game. A foul tip hit his hand while he was catching.

In 2015, Ramos hit .229 in a career-high 475 at-bats, with 15 homers, 68 RBIs and 101 strikeouts. On January 13, 2016, he and the Nationals agreed to a one-year, $5.35 million deal to avoid salary arbitration.

In 131 games in the 2016 season, Ramos batted .307 with 22 home runs and 80 RBI. On September 26, 2016, Ramos suffered a torn ACL, ending his season. Despite his slightly shortened season, Ramos won the Silver Slugger for National League Catchers.

Tampa Bay Rays

On December 12, 2016, Ramos signed a two-year contract worth $12.5 million with the Tampa Bay Rays.

He made his Rays debut on June 24th against the Baltimore Orioles, he went 1-4 with a single.

Personal life

He has one child, born in August 2014. Two of his brothers are also baseball players. Natanael is a minor league catcher in the New York Mets organization, and David is a pitcher in the Nationals organization.

2011 abduction and rescue

On November 9, 2011 at approximately 6:45 pm local time, Ramos was approached by four armed men near his home in Valencia, Venezuela and was taken away in an SUV. Ramos was with his family at the time. On November 10, 2011 at 4:00 pm local time, Ramos was reported alive. Originally back in his homeland to play during the offseason for his Venezuelan team, Tigres de Aragua, Ramos was rescued after two days, and eight suspects were soon in custody. "What they did was laugh, joke about my pain," Ramos said in brief remarks on television. "I'm very thankful, and I feel like I've been born again."