Globe iconLogin iconRecap iconSearch iconTickets icon

Former BayBears catcher Jose Briceno called up by Angels

(vpbowers.com)
May 20, 2018

JACKSONVILLE, Fla. (May 20, 2018) - The Los Angeles Angels announced Sunday that they have selected the contract of catcher Josè Briceño from Triple-A Salt Lake. Briceno has a chance to make his Major League debut Sunday afternoon in Anaheim against the Tampa Bay Rays, before the Angels begin a

JACKSONVILLE, Fla. (May 20, 2018) - The Los Angeles Angels announced Sunday that they have selected the contract of catcher Josè Briceño from Triple-A Salt Lake. Briceno has a chance to make his Major League debut Sunday afternoon in Anaheim against the Tampa Bay Rays, before the Angels begin a 10-game road trip Tuesday in Toronto.
Briceno, 25, played in 92 games with the Mobile BayBears during the 2017 season. He hit nine home runs with 41 RBIs and had the third-highest caught-stealing percentage in the Southern League at .410, throwing out 34-of-83 runners attempting to steal. Briceno was named the Angels Minor League Defender of the Month last April. He was promoted to Salt Lake on August 31.
After playing in 10 Major League Spring Training games with the Angels as a non-roster invitee, Briceno hit .261 with six home runs and 20 RBIs in 23 games with Salt Lake to begin the 2018 season. He threw out 11-of-25 runners attempting to steal.
Briceno has a career .416 caught-stealing percentage in 453 Minor League games behind the plate. Overall, in 556 total Minor League games, he has a .240 batting average with 47 home runs and 244 RBIs.
The Caracas, Venezuela native was acquired by the Angels along with shortstop Andrelton Simmons in a trade with the Atlanta Braves on November 12, 2015. Briceno was originally a member of the Colorado Rockies organization, where he was a MiLB.com Organization All-Star in 2014.
Briceno has a chance to become the sixth member of the 2017 BayBears squad to appear with the Angels this season, joining outfielder Michael Hermosillo and right-handed pitchers Parker Bridwell , Eduardo Paredes , Jaime Barria , and Justin Anderson .
The BayBears wrap up a six-game road series against the Jacksonville Jumbo Shrimp with a doubleheader Monday beginning at 10:05 a.m. CDT. Live coverage can be seen on MiLB.tv (Jacksonville feed, subscription required, promo code: BAYBEARS) and heard on the BayBears Broadcast Network, the TuneIn Radio App, and the MiLB First Pitch App, with the Countdown to First Pitch starting at 9:45 a.m.
The BayBears return home Wednesday and host a total of 70 home dates through Labor Day, September 3. Single-game tickets and ticket packages are currently on sale. Season tickets and group and hospitality offerings for the 2018 season can be reserved by calling (251) 479-BEAR (2327).
 
About the Mobile BayBears
The Mobile BayBears are the Double-A affiliate of the Los Angeles Angels and play their games at Hank Aaron Stadium in Mobile, Ala. The BayBears were founded in 1997 and have won four Southern League titles in 1998, 2004, 2011, and 2012. Additionally, the 1998 and 2011 championship squads were named Minor League Team of the Year by Baseball America. More than 160 former BayBears have reached the Major League level, including All-Stars Max Scherzer, Paul Goldschmidt, Jake Peavy, Carlos González, and Justin Upton. For more information on the Mobile BayBears and Hank Aaron Stadium, please visit MobileBayBears.com, call (251) 479-BEAR (2327), or contact Steve Goldberg via email at [email protected].
###