Nine Gwinnett Alums Set for Olympic Baseball in Tokyo

For the first time since 2008, baseball is back on the Olympic stage. Six teams – the Dominican Republic, Israel, Japan, Mexico, South Korea, and the United States – will vie for the Gold Medal in the 2020 Olympic Games in Tokyo, Japan from July 27 to August 7.

Gwinnett fans will have plenty of familiar names to cheer for, as nine former G-Braves and Stripers will participate in the tournament beginning today at Fukushima Azuma Baseball Stadium in Tokyo.

Below is a team-by-team look at the Gwinnett alums chasing Olympic dreams.

Dominican Republic: Pitchers Dario Alvarez (2016) and Jairo Asencio (2009, 2011), infielder Jose Bautista (2018), outfielder Emilio Bonifacio (2016)

Bautista is by far the most famous of the alumni group, thanks in large part to the most legendary bat flip in MLB history. The six-time American League All-Star and three-time A.L. Silver Slugger joined the Stripers at age 37 in 2018, but played in just 10 games in Gwinnett during his final season in affiliated baseball.

Alvarez posted a 1.13 ERA in eight relief appearances as a G-Brave in 2016, but is most notable for being part of the trade with the Texas Rangers that brought current Stripers outfielder Travis Demeritte to the Atlanta Braves organization on July 27, 2016.

As far as Gwinnett history is concerned, Asencio and Bonifacio are much bigger names.

Asencio is the premier closer in Gwinnett history, with a club-record 53 career saves over 105 appearances. He led the International League and set Gwinnett single-season records in saves (27) and appearances (58) in 2009, going 5-4 with a 3.28 ERA as an IL Postseason All-Star. The right-hander returned in 2011 and was even better, going 3-2 with a 1.81 ERA and an IL-best 26 saves in 47 games.

Bonifacio was Gwinnett’s Most Valuable Player in 2016 when he hit .298 with 21 extra-base hits, 57 runs, 40 RBIs, and league-high 37 stolen bases in 107 games. The 31-year-old produced his best stretch at the end of the season, lifting the G-Braves to their first IL South Division title by batting .388 with four doubles, four triples, one homer, 22 runs, 13 RBIs, and 11 stolen bases over the final 31 games. In Gwinnett’s improbable run to the Governors’ Cup Finals, Bonifacio provided steady production out of the leadoff spot, batting .273 with three runs, two RBIs, and two stolen bases.

Israel: Catcher Ryan Lavarnway (2015-16)

In between suiting up for eight different Major League teams (Boston, Baltimore, Atlanta, Oakland, Pittsburgh, Cincinnati, Miami, and Cleveland) during his 10-year career, Lavarnway logged two brief stints with Gwinnett in 2015 (.268, 2 HR, 8 RBIs in 13 games) and 2016 (.276, 10 RBIs in 25 games). His most memorable moment with the G-Braves came on June 5, 2015 vs. Durham, when he blasted the eighth walk-off home run in club history for a 4-3 win in 11 innings.

Mexico: Pitchers Manny Banuelos (2015-16) and Manny Barreda (2017), infielder Ryan Goins (2021)

Goins is the lone member of the 2021 Stripers to play in the Olympics, on hiatus from the club since July 17 while playing for Team Mexico. The 33-year-old batted .257 (46-for-179) with seven doubles, one triple, two home runs, 18 runs, 25 RBIs, and two stolen bases in 54 games with Gwinnett this season, his first with the Atlanta Braves organization since signing as a free agent in February. A native of Temple, TX, Goins has played 555 Major League games for the Toronto Blue Jays (2013-17), Kansas City Royals (2018), and Chicago White Sox (2019-20), batting .228 with 22 homers and 158 RBIs.

Banuelos arrived in Gwinnett as a Braves top prospect in 2015 and went 6-2 with a 2.23 ERA and .215 BAA in 16 impressive starts, including a 9.0-inning two-hit shutout in a 2-0 win vs. Indianapolis on June 22, 2015. He returned briefly in 2016, going 0-2 with a 4.75 ERA in nine starts. The Durango, Mexico native reached the Majors with Atlanta in 2015 (1-4, 5.13 ERA in 7 games), but didn’t return until 2019 with the Chicago White Sox (3-4, 6.93 ERA in 16 games).

Barreda, now with Triple-A Norfolk of the Baltimore Orioles organization, was dominant down the stretch of the 2017 season with Gwinnett, going 3-1 with a 1.83 ERA and .185 BAA in seven starts. His iconic moment in club history came on September 4, 2017 – Gwinnett’s last game as the G-Braves – when he tossed 7.0 scoreless, two-hit innings and struck out seven in a season-ending 3-0 win over the Durham Bulls. For that effort, Barreda was named International League Pitcher of the Week.

United States: Infielder Jack Lopez (2019)

Lopez was a key member of Gwinnett’s record-setting 2019 club that went a franchise-best 80-59 and captured the International League South Division crown. In his lone campaign as a Striper, he set single-season career highs in home runs (12), RBIs (57), and total bases (150), batting .273 with 28 extra-base hits and 62 runs scored. He went on to play in all four games during the Governors’ Cup Semifinals, batting .294 with a double, homer, three runs, two RBIs, and .863 OPS.

The versatile Lopez played four different positions for the Stripers that year: third base (55 games), shortstop (26 games), left field (8 games), and second base (7 games). In addition to winning an IL Batter of the Week award for June 17-23, he also cemented his place in team lore on September 2 at Durham. In the season finale against the Bulls, he launched a two-run homer in the fifth inning, Gwinnett’s 200th and final clout of the year.

A native of Puerto Rico, Lopez is now a member of Triple-A Worcester of the Boston Red Sox organization after signing a minor league contract in January 2021.

The 2020 Tokyo Olympics run from July 23 through August 8. For official coverage on Baseball and Softball, visit Olympics.com.