River Cats’ 2021 home run leader signs in Japan
Former Sacramento River Cats infielder Arismendy Alcántara signed with the Hokkaido Nippon-Ham Fighters of the Nippon Professional Baseball league in Japan. Alcántara, the No. 89 prospect on MLB Pipeline in 2014, and 2013 Futures Game participant, had a solid year for the River Cats, hitting .280 with 43 runs, 52
Former Sacramento River Cats infielder Arismendy Alcántara signed with the Hokkaido Nippon-Ham Fighters of the Nippon Professional Baseball league in Japan.
Alcántara, the No. 89 prospect on MLB Pipeline in 2014, and 2013 Futures Game participant, had a solid year for the River Cats, hitting .280 with 43 runs, 52 RBIs, a .924 OPS and a team-leading (and career-high) 17 home runs in 71 games.
The highlight of Alcántara’s season was likely the 511-foot home run he hit in Salt Lake on July 9, which hit the top of the scoreboard at Smith’s Ballpark.
That was not the only damage he dealt to Salt Lake in 2021, as he blasted nine home runs with 18 runs, 23 RBIs, and a 1.044 OPS in 21 games vs his former organization.
The versatile 30-year-old is a career .189 hitter in 167 MLB games for the Cubs, Athletics, and Reds with 51 runs, 11 home runs, and 39 RBIs.
In 569 Triple-A games, Alcántara is a .276 hitter with 372 runs, 107 doubles, 48 triples, 81 home runs, 296 RBIs, and an .823 OPS.
He joins former MLB players righty Drew VerHagen, lefty Robbie Erlin, and infielder Ronny Rodríguez as international players for the Hokkaido Nippon-Ham Fighters.