{{short description|Venezuelan baseball player (born 1989)}} {{Use mdy dates|date=October 2013}} {{Infobox baseball biography |name=Josmil Pinto |image=Josmil Pinto 2013 Minnesota Twins Spring Training.jpg |image_size=250 |caption=Pinto playing for the Minnesota Twins in {{Baseball year|2013}} |team= |number= |position=Catcher / Designated hitter |birth_date={{birth date and age|1989|3|31}} |birth_place=Valencia, Carabobo, Venezuela |bats=Right |throws=Right |debutleague = MLB | debutdate = September 1 | debutyear = 2013 | debutteam = Minnesota Twins |finalleague = MLB | finaldate = October 2 | finalyear = 2016 | finalteam = Milwaukee Brewers |statleague = MLB |stat1label =Batting average |stat1value =.252 |stat3label =Home runs |stat3value =11 |stat4label =Runs batted in |stat4value =30 |teams= *Minnesota Twins ({{mlby|2013}}–{{mlby|2014}}) *Milwaukee Brewers ({{mlby|2016}}) }} '''Josmil Oswaldo Pinto''' (born March 31, 1989) is a Venezuelan former professional baseball catcher. He played in Major League Baseball (MLB) for the Minnesota Twins and Milwaukee Brewers.
==Career== ===Minnesota Twins=== Pinto signed as an international free agent with the Minnesota Twins in 2006.<ref name="like what they see">{{cite web|url=http://www.startribune.com/sports/twins/218190062.html |title=Twins like what they see in Pinto behind the plate |publisher=Star Tribune |first=La Velle E. |last=Neal III|date=August 3, 2013 |access-date=August 6, 2013}}</ref> On November 20, 2012, the Twins added Pinto to their 40-man roster in order to protect him from the Rule 5 draft.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://minnesota.twins.mlb.com/news/article.jsp?ymd=20121120&content_id=40382082&vkey=pr_min&c_id=min|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140328010728/http://minnesota.twins.mlb.com/news/article.jsp?ymd=20121120&content_id=40382082&vkey=pr_min&c_id=min|url-status=dead|archive-date=March 28, 2014|title=Twins add eight players to Major League roster|date=November 20, 2012|work=MLB.com|access-date=March 27, 2014}}</ref> Beginning the 2013 season with the New Britain Rock Cats of the Double–A Eastern League, Pinto was named an Eastern League All-Star.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.courant.com/2013/07/08/rock-cats-all-star-catcher-working-to-improve-his-game-2/ |title=Rock Cats: Rock Cats' All-Star catcher, Josmil Pinto, working to improve his all-around game|work=Hartford Courant |date=July 8, 2013 |access-date=August 6, 2013}}</ref> He was promoted to the Rochester Red Wings of the Triple–A International League in August.<ref name="like what they see"/><ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.startribune.com/sports/twins/218043121.html |title=Josh Willingham, others shuffle among rehab assignments |publisher=Star Tribune |date=August 2, 2013 |access-date=August 6, 2013}}</ref> Pinto had a combined .309 batting average, .400 on-base percentage, and .482 slugging percentage with 15 home runs and 74 runs batted in (RBIs) in 126 games for New Britain and Rochester.<ref name=backup/>
[[File:Josmil Pinto on April 4, 2013.jpg|left|upright|thumb|Pinto batting for the New Britain Rock Cats in {{Baseball year|2013}}]] On August 31, the Twins promoted Pinto to the major leagues.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://minnesota.twins.mlb.com/news/article.jsp?ymd=20130831&content_id=59124452&vkey=pr_min&c_id=min |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140328010958/http://minnesota.twins.mlb.com/news/article.jsp?ymd=20130831&content_id=59124452&vkey=pr_min&c_id=min |url-status=dead |archive-date=March 28, 2014 |title=Twins recall Josmil Pinto from Triple-A Rochester |work=MLB.com |date=August 31, 2013 |access-date=October 23, 2013}}</ref> In 21 games for the Twins, Pinto had a .342 batting average, .398 on-base percentage, and a .566 slugging percentage. He hit four home runs, five doubles, and recorded 12 RBIs.<ref name=backup/>
During spring training in 2014, the Twins named Pinto to their Opening Day roster as the backup to Kurt Suzuki.<ref name=backup>{{cite web|url=http://minnesota.twins.mlb.com/news/article.jsp?ymd=20140325&content_id=70080818¬ebook_id=70084140&vkey=notebook_min&c_id=min|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140328011109/http://minnesota.twins.mlb.com/news/article.jsp?ymd=20140325&content_id=70080818¬ebook_id=70084140&vkey=notebook_min&c_id=min|url-status=dead|archive-date=March 28, 2014|title=Prospect Pinto makes Twins as backup catcher|work=Minnesota Twins|access-date=June 2, 2015}}</ref> He spent a lot of time as the designated hitter due to the absence of Josh Willingham from the lineup. He was hitting just .246 with 5 HR and 9 RBI through April, and those struggles continued into May, contributing to less playing time. Pinto was eventually optioned to Rochester on June 12.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.twincities.com/twins/ci_25944556/twins-send-rookie-catcher-josmil-pinto-triple-rochester |title=Twins send rookie catcher Josmil Pinto to Triple-A Rochester |work=Pioneer Press |first=Mike |last=Berardino |date=June 11, 2014}}</ref> In 43 games to that point, he was hitting .222 with 7 HR, 16 RBI and a .730 OPS. He also allowed all 20 runners who attempted to steal a base on him to do so due to poor arm strength and lazy catching skills.
===Milwaukee Brewers=== On November 20, 2015, the San Diego Padres claimed Pinto off of waivers.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.twincities.com/twins/ci_29144962/twins-add-seven-40-man-lose-josmil-pinto|title=Twins add seven to 40-man, lose Josmil Pinto, A.J. Achter|author=Pioneer Press|date=November 20, 2015|work=TwinCities.com|access-date=January 7, 2016}}</ref> He was designated for assignment on December 21.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.mlb.com/news/padres-sign-lhp-buddy-baumann-to-one-year-contract-for-2016-season/c-160163864|title=Padres sign LHP Buddy Baumann to one-year contract for 2016 season|work=mlb.com|author=Padres press release|date=December 21, 2015}}</ref> Pinto was then claimed off waivers by the Milwaukee Brewers on December 23.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.foxsports.com/wisconsin/story/milwaukee-brewers-kirk-nieuwenhuis-josmil-pinto-mlb-baseball-claimed-off-waivers-122315|title=Brewers claim Nieuwenhuis, Pinto, Wilkins off waivers|author=Fox Sports|work=FOX Sports|date=December 23, 2015|access-date=January 7, 2016}}</ref> The Brewers designated him for assignment on January 6, 2016.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.jsonline.com/sports/brewers/brewers-sign-veteran-first-baseman-b99647065z1-364442351.html|title=Brewers sign veteran first baseman|first=Tom |last=Haudricourt|work=Milwaukee Journal-Sentinel|date=January 6, 2016|access-date=January 6, 2016}}</ref>
[[File:Josmil Pinto on April 24, 2016.jpg|left|upright|thumb|Pinto playing for the Colorado Springs Sky Sox in {{Baseball year|2016}}]] Pinto spent the 2016 season with the Colorado Springs Sky Sox of the Triple–A Pacific Coast League. The Brewers promoted Pinto to the major leagues on September 20.<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.foxsports.com/wisconsin/story/milwaukee-brewers-josmil-pinto-triple-a-colorado-springs-092016|title = Brewers call up C/1B Josmil Pinto from Triple-A|date = September 20, 2016}}</ref> In six games for Milwaukee, he went 0–for–5 with a walk. On November 7, Pinto was removed from the 40–man roster and sent outright to Colorado Springs.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.mlbtraderumors.com/2016/11/minor-mlb-transactions-11916.html|title=Minor MLB Transactions: 11/9/16|last=Todd|first=Jeff|work=mlbtraderumors.com|date=November 9, 2016|access-date=November 9, 2016}}</ref> He subsequently elected free agency in lieu of an outright assignment.<ref>{{Cite web|title=Minor League Free Agents 2016|url=https://www.baseballamerica.com/stories/minor-league-free-agents-2016/|access-date=July 27, 2024|website=baseballamerica.com|date=November 8, 2016 |language=en}}</ref>
===San Francisco Giants=== On December 26, 2016, Pinto signed a minor league contract with the San Francisco Giants.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.baseballamerica.com/minors/minor-league-transactions-dec-10-22-2/#RqTSwuaBayDGT0yV.97|title=Minor League Transactions: Dec. 10–22|last=Eddy|first=Matt|work=baseballamerica.com|date=December 24, 2016|access-date=December 24, 2016}}</ref> He did not play in a game for the organization and was released on October 31, 2017.
==See also== * List of Major League Baseball players from Venezuela
==References== {{reflist|30em}}
==External links== {{Baseballstats|mlb=500887|espn=31851|br=p/pintojo01|fangraphs=6806|brm=pinto-001jos}} *{{Twitter}}
{{Portal bar|Baseball|Biography|Venezuela}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Pinto, Josmil}} Category:1989 births Category:Living people Category:Beloit Snappers players Category:Colorado Springs Sky Sox players Category:Dominican Summer League Twins players Category:Venezuelan expatriate baseball players in the Dominican Republic Category:Elizabethton Twins players Category:Fort Myers Miracle players Category:Gulf Coast Twins players Category:Major League Baseball catchers Category:Major League Baseball players from Venezuela Category:21st-century Venezuelan sportsmen Category:Minnesota Twins players Category:Milwaukee Brewers players Category:New Britain Rock Cats players Category:Rochester Red Wings players Category:Baseball players from Valencia, Venezuela Category:Tigres de Aragua players Category:Venezuelan expatriate baseball players in the United States Category:Venezuelan Summer League Cubs/Twins players Category:Venezuelan Summer League Twins/Blue Jays players Category:Doping cases in baseball Category:Venezuelan sportspeople in doping cases