The St. Louis Cardinals dipped into the international free agent market in March 2014 in search of, at the very least, a reliable infielder, and signed Cuban shortstop Aledmys Diaz to a four-year, $8 million major-league contract.
In a perfect world, he would swiftly gain a starting position in the major league starting lineup.
St. Louis officially designated Diaz for assignment after a dismal season and a half of working his way up the minor-league ladder in the hopes that another team would sign him based on the promise he possessed and take on the balance of his contract.
Diaz was taken off the team’s 40-man roster after being outrighted to Triple-A Memphis when that didn’t happen.
He was given a new contract in November 2015, and the following spring, he shocked pretty much everyone with a scorching .423/.453/.732 April that featured four home runs, eight doubles, and a triple.
Diaz eased down from that pace, but his continued performance helped him earn a spot in the All-Star Game.
And despite missing six weeks in August and September due to a broken thumb, Diaz came in fifth in the voting for Rookie of the Year.
The 2017 campaign was a big step back for Diaz, who labored to a .259/.290/.392 line, spent a few months in the minors and was eventually written off when Paul DeJong took over as the team’s starting shortstop.
In exchange for minor league outfielder J.B. Woodman, the Cardinals dealt Diaz to the Toronto Blue Jays that winter.
Woodman played 68 games in 2018 with Palm Beach’s High-A affiliate of the Cardinals before leaving affiliated baseball.
With Toronto in 2018, Diaz had a respectable comeback, batting .263/.303/.453 with 18 home runs in 452 plate appearances while primarily playing shortstop and occasional third base.
After that, the Blue Jays transferred pitcher Trent Thornton, who had been adequate for Toronto over the previous three years, to the Houston Astros in exchange for Diaz.
Aledmys Díaz Contract
The Houston Astros and Aledmys Diaz agreed to a one-year, $4,450,000 contract, including a $4,450,000 guarantee.
Aledmys Díaz Salary
Aledmys Diaz receives a $4,450,000 yearly pay on average. Diaz’s base pay for 2022 will be $4,450,000.
Aledmys Díaz Net Worth
Aledmys Diaz has an estimated net worth of $1 million to $5 million