Ezequiel Alberto Durán (born May 22, 1999) is a Dominican professional baseball infielder for the Texas Rangers of Major League Baseball (MLB). He made his MLB debut in 2022.
| Ezequiel Durán | |
|---|---|
| Texas Rangers – No. 70 | |
| Infielder | |
| Born: (1999-05-22) May 22, 1999 (age 23) San Juan de la Maguana, Dominican Republic | |
Bats: Right Throws: Right | |
| MLB debut | |
| June 4, 2022, for the Texas Rangers | |
| MLB statistics (through 2022 season) | |
| Batting average | .236 |
| Home runs | 5 |
| Runs batted in | 25 |
| Teams | |
| |
Durán signed with the New York Yankees as an international free agent on July 2, 2017, for a $10,000 signing bonus.[1] He made his professional debut in 2017 for the DSL Yankees of the Rookie-level Dominican Summer League, hitting .393/.415/.754/1.169 with 3 home runs and 11 RBI over 15 games.[2] Durán played for the Pulaski Yankees of the Rookie-level Appalachian League in 2018, hitting .201/.251/.311/.562 with 4 home runs and 20 RBI.[3] He spent the 2019 season with the Staten Island Yankees of the Class A Short Season New York-Penn League, hitting .256/.329/.496/.824 with 13 home runs, 37 RBI, and 11 stolen bases.[3] Durán did not play in 2020 due to the cancellation of the Minor League Baseball season because of the COVID-19 pandemic. Durán opened the 2021 season with the Hudson Valley Renegades of the High-A East league, hitting .290/.374/.533/.907 with 12 home runs, 48 RBI, and 12 stolen bases over 67 games for them.[4][5]
On July 29, 2021, Durán along with Josh Smith, Glenn Otto, and Trevor Hauver were traded to the Texas Rangers in exchange for Joey Gallo and Joely Rodríguez.[6] He was assigned to the Hickory Crawdads of the High-A East following the trade, and finished the season posting a .229/.287/.408/.695 slash line with 7 home runs and 31 RBI.[7] Durán played in the Arizona Fall League for the Surprise Saguaros following the 2021 season, hitting .278/.333/.611/.944 with 3 home runs and 12 RBI.[8][9] Durán was named to the Fall League All-Star team.[10]
On November 19, 2021, Texas selected Durán to the 40–man roster.[11][12] He opened the 2022 season with the Frisco RoughRiders of the Double-A Texas League, hitting .317/.365/.574/.939 with 7 home runs, 31 RBI, and 7 stolen bases over 45 games.[13]
On June 4, Durán was promoted to the major leagues for the first time and made his major league debut that day versus the Seattle Mariners.[14] He recorded his first career hit, an infield single, and first career home run on June 5.[15][16] The Houston Astros became the first major league team to pitch two immaculate innings in the same game on June 15, and Durán was victim to both. Starter Luis García delivered the first (second inning) and reliever Phil Maton struck out the same trio of batters in the seventh inning (including Nathaniel Lowe and Brad Miller).[17] On July 31, Los Angeles Angels rookie starter Reid Detmers hurled an immaculate inning in the fourth inning, including striking out Durán, He became the first major league hitter to strike out in three immaculate innings in the same season.[18]