In 2015, Rays executives and scouts traveled to Tijuana, Mexico to get a better look at a player named Randy Arozarena, who had defected from Cuba and was working out with the Toros of Tijuana…the Rays were unable to sign Randy due to MLB spending restrictions, but saw Jonathan in the same workout and later signed him for $130,000…said former Vice President, Assistant General Manager Carlos Rodriguez to the Tampa Bay Times: “It’s unbelievable, right? There’s a saying—you’re always dangerous at the ballpark. You may run into something, you may see something. Just by being around, you kind of run into some talent. And sometimes you get lucky."...Jonathan got the call for his Major League debut late night after a seven-hour bus ride with Triple-A Durham…he immediately called his parents, Humberto and Jessica, to share the news…they had never seen him play in the Minors, but made the trip from Mexico to St. Petersburg in time for his Major League debut...He and Blue Jays catcher Alejandro Kirk have been friends since they were three years old, playing on the same youth teams for 12 years and traveling to national showcases together…Kirk’s father, Juan Manuel, was their Little League team’s manager, and Jonathan’s father, Humberto, was an assistant coach…the two still work out at the same gym in their hometown of Tijuana, Mexico when Alejandro homered in Game 1 of last year’s World Series, Jonathan launched a social media campaign to recover the ball, which represented the first home run hit by a Mexican player in the Fall Classic...Jonathan and his wife, Milka Medrano, have a two-year-old daughter…he has a pair of custom City Connect cleats with their names featured on the heels.
2025
In his fourth major league season, earned his first career All-Star nod, becoming the first Mexican-born first baseman to be selected to the Midsummer Classic...recorded 117 hits, including 36 extra-base hits and 59 RBI, each of which surpassed his career totals from his first three seasons (65H, 26XBH, 33RBI)...Joined Yandy Díaz (2023), Carlos Peña (2009) and Fred McGriff (2000) as the only Rays first basemen to earn All-Star selections…at the time of the Midsummer Classic, led qualified AL first basemen in average (.324), on-base pct.(.399), slugging pct. (.492), OPS (.891) and hits (102)...Missed 49 games while nursing a left wrist fracture following a collision while attempting to tag out NYY Giancarlo Stanton at first base on July 31 at Yankee Stadium…was on the 10-day IL Aug. 1–Sept. 26, but returned for the Rays final series from Sept. 26-28 at TOR...Min. 350 AB, his .316 average was second in the Majors to NYY Aaron Judge (.331) and fourth best in Rays history behind Yandy Díaz (.330) in 2023, Jeff Keppinger (.325) in 2012 and Jason Bartlett (.320) in 2009…under the same parameter, it was the highest average by a first baseman in one of his first four MLB seasons since CWS José Abreu (.317) in 2014...Min. 400 PA, his 54.5 pct. hard-hit rate was third in the AL to NYY Aaron Judge (58.2%) and NYY Ben Rice (56.1%)…was the highest mark by a Ray in the Statcast era (since 2015), surpassing Yandy Díaz’s 54.3 pct. from 2023...Slashed .345/.421/.480 (61-for-177) in 54 games at the Rays' temporary home, Steinbrenner Field, the second-best home average in the majors (min. 150AB) behind HOU Jeremy Peña (.351)...His .329 (94-for-286) average vs. right-handed pitching ranked third in franchise history (min. 250AB) behind Fred McGriff (.339) in 1999 and Carl Crawford (.332) in 2010…also hit .274 (23-for-84) against lefties after entering the year 4-for-30 (.133) in his major league career...Batted .367 (33-for-90) with runners in scoring position, fourth in the AL (min. 75AB) to TOR Bo Bichette (.381), ATH Jacob Wilson (.371) and HOU Jeremy Peña (.369)…was the third-best mark in Rays history—only Jason Bartlett (.386, 2009) and Wilson Ramos (.372, 2018) have posted better RISP averages...Min. 100 PA, led the majors with a .413 (50-for-121) average and .486 on-base pct. over innings 1-3, trailing only NYY Aaron Judge in slugging pct. (.711 to Judge’s .768) and OPS (1.197 to 1.212)…hit eight of his 13 HR in the first three frames...Batted an MLB-best .370 (77-for-208) against starting pitchers (min. 200AB) compared to .247 (40-for-162) when facing relievers...When batting fourth, hit .343/.421/.521 (81-for-236) with 24 XBH and 38 RBI…min. 200 AB, owned the Majors’ best average, on-base pct. and OPS (.942) as a clean-up hitter…under the same parameter, it was the highest average by any clean-up hitter since WSH Anthony Rendon (.344) and BOS J.D. Martinez (.344) in 2018…also marked the highest average and on-base pct. by a cleanup man in franchise history and the second-highest OPS to Fred McGriff (.960) in 1999…the Rays went 36-28 when he started batting fourth and 9-23 in his other starts...Went 23-for-60 (.383) in at-bats ending with offspeed pitches, second in the AL (min. 50AB) to ATH Jacob Wilson (.404/21-for-52) and the highest average by a Ray in the pitch tracking era (since 2008)...Despite playing only 106 games, led the Rays and tied for fifth in the AL with 13 PA of nine pitches or more…averaged 4.06 pitches per PA...Made 86 starts at first base and 10 at designated hitter…committed only five errors (.993 FLD%), including none in his final 25 games and one in his last 42...Made his first career Opening Day roster...On March 29 vs. COL, doubled in his first two trips to the plate, his first career multi-double game and fourth multi-extra-base-hit effort...On April 19 vs. NYY, recorded his first career walk-off plate appearance, a two-run homer off Yoendrys Gómez in the 10th, to cap a four-run, late-inning comeback in a 10-8 victory…after recovering from an 8-4 deficit, it was the third time the Rays won a game in which they trailed by four runs or more in the ninth inning, joining Aug. 10, 2011 vs. KC (trailed 7-3, won 8-7) and July 23, 2002 vs. BOS (trailed 4-0, won 5-4)…was his first career go-ahead RBI in extra innings...On May 13 at TOR, homered off José Berríos for the third time, his most long balls vs. any pitcher in his career…marked his fourth straight game going deep against the Blue Jays dating back to Sept. 20, 2024, the longest streak by a Rays hitter vs. Toronto since Mikie Mahtook (4G) from April 15-Oct. 4, 2015...On May 20 at HOU, laced a game-tying, two-run single in the eighth inning, setting the stage for Taylor Walls’ walk-off sacrifice fly…marked his second career game-tying/go-ahead RBI in the seventh inning or later, joining his walk-off homer a month earlier against the Yankees...Over 52 games between May (.341/29-for-85) and June (.340/34-for-100), ranked fourth in the Majors with a .341 (63-for-185) average…joined Yandy Díaz (Aug. & Sept. 2023), Jason Bartlett (April & May 2009), Randy Winn (June & July 2002) and Fred McGriff (May/June 2001) as the
only Rays to hit .340 or better in back-to-back months (min. 75AB in each month) joined NYY Aaron Judge (April & May) and TOR Bo Bichette (July & Aug.) as the only players in the Majors to accomplish the feat in 2025...On June 15 at NYM, worked a career-high 14-pitch at-bat against Ty Adcock, which ended in a swinging strikeout, and added a two-run double in a 9-0 win…over nine games in New York at Citi Field (3G) and Yankee Stadium (6G), went a combined 14-for-34 (.412) with 2 3B, 3 HR, 9 RBI and 7 R...From June 15-28, hit safely in a career-high 13 straight games, going 20-for-52 (.385) with 4 2B, 2 HR and 7 RBI…was part of a career best 16-game on-base streak from June 11-28...On June 28 at BAL, launched a career-long 467-foot homer off former teammate Zach Eflin in the first inning, farthest by a Rays left-handed hitter in the Statcast era (since 2015) and third farthest by any Ray, trailing Avisaíl García (485 ft.) on May 14, 2019 at MIA (Caleb Smith) and Mike Zunino (472 ft.) on May 11, 2021 vs. NYY (Jordan Montgomery)…Aranda’s homer was the farthest by a left-handed hitter at Oriole Park under Statcast and third farthest overall behind HOU Carlos Correa (474 ft.) on Aug. 10, 2019 and BAL Ryan Mountcastle (472 ft.) on Aug. 8, 2023…became the fifth Rays batter to homer onto Eutaw Street, first since Austin Meadows on July 14, 2019...On July 31 at NYY, suffered a left wrist fracture that sidelined him until the Rays' final series from Sept. 26-28 at TOR…at the time of his IL placement, led the team in average (.316), on-base pct. (.394), OPS (.871), doubles (22) and walks (40)...Ended the season on a seven-game hitting streak, going 10-for-27 (.370) with one 2B, three HR and eight RBI…tallied an RBI in each of his final six games, tying Wilson Ramos (2017) for the longest season-ending streak in Rays history…also tied CHC Seiya Suzuki for the longest such streak in the majors all season…reached base safely in each of his final 14 games, tied for the seventh-longest season-ending streak by a Ray and the longest since Randy Arozarena (14G) in 2021...Also reached base safely in each of his final 18 road games from July 5 on, tying Akinori
Iwamura (2007) for the second-longest streak to conclude a season in franchise history behind Jose Canseco (22G) in 2000...ALL-STAR GAME: Selected for his first All-Star Game, entering as a defensive substitution at first base in the fifth inning…reached base in both of his plate appearances (walk, single)…became the fourth Rays All-Star to reach base multiple times in the Midsummer Classic along with Evan Longoria (2009), Dioner Navarro (2008) and Randy Winn (2002).
2024
Hit .234/.308/.430 (30-for-128) with seven 2B, six HR and 14 RBI in a career-high 44 games across two stints with the Rays (Opening Day–June 3 & Aug. 30–end of season)…made starts at first base (20), designated hitter (eight) and second base (five)...Was on the 15-day IL (right fourth finger fracture) from March 27–May 14...suffered the injury during a fielding drill in spring training on March 20...Min. 100 PA, ranked ninth in the AL with a 16.5 pct. barrel rate...raised his barrel rate by 11.2 pct. from 2023 (5.3%) while cutting his strikeout rate to 22.4 pct., a 7.7 pct. improvement (30.1% in 2023)...Hit .288 (21-for-73) with five 2B, five HR and 10 RBI in 22 games when playing first base compared to .174 (8-for-46) in 16 games at all other positions...Optioned to Triple-A Durham on June 3 after hitting .213 (10-for-47) with two 2B and one HR over his first 18 games...was on the seven-day IL from June 21-Aug. 21 with an oblique strain...recalled on Aug. 30 and remained with the big league club through the end of the season...Following his Aug. 30 recall, hit .247/.319/.494 (20-for-81) with five 2B, five HR and 11 RBI in 26 games, including hits in 17 of 21 starts...the five HR tied Brandon Lowe for the club lead in that span...min. 50 batted ball events, his 50.0 pct. hard-hit rate from Aug. 30 on tied for 11th highest in the AL, trailing only BAL Gunnar Henderson (51.8%) among AL infielders...Scored a run in a career-best four straight games from Sept. 7-11 to begin a career-high-tying six-game hitting streak (7-for-22/.318)...From Sept. 20-22, homered in three straight games, becoming the first Ray to turn the trick since Brandon Lowe (4G) from April 8-11, 2023...joined Isaac Paredes (3G, June 21-25, 2022) as the only Mexican-born players to accomplish the feat for the Rays...recorded multiple RBI in back-to-back games (Sept. 21-22) for the first time...Batted .237/.368/.424 (28-for-118) over 32 games with Triple-A Durham...hit four HR in his final five games with the Bulls from Aug. 23-29.
2023
Appeared in 34 games, including 23 starts (DH-10G, 1B-9G, 2B-2G, 3B-2G)…had three stints with the Rays (July 8-11, July 14-17, Aug. 15-end of season)...Earned Triple-A Durham MVP honors for the second consecutive season after hitting .339/.449/.613 (121-for-357) with 23 2B, 25 HR, 81 RBI and 64 BB in 95 games for the Bulls…his 1.062 OPS led all full-season minor leaguers...Hit .317 (13-for-41) vs. breaking/off-speed pitches compared to .152 (7-for-46) against fastballs...Batted .318 (14-for-44) with 4 2B, 2 HR and 11 RBI while playing a defensive position vs. 3-for-36 (.083) with 1 3B and 2 RBI as a designated hitter...On July 9 vs. ATL, recorded his first career multi-RBI game with a two-run double in the first inning...During his final stint with Durham from July 17–Aug. 15, batted .330 (31-for-94) with 6 2B, 9 HR, 25 RBI and 14 BB…hit .236 (17-for-72) with 6 XBH (2HR) and 11 RBI in 30 games with the Rays to conclude the season...On Aug. 19 (G1) at Angel Stadium, hit his first Major League home run since Sept. 22, 2022 vs. Toronto, extending his hitting streak to a season-high four games...On Sept. 5 vs. BOS, hit his first career triple…became the first Ray since Sam Fuld on Aug. 10, 2011 vs. KC to have a triple and 3+ walks in the same game...Drew a career-high three walks on both Sept. 5 vs. BOS and Sept. 11 at MIN…joined Yandy Díaz as the only Rays with multiple 3+ walk games on the season...On Oct. 1 at TOR, recorded a first-inning RBI single before adding his first career grand slam in the following frame…became the first Ray with...5+ RBI within the first two innings of a game since Carlos Peña (6) on April 13, 2009 vs. NYY…the HR was the Rays 228th of the season, tying the club record set in 2017...The 6 RBI on Oct. 1 set a career-high and tied Isaac Paredes (June 9 vs. TEX) for the most by a Ray in 2023...marked his most RBI in any professional game, surpassing his five RBI on July 3, 2022 at Triple-A Charlotte...Ranked among International League leaders in OPS (1st, 1.062), SLG (1st, .613), AVG (2nd, .339) and OBP (2nd, .449)…he ranked among all Rays farmhands in HR (fourth, 25), RBI (T4th, 81), walks (fifth, 64), total bases (fifth, 219), extra base hits (T7th, 48), hits (seventh, 121) and doubles (eighth, 23)...Named an International League All-Star and Baseball America Triple-A All-Star for the second straight season…Baseball America also tabbed him as a First Team Minor League All-Star...Named International League Player of the Month for June after batting .448 (43-for-96) with nine 2B, nine HR and 24 RBI across 24 games....WBC: Made his World Baseball Classic debut and hit .167 (1-for-6) in three games during Team Mexico’s semifinal run...POSTSEASON: Struck out as a pinch hitter in the ninth inning of Game 1 in the AL Wild Card Series vs. TEX, his first career postseason appearance.
2022
Appeared in 32 games and made 21 starts over three stints with the Rays, his first career Major League action…was with the Rays from June 21-25, July 10-15 and Sept. 1 through season’s end...Hit .145 (9-for-62) with two HR and four RBI in 25 games (17 starts) after his Sept. 1 recall…ended the season in 0-for-26 and 3-for-45 slumps...On June 24 vs. PIT, started at second base in his Major League debut and hit a RBI single off Mitch Keller in the second inning…became the 20th Ray all-time to hit safely in his first career plate appearance and first since Vidal Bruján on July 7, 2021 vs. CLE (G1)…became the sixth in club history with a run-scoring hit in the first at-bat of his debut, joining Bruján, Brandon Guyer on May 6, 2011 at BAL, Elijah Dukes on April 2, 2007 at NYY, Jared Sandberg on Aug. 7, 2001 vs. NYY and Mickey Callaway on June 12, 1999 at MTL...On Sep.. 13 at TOR (G2), homered off Alek Manoah in the seventh inning and became the second player in franchise history to hit a go-ahead shot in the seventh inning (or later) for his first career homer… joined Bobby Smith on April 13, 1998 vs. MIN, a walk-off homer in the 14th inning in the 11th game of the Devil Rays inaugural season...On Sep. 22 vs. TOR, homered off José Berríos in the first inning, the second homer of his career and first career leadoff homer…became the seventh rookie in franchise history to hit a leadoff homer, joining Randy Arozarena (twice) in 2021, Brandon Lowe on May 7, 2019 vs. ARI, Desmond Jennings on Aug 28, 2011 at TOR, John Jaso (twice) in 2010, Akinori Iwamura (twice) in 2007 and Elijah Dukes (twice) in 2007...Won the International League Most Valuable Player Award, becoming the first member of Triple-A Durham to win it since Russ Canzler in 2011…named MVP for Durham by the Rays Baseball Operations department…hit .318/.394/.521 (128-for-403) with 26 2B, 18 HR and 85 RBI in 104 games with the Bulls…ranked among league leaders in OPS (.915, first), avg. (second), on-base pct. (second), slugging pct. (fifth), hits (seventh), RBI (tied for seventh) and total bases (210, ninth)...Named the Rays Minor League Hitter of the Month for July, batting .391/.459/.703 (25-for-64) with eight 2B, four HR and 24 RBI in 16 games...Ranked by Baseball America as the No. 96 overall prospect in the Minors following the season… was the No. 6 prospect in the Rays system...POSTSEASON: Was on the roster for the AL Wild Card Series at CLE but did not play.
2021
Enjoyed a breakout season to win the Double-A South Most Valuable Player Award…named MVP for Double-A Montgomery by the Rays Baseball Operations department…led Double-A South with a .325 avg., .410 OBP and .540 SLG...Split the season between High-A Bowling Green and Montgomery, earning a June 1 promotion…hit .331/.419/.543 (115-for-348) with 14 HR and 65 RBI in 102 games between the two levels...Named to the Double-A South postseason All-Star Team…ranked sixth in the league with 58 RBI, 8th with 89 hits and 9th with 19 2B...Tied for third among Rays minor leaguers with five 3B…ranked sixth with 73 runs and 115 hits and tied for sixth with 22 2B between the two levels...Named to the Rays Organizational All-Star Team by MLB.com...Ranked by Baseball America as the No. 20 prospect in the Rays system and No. 10 prospect in Double-A South following the season...Played for the Yaquis de Obregon in the Mexican Winter League for a fifth straight year…hit .285 (33-for-116) with two HR and nine RBI in 41 games.
2020
In 2020, was not part of the Rays 60-man player pool and did not play following the cancellation of the minor league season.
2019
Split the 2019 season between Class-A Charlotte and Class-A Bowling Green, and played two games with the GCL Rays on a rehab assignment…hit .272/.359/.383 (64-for-235) with three HR and 35 RBI...Missed two weeks in June (right wrist sprain).
2018
Split the 2018 season between Rookie-level Princeton and Short-A Hudson Valley, with an Aug. 25 promotion…hit .269/.337/.391 (42-for-156) with one HR and 29 RBI in 45 games.
