Matthew Lugo #32

Matthew Jabel Lugo...Instagram: @_matthewlugo...Nephew of MLB All-Star Carlos Beltran and attended the Carlos Beltran Baseball Academy in Puerto Rico...Played for Criollos de Caguas in the Puerto Rican Winter League in 2022-23...Signed by Red Sox scout Edgar Perez.

2025

Opened season with Triple-A Salt Lake and batted .262 (111-for-424) with 63 runs scored, 60 RBI, 28 doubles, 13 home runs, 11 stolen bases and five triples in 102 games...Recalled by Angels on May 9 and made Major League debut that night vs. Baltimore as a pinch-runner, which also happened to be his 24th birthday; became the second player in Angels history to make Major League debut on his birthday...Only previous player to do so for the Halos was Keith Johnson on his 29th birthday on April 17, 2000 at Toronto, who also debuted as a pinch-runner...Hit first career home run on May 11 as a pinch-hitter...Hit second career home run May 13 as a pinch-hitter becoming the the second player in Angels history to have first two MLB home runs come as a pinch-hitter (Winston Llenas, 1973-74)...Was the second player in Angels history to begin career with four XBH, joining Eric Wagaman in 2024 (ELIAS).

2024

Began season with Double-A Portland and slashed .315/.405/.664 with 10 doubles, four triples and 11 home runs in 43 games...Promoted to Triple-A Worcester on June 4...Appeared in 35 games and batted .250 (31/124) with 15 extra-base hits and a .792 OPS...Acquired by Angels in a package with minor league INF Niko Kavadas, RHP Ryan Zeferjahn, and RHP Yeferson Vargas for RHP Luis Garcia on July 30...Finished the year with Triple-A Salt Lake...Played in just one game before being placed on the injured list for the remainder of the season.

2022

Played 114 games with High-A Greenville and 3 with Double-A Portland, his debut at each level. Was 1 of 13 minor leaguers with at least 10 triples, but he and fellow Red Sox prospect Ceddanne Rafaela were the only 2 with at least 10 triples and 15 HR. Led Greenville in RBI (78), hits (134), total bases (233), doubles (25), triples (10), XBH (53), and games (tied, 114). Led High-A in hits, total bases, XBH (tied), and triples (tied)...His 10 triples tied for the Red Sox organization lead (see table on right). Made 72 starts at SS, 26 at 3B, and 9 at 2B. With RISP, was 45-for-145 (.310) with 5 HR. Recorded an OPS of at least .800 in April (.905), May (.856), June (.800), and August (1.013). Opened the season with an 8-game hitting streak from 4/8-17 (.538 AVG, 19-for-37, 6 2B, 2 3B, HR)... Recorded multiple hits in 6 of those games.  Recorded his first career multi-HR game on 6/14 at Hickory (2 HR)...Recorded back-to-back games with 2 HR and a career-high 5 RBI on 8/19-20 at Bowling Green (7-for-10, 7 R, 4 HR, 10 RBI). Named South Atlantic League Player of the Month for August (25 G, .353 AVG, 1.013 OPS, 36-for-102, 22 R, 5 2B, 7 HR, 24 RBI)...Tabbed SAL Player of the Week for 8/15-21. Following the season, was named Rookie of the Year in the Puerto Rican Winter League after playing in 39 games with Caguas and posting a .275/.360/.450 batting line (33-for-120, 6 HR, 3 2B, 19 RBI, 20 R).