Last name is pronounced as “care-ah-TEE-knee”...Caratini was born in Ponce, Puerto Rico, the same city that also produced SS Carlos Correa...the two are the same age and both played as amateurs at the Puerto Rican Baseball Academy in 2012...Originally signed out of high school with Southern University, but attended Miami Dade JC in 2013...drafted by Atlanta in the second round of the 2013 draft...signed by Braves scout Buddy Hernandez...Spent one season (2013) in the Braves system before being traded to Chicago (NL) at the trading deadline in 2014...has been a part of three trades in his career, going from Atlanta to Chicago (2014), Chicago to San Diego (2020), and San Diego to Milwaukee (2022)...Played third base in high school and played catcher sparingly in college, but was drafted as an infielder by the Braves...began catching in 2014 and has worked himself into a highly-regarded defensive catcher...models his game after another Puerto Rican catching legend, Yadier Molina...Caratini is among a long list of Puerto Rican catchers in Major League Baseball history...was one of four Puerto Rican catchers in the Majors in 2024, with two of those players being former Astros: Martín Maldonado and Christian Vázquez...Developed a strong relationship with Yu Darvish during their time together with the Cubs and Padres, serving as his personal catcher...last season, Caratini cultivated a relationship with another Japanese pitcher in Yusei Kikuchi, who the Astros acquired from Toronto ahead of the Trade Deadline...Caratini caught all 10 of Kikuchi’s starts to close out the season, with the Astros going 9-1 in those starts...Reached free agency following the 2023 season and signed a two-year contract with the Astros that will keep him in Houston through the 2025 season.
2024
The switch-hitting backstop spent his first season with the Astros, batting .269 (66-for-245) with eight doubles, one triple, 30 RBI, 23 walks and a .744 OPS in 87 games...was his highest single-season OPS since posting a .744 OPS in -2019 with CHC...Appeared mainly at catcher (58g) while also appearing at first base (11g) and DH (3g)...his 11 starts at first base were just most since also making 11 starts at the position in 2019 with CHC...Went 8-for-19 (.421) with one home run and five RBI in the pinch in 2024...ranked third in the AL in pinch hits and tied for fourth in RBI...his eight pinch-hits were the most by an Astro since OF Brian Bogusevic also had eight in 2012...Led the Astros with two walk-off hits, with both coming as a pinch-hitter...the first was a walk-off home run on April 30 vs. CLE and a walk-off RBI single on May 14 vs. OAK...the walk-off homer was the third walk-off blast of his career and was the 10th pinch-hit, walk-off home run in Astros history...Became the ninth player in Astros history to record at least two walk-off hits as a pinch-hitter while with the club and is the first to do so twice in the same season since IF Rafael Ramírez (1991)...Made his seventh career Opening Day roster (2018-24) and his first with the Astros...Caught all 10 starts made by LHP Yusei Kikuchi following his acquisition from TOR, with the Astros going 9-1 in those starts...Recorded a career-high seven-game hitting streak from June 13 to July 28...Went 1-for-2 with a triple on June 15 vs. DET...was the first triple of his eight-year MLB career...Recorded a three-run homer batting right-handed on Sept. 22. vs. LAA, his first homer as a righthanded batter since June 19, 2022 at CIN...has batted .333 (19-for-57) with an .812 OPS when batting right-handed in 2024...Had one IL stint from June 21-July 2 due to a left hip flexor strain...missed 25 games on the IL...Made his fourth career appearance on a Postseason roster (2018, 2020 and 2023-24)...went 1-for-6 (.167) with a run scored and was hit by two pitches in the Astros’ ALWC vs. DET...started both games of the series at 1B.
2023
Appeared in 62 games for the Brewers, making 55 starts (54g at C, 1g at 1B)...Played his entire season as the Brewers backup catcher to William Contreras...Committed just one error this season and did not allow a passed ball for a .998 fielding percentage...Among catchers with at least 50 starts at the position in the Majors, ranked third in fielding percentage, trailing only Sal Perez (.999) and J.T. Realmuto (.998)...Had a strong season hitting left-handed, compiling a .262 (39x149) average with a .745 OPS...Hit all seven of his homers on the season vs. RHP...Reached a career-high in hits by going 4x4 with four singles and a run scored on April 15 at SD...Started his one game at first base on July 21 vs. ATL...Was on the Brewers AL Wild Card Series roster but did not appear in a postseason game.
2022
Was traded by San Diego to Milwaukee, along with cash, in exchange for OF Korry Howell and C Brett Sullivan on 4/6... Batted .199 with 9 HR and 34 RBI in 96 games with Milwaukee... Made 75 starts (73g at C, 1g at 1B, 1g at DH)... His 12 doubles marked a career high... Was on the injured list (COVID-19) from 4/26-4/30... The team had a 3.88 ERA when he caught (690.2ip, 298er) and went 36-37 when he started behind the plate... Threw out 12 of 52 runners attempting to steal (23.1%)... Belted his second career walk-off homer on 7/4 vs. Chicago-NL with a three-run shot off Scott Effross in the 10th inning, giving the team a 5-2 win... Also produced a walk-off hit on 8/16 vs. Los Angeles-NL with a two-run single off Craig Kimbrel in the 11th inning, giving the team a 5-4 win... Signed a one-year contract on 1/13/23, avoiding arbitration.
2021
On Dec. 29, 2020, was acquired by San Diego from the Chicago Cubs along with Yu Darvish in exchange for RHP Zach Davies, INFs Reginald Preciado & Yeison Santana & OFs Owen Caissie & Ismael Mena...Set career-highs in games played (116), at-bats (313) runs scored (33), hits (71), RBI (39), walks (35), stolen bases (2), sac flies (4), go-ahead RBI (10), line drives (52), percent of pitches taken (55.0%) and percent of swings put in play (40.0%)...Behind the plate, appeared in a career-high 101 games with the Padres going 54-47 when he was behind the dish...made 87 starts at catcher with 787.1 total innings caught, and his previous career-high innings caught were 426.0 in 2019...His .998 fielding % (2 errors in 887 total chances) was the highest in his career and ranked T-second in the Majors with CIN's Tucker Barnhart and KC's Salvador Perez, behind only PHI's JT Realmuto's .999 fielding percentage...On June 17 vs. CIN, on "San Diego's Opening Day" when Petco Park returned to full capacity for the 1st time since the start of the COVID-19 Pandemic, hit a walk-off home run in the 9th inning off Amir Garrett in front of 40,362 fans...Allowed 47 stolen bases with six catcher caught stealing (88.7 stolen base %) with six passed balls...Also made five appearances at first base and two at third base, all as a sub...did not make an error in six total chances (all at 1B)...Switch hitter batted .271 vs. LHP (19-for-70) and .214 vs. RHP (52-for-243)....Posted a .358 OBP with runners in scoring position and a .431 OBP with RISP/2 out...Ended the season having hit safely in seven of his last eight games, batting .370 (10-for-27) with a double and a home run with five RBI and five runs scored...Homered seven times in 2021, with his final long ball coming Sept. 29 @ LAD off Max Scherzer...Tied with Eric Hosmer for the most ground ball double plays (13)...Avoided the Injured List in all of 2021.
2020
Hit .241 (28-for-116) with a .333 OBP in 44 games with the Cubs, making 22 appearances behind the plate (21 starts), 18 as the designated hitter and 3 at first base... The switch-hitting catcher hit .292 (7-for-24) vs. left-handed pitchers and .228 (21-for-92) vs. righties... Did not allow a passed ball in 180.0 innings at catcher... Was the starting designated hitter on Opening Day at Wrigley Field, becoming the 1st DH for the Cubs in a home game at Wrigley...went 1-for-3 with a double... Caught Alec Mills’ no-hitter, Sept. 13 @ MIL...also drove in 3 runs in the 12-0 win, going 2-for-4 with a 2B, BB and 2 R... Went 1-for-3 with a 2-run HR, 2 runs scored and a walk, September 25 at the White Sox... Hit .304 (17-for-56) with 4 2B and 1 HR with runners on.
POSTSEASON: Made 2 appearances (one start behind the plate) in the 2020 Postseason for CHC in the Wild Card Series vs. MIA...went 1-for-6 with a SO.
2019
Victor spent the entire season on the major league roster, recording career-high marks in nearly every offensive category...batted .266 (65-for-244) with 11 doubles, 11 homers and 34 RBI in 95 games....Batted .305 (25-for-82) with three doubles, five homers, 11 RBI and 10 runs scored in his final 30 games beginning August 25....Made 48 starts behind the plate with the Cubs going 25-23 in those games....Went 3-for-3 with two runs, three RBI, two walks and his first homer of the season, April 6 at Milwaukee....Was on the injured list from April 12-May 16 with a left hamate fracture suffered while swinging the bat, April 11 vs. Pittsburgh … delivered a double after suffering the fracture...played in nine rehab games with Single-A South Bend and Triple-A Iowa....Hit a game-winning three-RBI double as a pinch-hitter June 8 vs. St. Louis....Made two relief appearances, including a scoreless inning of relief June 22 vs. the Mets...has four-career pitching appearances (4.0 IP, 4 R)....Had three homers and seven RBI in a four-game span, June 27-July 3...went 5-for-13 (.385) with four runs scored in that stretch....Homered from both sides of the plate, July 3 at Pittsburgh, both of which were go-ahead homers...marked his first-career multi-homer game...his four RBI tied a career-high...became the sixth Cub to homer from both sides of the plate in the same game and the first since Ian Happ in 2018....Drove in all four runs on two homers, August 29 at the Mets, in the Cubs' 4-1 victory...both homers came off Mets ace Jacob deGrom...Became the first Cub to have a multi-homer game off the reigning Cy Young winner since Ernie Banks hit two homers off San Francisco's Mike McCormick, May 26, 1968....Batted .270 (55-for-204) with eight doubles and 10 homers off righties and .250 (10-for-40) with three doubles and one homer vs. lefties.
2018
Victor made his first Opening Day roster and appeared in 76 games with the Cubs, batting .232 (42-for-181) with seven doubles, two homers and 21 RBI ... recorded a 3.56 catcher's ERA (115 ER/290.2 IP) in 37 games behind the plate ... The team went 6-0 with two shutouts and a complete game in his six starts behind the dish from August 3-September 1 ... pitchers logged a 0.96 ERA (6 ER/56.0 IP) in those six contests ... Threw out 6-of-32 baserunners looking to steal ... Made 40 starts, with the Cubs going 24-16 in those games ... made 31 starts at catcher and nine starts at first base ... Batted .263 (36-for-137) with five doubles and two homers against right-handed pitching ... hit .136 (6-for-44) with two doubles against lefties ... Hit safely in five-straight games, April 6-12, going 7-for-20 with three doubles and three runs scored ... went 2-for-4 with two doubles, two runs scored and a hit-by-pitch, April 11 vs. Pittsburgh ... Went 3-for-3 with a walk, RBI and a career-high three runs scored, July 19 vs. St. Louis ... Made his first two appearances as a pitcher, July 20 vs. St. Louis (1.0 IP, 2 H, 2 R) and July 23 vs. Arizona (1.0 IP, H, 0 R) ... Hit a grand slam and recorded a career-high four RBI, September 8 at Washington ... was the second game of a doubleheader after going 2-for-2 with two runs scored in the first game ... Appeared in 32 games with Triple-A Iowa from May 28-July 2 ... batted .313 (36-for-115) with seven doubles and four homers in 32 games.
2017
Victor, named the Cubs Minor League Player of the Year, made his major league debut with the Cubs after he was recalled from Triple-A Iowa in late June ... hit .254 (15-for-59) in 31 games while making seven starts behind the plate ... named to the U.S. Team for the All-Star Futures Game, but did not participate due to his call-up to the Cubs... All told, amassed a 2.38 catcher's ERA in 75.2 innings behind the dish ... threw out two of eight baserunners attempting to steal... Also saw time at first base (eight games, three starts), right field (one game) and left field (one game)... Was 6-for-12 (.500) against lefties, and hit .191 (9-for-47) against righthanders... Recalled on June 28 and made his major league debut as a pinch-hitter that night at the Nationals (0-for-1)... Recorded his first big league hit, July 9 vs. Pittsburgh, when he doubled off A.J. Schugel ... finished the game 3-for-3 with two doubles and a RBI after coming off the bench in the fifth... Belted a game-winning solo homer in the seventh inning, July 30 in Milwaukee - his first career home run ... was optioned back to Iowa, August 1... Recalled again, August 11, when Willson Contreras landed on the 10-day D.L. (right hamstring strain) ... optioned back to Iowa, August 19, and returned to the big league club for good, September 1... In 69 games with Iowa prior to his first promotion, hit .341 (84-for-246) with 20 doubles, two triples, eight homers and 54 RBI ... had a .919 OPS... Named the Cubs Minor League Player of the Month for both May and June ... hit .366 (30-for-82) with 10 extra-base hits (including three homers) and 17 RBI in 24 May contests then batted .345 (30-for-87) with nine doubles, four homers, 21 RBI and a .970 OPS in 25 June games.
2016
Victor hit a career-best .291 (120-for-412) with 25 doubles, two triples, six homers and 47 RBI in 115 games for Double-A Tennessee, his first year at that level ... named a Southern League mid-season and post-season All-Star ... Split time between catcher and first base ... threw out 26 of 100 baserunners attempting to steal in 82 games behind the plate ... did not commit an error in 279 total chances at first base spanning 30 games ... Batted .342 (40-for-117) with a .426 on-base percentage against left-handed pitching ... Hit .310 or better in three months: May (.313), June (.310) and August (.311).
2015
Helped Single-A Myrtle Beach to the Mills Cup title, hitting .257 (101-for-393) with a career-high 31 doubles, one triple, four homers and 53 RBI ... named the Mills Cup Championship Series MVP after hitting .474 in the series ... played 86 games at catcher and 12 at first base ... Named Carolina League Player of the Week, August 24-30, hitting .500 (8-for-16) with three doubles, a triple and a RBI ... Batted .342 (26-for-76) with nine doubles, a homer, nine RBI and a .917 OPS in 20 games from August 8-September 6.
2014
Victor began the campaign with Single-A Rome in the Braves organization before he was acquired by the Cubs, July 31, for infielder Emilio Bonifacio and lefty James Russell ... joined Single-A Kane County and hit .264 (14-for-53) with 13 RBI in 14 games to close out the season ... Was his first season behind the plate, as he had manned third base in his first pro campaign ... Between the two teams, threw out 32 of 101 baserunners attempting to steal (31.7 percent) ... Began the season with a .279 average (90-for-323) with 18 doubles, four triples, five homers and 42 RBI in 87 games for Rome.
2013
Victor played 58 games for Rookie League Danville after he was selected by the Braves in the second round of the Draft ... hit .290 (58-for-200) with 29 runs scored, 23 doubles, one triple, one homer, 25 RBI, 39 walks and a .415 on-base percentage ... played 47 games at third base and one at shortstop.
