Napoleón Aguilera Reyes (November 24, 1919 – September 15, 1995) was a Cuban Major League Baseball third baseman–first baseman who played for the New York Giants from 1943 to 1945, and again in 1950. A native of Santiago de Cuba, Cuba, he stood 6'1" and weighed 205 lbs.
Reyes made his major league debut on May 19, 1943 against the Cincinnati Reds at the Polo Grounds. He got into 40 games as a rookie, and then played regularly in 1944 and 1945. After World War II was over, however, he got into only one more big league game. Five years later, on April 27, 1950 he played part of a game at first base and went 0-for-1.
Career totals include 279 games played, 264 hits, 13 home runs, 110 runs batted in, 90 runs scored, and a lifetime batting average of .284. Defensively, he fielded both of his positions very well. (.960 at third base and .991 at first base)
Reyes died at the age of 75 in Miami, Florida.
Fact
- In 1945, Reyes tied for the National League lead in the hit by pitch category with 8. The two other players who were hit 8 times were his teammate/manager and future Hall of Famer Mel Ott, and Chicago Cubs All-Star center fielder Andy Pafko.
External links
- Career statistics and player information from Baseball Reference
- Retrosheet
- Nap Reyes at Find a Grave
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