Nelson Santovenia
Catcher · Career Stats, Bio & Records (1987-1993)
Nelson Santovenia was a catcher who played in Major League Baseball from 1987 to 1993 for the Montreal Expos, the Chicago White Sox, and the Kansas City Royals, a span of 7 seasons. In 297 career games, he hit .233 with 206 hits, 22 home runs, and 116 RBI.
- AVG (Batting Average):
- Hits divided by at bats. .300 is the traditional mark of an excellent hitter.
- HR (Home Runs):
- Hits on which the batter circled the bases and scored, almost always by clearing the outfield fence.
- RBI (Runs Batted In):
- Runs that scored as a direct result of a batter's plate appearance.
- OPS (On-Base Plus Slugging):
- On-base percentage plus slugging percentage, the quickest single summary of offensive value. .900 or better is star-level.
Data updated
- Position
- Catcher
- Bats / Throws
- R / R
- Height / Weight
- 6'3" / 195 lb
- MLB Debut
- 1987-09-16
- Last Game
- 1993-10-02
Full name: Nelson Gil Santovenia
Career Batting Statistics
| G | AB | R | H | 2B | 3B | HR | RBI | SB | BB | SO | AVG | OBP | SLG | OPS | PIV |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 297 | 884 | 77 | 206 | 42 | 4 | 22 | 116 | 4 | 59 | 165 | .233 | .281 | .364 | .645 | -1,299 |
Career AVG .233 vs. league average .258 across their career seasons — 9.7% below league average.
Career OBP .281 vs. league average .325 across their career seasons — 13.6% below league average.
Career SLG .364 vs. league average .389 across their career seasons — 6.3% below league average.
Career OPS .645 vs. league average .713 across their career seasons — 9.6% below league average.
Season-by-Season Batting
Click a stat to plot it across every season.
| Year | Team | Lg | G | AB | R | H | 2B | 3B | HR | RBI | SB | BB | SO | AVG | Lg AVG | Lg OBP | Lg SLG | Lg OPS | PIV |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1987 | MON | NL | 2 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | .000 | — | — | — | — | 0.0 |
| 1988 | MON | NL | 92 | 309 | 26 | 73 | 20 | 2 | 8 | 41 | 2 | 24 | 77 | .236 | .254 (-7%) | .317 (-7%) | .377 (+4%) | .695 (-1%) | -138.9 |
| 1989 | MON | NL | 97 | 304 | 30 | 76 | 14 | 1 | 5 | 31 | 2 | 24 | 37 | .250 | .254 (-2%) | .319 (-4%) | .375 (-6%) | .694 (-5%) | -253.4 |
| 1990 | MON | NL | 59 | 163 | 13 | 31 | 3 | 1 | 6 | 28 | 0 | 8 | 31 | .190 | .257 (-26%) | .324 (-32%) | .385 (-14%) | .710 (-22%) | -655.8 |
| 1991 | MON | NL | 41 | 96 | 7 | 24 | 5 | 0 | 2 | 14 | 0 | 2 | 18 | .250 | .255 (-2%) | .323 (-21%) | .384 (-5%) | .708 (-13%) | -251.0 |
| 1992 | CHA | AL | 2 | 3 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | .333 | — | — | — | — | 0.0 |
| 1993 | KCA | AL | 4 | 8 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 2 | .125 | — | — | — | — | 0.0 |
| Career · 7 seasons | 297 | 884 | 77 | 206 | 42 | 4 | 22 | 116 | 4 | 59 | 165 | .233 | — | — | — | — | -1,299 | ||
Lg columns show the league average for that season, with the player's figure as a percentage above or below it. Career totals the seasons listed above.
Game Log & Splits
View full game log (297 games) →Per-game data from Retrosheet (regular season, through 2025).
Batting — Home / Away
| Split | G | AB | R | H | HR | RBI | AVG |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Home | 141 | 413 | 43 | 114 | 15 | 72 | .276 |
| Away | 156 | 471 | 34 | 92 | 7 | 44 | .195 |
Last 10 Games — Batting
| Date | Tm | Opp | Res | AB | R | H | 2B | 3B | HR | RBI | BB | SO |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1993-10-02 | KCR | TEX | W | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 1993-10-01 | KCR | TEX | L | 3 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 |
| 1993-09-29 | KCR | CLE | W | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 1993-09-16 | KCR | SEA | L | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 |
| 1992-07-22 | CHW | BAL | W | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 1992-07-11 | CHW | BOS | L | 3 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 2 | 0 | 0 |
| 1991-10-06 | WSN | PIT | L | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 1991-10-04 | WSN | PIT | W | 4 | 1 | 2 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 |
| 1991-10-02 | WSN | STL | L | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 1991-09-30 | WSN | STL | L | 4 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 |
Fielding Statistics
Career Fielding Totals by Position
| Position | G | GS | PO | A | E | DP |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1B | 9 | 4 | 42 | 4 | 0 | 5 |
| C | 263 | 229 | 1409 | 166 | 30 | 24 |
Season-by-Season Fielding
| Year | Team | Pos | G | GS | PO | A | E | DP |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1987 | MON | C | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 1988 | MON | 1B | 1 | 1 | 8 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 1988 | MON | C | 86 | 83 | 457 | 63 | 9 | 7 |
| 1989 | MON | 1B | 1 | 0 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 1 |
| 1989 | MON | C | 89 | 83 | 561 | 66 | 12 | 7 |
| 1990 | MON | C | 51 | 43 | 264 | 24 | 6 | 7 |
| 1991 | MON | 1B | 7 | 3 | 31 | 4 | 0 | 4 |
| 1991 | MON | C | 30 | 17 | 109 | 12 | 3 | 3 |
| 1992 | CHA | C | 2 | 1 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 1993 | KCA | C | 4 | 2 | 14 | 1 | 0 | 0 |
Career Games by Position
Circle size = games played at each position.
| Position | Games |
|---|---|
| Catcher | 263 |
| First Base | 9 |
Salary History
Nelson Santovenia's recorded salaries total $586,000 over 3 seasons, 1989 to 1991. This total is partial: the salary data covers 1985 to 2016, and Santovenia's career ran from 1987 to 1993. No salary is recorded for 1987, 1988, 1992, and 1993.
| Year | Team | League | Salary |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1991 | MON | NL | $282,500 |
| 1990 | MON | NL | $205,000 |
| 1989 | MON | NL | $98,500 |
| Total recorded salary (partial) | $586,000 | ||
College History
| School Name | City | State | Years Attended |
|---|---|---|---|
| Miami-Dade College - Kendall Campus | Miami | FL | 1980, 1981 |
| University of Miami | Coral Gables | FL | 1982 |
Nelson Santovenia: the record in brief
The profile opens with Nelson Santovenia's first major league game on September 16, 1987; the last one listed came on October 2, 1993. The team column moves through the Montreal Expos (1987 to 1991), the Chicago White Sox (1992), and the Kansas City Royals (1993). At 6'3" and 195 pounds, Santovenia is listed as a catcher. The bio says Santovenia threw and hit right-handed. Santovenia was born on July 27, 1961, in Pinar del Río, Pinar del Río, Cuba. Santovenia's full given name, per the bio, is Nelson Gil Santovenia.
The batting record for Santovenia: 297 games, 206 hits in 884 at bats, and a .233 average, along with 22 home runs and 116 runs batted in. Reaching base at a .281 clip and slugging .364, Santovenia finished with a .645 OPS. Over the seasons Santovenia played, league hitters batted .258; the .233 career figure is 9.7% below that. By OPS the gap is 9.6% below league average (.645 against .713). Santovenia collected a career-high 76 hits in 1989. Even the best average among the busiest seasons, .250 in 1989, did not top the league's .254.
Frequently Asked Questions about Nelson Santovenia
- What years did Nelson Santovenia play?
- Nelson Santovenia played in Major League Baseball from 1987 to 1993.
- Was Nelson Santovenia a pitcher?
- No. Nelson Santovenia was a position player (Catcher).
- How many home runs did Nelson Santovenia hit?
- Nelson Santovenia hit 22 career home runs with 206 hits.
- What teams did Nelson Santovenia play for?
- Nelson Santovenia played for 3 teams: the Montreal Expos (1987–1991), the Chicago White Sox (1992), and the Kansas City Royals (1993).
- What were Nelson Santovenia's career stats?
- In 297 games, Nelson Santovenia had 206 hits, 22 home runs, 116 RBI, 77 runs, and 4 stolen bases, with a .233 batting average.
- How much did Nelson Santovenia earn in his career?
- Nelson Santovenia's recorded salaries total $586,000 over 3 seasons, 1989 to 1991. This total is partial: the salary data covers 1985 to 2016, and Santovenia's career ran from 1987 to 1993. No salary is recorded for 1987, 1988, 1992, and 1993.
- What was Nelson Santovenia's salary?
- Nelson Santovenia's last recorded salary was $282,500, in 1991. His highest recorded salary was $282,500, in 1991, and his lowest was $98,500, in 1989. The Salary History table lists each season from 1989 to 1991.
- What position did Nelson Santovenia play?
- Nelson Santovenia played primarily as a catcher, the position where he appeared in the most games.
- How tall was Nelson Santovenia and how much did he weigh?
- Nelson Santovenia was listed at 6 feet 3 inches and 195 pounds.
- How many home runs did Nelson Santovenia hit each season?
- Nelson Santovenia's home runs by season: 0 in 1987, 8 in 1988, 5 in 1989, 6 in 1990, 2 in 1991, 1 in 1992, and 0 in 1993. His most in one season was 8, in 1988.
- What was Nelson Santovenia's career batting average?
- Nelson Santovenia batted .233 over his career, with 206 hits in 884 at bats.
- How many RBI did Nelson Santovenia have?
- Nelson Santovenia drove in 116 runs in his career.
- Is Nelson Santovenia in the Hall of Fame?
- No. Nelson Santovenia has not been inducted into the National Baseball Hall of Fame.