HOUSTON – Marwin Gonzalez may not be a headliner on the star-studded Astros team, but he has played a key role in the team's success both last season and this year.
The 29-year-old was born in Puerto Ordaz, Venezuela, and first made his way to the MLB when he was signed as an international free agent by the Chicago Cubs in 2005. He was then selected by the Boston Red Sox in the 2011 Rule 5 draft, and was finally traded to the Astros.
Gonzalez is highly regarded by his teammates and manager A.J. Hinch as an unselfish player who can step in and fill any role when needed.
In last year’s World Series he made a big impact in Game 2, with a homer in the ninth inning off of Kenley Jansen which tied the score, causing the game to go into extra innings in one of the longest and most exciting sports games in Houston history.
This season, Gonzalez has 68 RBIs, 16 homers and a .247 batting average.