Domingo Leyba

WTM’s PLAYER PROFILE

2013
DSL:  348/446/577, 201 AB, 15 2B, 8 3B, 5 HR, 34 BB, 26 K, 16-24 SB

Leyba had a big first season in the DSL, splitting his time between second and short.  Baseball America rated him 8th in the Tigers’ system.

2014
A-:  264/303/375, 144 AB, 11 2B, 1 3B, 1 HR, 8 BB, 17 K, 1-3 SB
A:  397/431/483, 116 AB, 7 2B, 1 HR, 6 BB, 13 K, 1-3 SB

Detroit skipped Leyba over rookie ball and sent him to the New York-Penn League.  He spent a month and a half there, then moved up to full season ball.  He held his own at the lower level and got very hot after moving up.  After the season, Detroit sent him to Arizona as part of a three-way trade.  BA ranked Leyba ninth in the D’backs’ system.

2015
A+:  237/278/309, 514 AB, 21 2B, 5 3B, 2 HR, 26 BB, 90 K, 10-16 SB

Leyba struggled in high Class A.  The numbers look all the worse considering that he was in the high-offense California League.  He played short full-time.  BA ranked him 13th in the system after the season.

2016
A+:  294/346/427, 340 AB, 25 2B, 1 3B, 6 HR, 29 BB, 62 K, 5-6 SB
AA:  301/374/436, 156 AB, 7 2B, 1 3B, 4 HR, 17 BB, 22 K, 4-6 SB

Arizona sent Leyba back to high A and he did much better there.  Two-thirds of the way through the season, he moved up to AA and continued to hit well.  He again played short most of the time.  BA moved him up to third in the system and the D’backs added him to the roster after the season.

2017
A-:  286/375/429, 28 AB, 1 2B, 1 HR, 4 BB, 2 K
AA:  276/344/448, 58 AB, 4 2B, 2 HR, 5 BB, 6 K

Leyba suffered a shoulder injury in spring training and eventually needed surgery.  He got only limited playing time.

2018
AA:  269/344/381, 320 AB, 17 2B, 2 3B, 5 HR, 35 BB, 46 K, 5-7 SB

Leyba spent the season in AA and put up just so-so numbers.  This time he played mostly at second.  BA ranked him 24th in the system.

2019
AAA:  300/351/519, 457 AB, 37 2B, 3 3B, 19 HR, 32 BB, 78 K, 0-2 SB
MLB:  280/367/440, 25 AB, 2 2B, 1 3B, 4 BB, 9 K

Leyba moved up to AAA and hit very well there, with an increase in power.  He split his time between second and short.  Leyba got called up briefly in June and July, then came back up in September.

2020
DNP

In March, Leyba was suspended for 80 games for violation of the drug prevention and treatment program.  Missing the entire season during the pandemic year satisfied the suspension.  Arizona outrighted him to AAA after the season.

2021
AAA (Ari):  457/487/914, 35 AB, 2 2B, 1 3B, 4 HR, 2 BB, 4 K
AAA (Balt):  275/311/507, 69 AB, 1 2B, 5 HR, 4 BB, 10 K, 0-1 SB
AAA (Tex):  289/299/510, 104 AB, 7 2B, 2 3B, 4 HR, 2 BB, 17 K, 1-2 SB
MLB (Ari):  000/083/000, 22 AB, 2 BB, 7 K
MLB (Balt):  154/236/215, 65 AB, 1 2B, 1 HR, 6 BB, 16 K

Leyba opened the season in AAA and hit very well there in brief action.  In May, the D’backs called him back up, but after he went 0-for-22, Arizona designated him for assignment and Baltimore claimed him off waivers.  He split his time evenly between AAA and the majors, but didn’t hit during his brief time with the Orioles.  They outrighted him in August and released him two weeks later.  The Rangers picked him up on a minor league deal and he finished the season in AAA with them.  On the season, Leyba hit very well in AAA, not well at all in the majors.  He became a free agent after the season and signed a minor league deal with San Diego.

2022
AA:  266/365/409, 372 AB, 21 2B, 1 3B, 10 HR, 59 BB, 61 K, 12-13 SB
AAA:  125/256/281, 32 AB, 2 2B, 1 HR, 6 BB, 6 K

After Leyba struggled early in AAA, the Padres sent him to AA and he hit just OK there.  He spent the rest of the season in AA, playing second, short and third.

Leyba provides the Pirates with upper level infield depth, although they don’t seem to need it much.