Steven Moya


Steven Moya is a Puerto Rico born-Dominican Republic professional baseball player for the Orix Buffaloes of Nippon Professional Baseball. He previously played in Major League Baseball for the Detroit Tigers and the Chunichi Dragons of Nippon Professional Baseball.

Career

Detroit Tigers

Moya signed with the Detroit Tigers as a non-drafted free agent in 2008. In 2012, Moya had Tommy John surgery, which caused him to play in only 59 games that year. Moya was added to the teams 40-man roster on November 20, 2013.
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Moya started the 2014 season with the Double-A Erie SeaWolves. On June 24, it was announced Moya had been named to the All-Star Futures Game. Moya was named the Eastern League All-Star Game MVP after he hit a grand slam in the fifth inning.
On August 28, 2014, Moya was named the 2014 Eastern League Most Valuable Player. Moya finished the season batting.273 with 33 doubles, three triples, 35 home runs, 105 RBI, 81 runs scored, 16 stolen bases, a.555 slugging percentage and a.306 on-base percentage in 133 games this season. Moya is the first SeaWolves player to be named the league's MVP since the SeaWolves entered the Eastern League in 1999. Moya set a new single-season franchise record for total bases, extra-base hits, home runs and RBI. Moya was named the Detroit Tigers' minor league player of the year.
Moya batted.265 from August 1 on with 12 doubles, five home runs and 19 RBIs. He finished the season with the Mud Hens batting.240 with 30 doubles, 20 home runs, 74 RBIs, 27 walks and 162 strikeouts.
Moya made his major league debut on September 1, 2014 as a pinch hitter in the 9th inning, where he recorded a single in his first career at-bat off Austin Adams of the Cleveland Indians. Following the 2014 season, Moya went on to play for the Glendale Desert Dogs of the Arizona Fall League. In 23 games, he batted.289 with six doubles, one triple, five home runs, and 19 RBI. Moya was also named to the Arizona Fall League Rising Stars Game.
He was called up by the Tigers on September 8, 2015 as a September call-up. He was 4-for-25 in nine September games.
On March 26, 2016, he was optioned to the Triple-A Toledo Mud Hens.
On May 12, 2016 he was recalled from Triple A. He was optioned back to Toledo later, but was recalled again on June 16, 2016, upon an injury to the Tigers starting right fielder, J. D. Martinez. Moya was optioned back to AAA Toledo on July 17, 2016. After batting.324 in June with four home runs, he was 3-for-23 in July and had some defensive lapses in right field. Manager Brad Ausmus stated he wanted Moya to work on his outfield defense in a "less stressful environment". He was outrighted to Triple-A on March 31, 2017, and elected free agency on November 6.

Chunichi Dragons

On December 1, 2017, Moya signed a one-year contract with the Chunichi Dragons of Nippon Professional Baseball.
On April 20, 2018, he made his NPB debut.

Orix Buffaloes

On June 30, 2019, it was announced that Moya had been traded to the Orix Buffaloes for cash. On December 20, 2019, Moya signed a 1-year extension to remain with the Buffaloes.

Awards and accomplishments

Moya was born in Puerto Rico to Dominican Republic parents, and when he was 2 months old, his family returned to the Dominican Republic.