A first baseman who made his debut with the Chicago Cubs in 2021 is headed for the west coast.
The Los Angeles Angels claimed Alfonso Rivas off waivers on Friday, placing him on their 40-man roster as the league prepares for its holiday break. Both teams announced the move.
Rivas was last with the Cleveland Guardians, who picked him up in November off waivers. The Guardians waived Rivas when they signed catcher Austin Hedges in free agency.
Rivas earned his promotion to the Cubs in 2021 after a late-season call-up. He joined the Cubs in early 2020 after the Oakland Athletics dealt Rivas to the Cubs for Tony Kemp. His play with the Triple-A Iowa Cubs earned him the promotion. He slashed .284/.405/.411 with four home runs, 32 RBIs, and 13 doubles in 58 games with Iowa.
To end the 2021 season, he batted .318 with one home run and three RBIs in 44 at-bats as the season ended with a finger injury.
In 2022 Rivas played 101 games for Chicago, as he batted .235 with three home runs and 14 RBI. In December the Cubs designated him for assignment and later released him.
In 2023 Rivas spent time with the San Diego Padres and the Pittsburgh Pirates. With the Pirates he played 40 games, logging a .234 batting average with three home runs and 14 RBI.
For his MLB career he is a .243 hitter with seven home runs and 43 RBI.
The native of Mexico played high school baseball at La Jolla Country Day School in La Jolla, Calif., and played his college baseball at the University of Arizona. He also played in the Cap Cod League.
On the strength of his college career the Oakland Athletics drafted him in the fourth round of the 2018 MLB Draft.
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