Tony Blanco

Tony Blanco
Tony Blanco
	Blanco with the Yokohama DeNA BayStars
	First baseman
	Born: November 10, 1980; San Juan de la Maguana, Dominican Republic
	Died: April 8, 2025 (aged 44); Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic
	Batted: Right Threw: Right
Professional debut
	MLB: April 4, 2005, for the Washington Nationals
	NPB: April 3, 2009, for the Chunichi Dragons
Last appearance
	MLB: September 24, 2005, for the Washington Nationals
	NPB: July 12, 2016, for the Orix Buffaloes
MLB statistics
Batting average	.177
Home runs	1
Runs batted in	7
NPB statistics
Batting average	.272
Home runs	181
Runs batted in	542
	Stats at Baseball Reference
Teams
	Washington Nationals (2005); Chunichi Dragons (2009–2012); Yokohama DeNA BayStars (2013–2014); Orix Buffaloes (2015–2016);
Career highlights and awards
	NPB 4× NPB All-Star (2009–2010, 2013–2014); 3× Best Nine Award (2009, 2012–2013); Central League batting champion (2013); 2× Central League RBI leader (2009, 2013); Central League home run leader (2009);

Tony Enrique Blanco Cabrera (November 10, 1980 – April 8, 2025) was a Dominican professional baseball player. He was mainly a first baseman, third baseman, and outfielder. Blanco last played for the Orix Buffaloes of Nippon Professional Baseball (NPB). He also played in Major League Baseball for the Washington Nationals as well as the Chunichi Dragons and the Yokohama DeNA BayStars of NPB.

Career

Blanco began his career in the Boston Red Sox farm system as a third baseman. In 2002, he was traded to the Cincinnati Reds as a player to be named later, completing an earlier trade that sent Todd Walker to Boston. As a top prospect in the Reds organization in 2003, Blanco made a name for himself^{[clarification needed]} while playing for the Potomac Cannons of the Carolina League. Blanco was picked up by the Nationals as a Rule 5 Draft choice in 2005 and started the year playing for the Potomac Nationals. Blanco was invited to spring training for the big league club and quickly made it to the roster early in 2005, playing in 56 games. During 2005, his rookie season, he hit .177 with one home run and seven RBI.

In 2008, Blanco played for the Double-A Tulsa Drillers in the Colorado Rockies organization, batting .323 with 23 home runs and 88 RBIs. After the 2008 season, Blanco played in the Dominican Winter League for the Estrellas Orientales. He was then acquired by the Chunichi Dragons of Nippon Professional Baseball (NPB), who released their cleanup hitter, Tyrone Woods, due to his high wage, shortly after that.

Blanco finished his first season in NPB with 39 home runs and 110 RBIs, both leading in Central League, along with a .275 batting average. He also received a Central League Performance Award for inter-league games (11 home runs and 24 RBIs) and won the home run derby before the all-star game, in which he played as the Central League first baseman.

Blanco with the Chunichi Dragons, at Hanshin Koshien Stadium.
Blanco with the Orix Buffaloes, at Akita Prefectural Baseball Stadium

Blanco's son, Tony Jr., plays in the Pittsburgh Pirates minor league system.^[1]

Death

Blanco died at the age of 44 on April 8, 2025, from injuries sustained in the Jet Set nightclub roof collapse in Santo Domingo.^[2] Fellow Dominican baseball player Octavio Dotel was also killed in the incident.^[3]

Blanco died saving his friend Esteban Germán.^[4]

References

^ Moret, Matt; Torres, Maria (April 9, 2025). "Former MLB pitcher Octavio Dotel dies in Dominican Republic nightclub collapse". The New York Times. ISSN 0362-4331. Retrieved April 9, 2025.
^ El expelotero Tony Blanco también falleció en desplome de Jet Set (in Spanish)
^ Former MLB Pitcher Dies Following Dominican Night Club Collapse: Reports
^ "Former MLB player Tony Blanco's heroic final act in the Dominican Republic roof collapse". Marca. April 9, 2025. Retrieved April 10, 2025.

External links

Career statistics from MLB, or ESPN, or Baseball Reference, or Fangraphs , or Baseball Reference (Minors), or Retrosheet

[1] Moret, Matt; Torres, Maria (April 9, 2025). "Former MLB pitcher Octavio Dotel dies in Dominican Republic nightclub collapse". The New York Times. ISSN 0362-4331. Retrieved April 9, 2025.

[2] El expelotero Tony Blanco también falleció en desplome de Jet Set (in Spanish)

[3] Former MLB Pitcher Dies Following Dominican Night Club Collapse: Reports

[marca-4] "Former MLB player Tony Blanco's heroic final act in the Dominican Republic roof collapse". Marca. April 9, 2025. Retrieved April 10, 2025.

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