When you come out to Target Field and want to watch Willians Astudillo play ball you have to check out each position on the field to see where he might be playing on any given day. The soon to be 27-year old is in his second year in the big leagues and has just 77 games under his belt. His 5’9″ (probably generous) and 225 pounds (probably understated) suits him fine for his primary position of catcher but Astudillo is more than that. In parts of two seasons with the Twins he has played every position except shortstop and I would expect him to play there at some point too. Astudillo even pitched during his first year with Minnesota.
Astudillo loves to play baseball and it shows, he has fun on and off the field and isn’t afraid to poke a little fun at himself. The “Tortuga” is a fan favorite and the he can play some ball. This season he is only hitting .269 but last season he hit .355 and struckout just 3 time in 97 PA’s. The man can put his bat on the ball no matter where it is pitched.
Astudillo first signed with the Philadelphia Phillies as a 17 year-old free agent in December 2008 but never got above High A ball in the Philly organization. In November 2015 Astudillo became a FA and signed with the Atlanta Braves. The following November he was a FA again and this time was signed by the Arizona Diamondbacks. When 2017 was coming to and end Astudillo was again a FA and this time signed with the Twins.
The “Turtle” started 2018 with AAA Rochester but was called up my Minnesota in late June and made his big league debut at the age of 26 on June 30th against the Chicago Cubs in Wrigley Field when he replaced Eddie Rosario in left field. Naturally Astudillo singled in his first big league at bat off former Twins pitcher Brian Duensing and knocked in a run. Astudillo made the 2019 Twins team in spring training but has visited the IL twice this season with a hamstring issue and an oblique strain and has missed 71 games.
Astudillo who enjoys playing winter ball back home in his native Venezuela but due to the political unrest in his country MLB is prohibiting MLB players from playing baseball there this coming off-season.
Here is a short video clip from a play Tortuga made just the other day, how can you not love a player like this?
Here is another fun Astudillo clip. No-look pickoff throw makes Twins’ Willians Astudillo an internet sensation