Los Angeles Dodgers Mondesí was originally signed by the
Los Angeles Dodgers as an amateur free agent in 1988 out of the
Dominican Republic. With the
Great Falls Dodgers in 1990, he hit .303 with 30 stolen bases and was selected to the
Pioneer League All-Star team. In 1991, he played in 21 games with the
Bakersfield Dodgers, 53 games with the
San Antonio Missions, and 2 with the
Albuquerque Dukes hitting .277 with 8 home runs and 18 stolen bases. In 1992, he played 18 games with San Antonio and 35 with Albuquerque, hitting .296. He spent all of 1993 with the Dukes, hitting .280 with 12 homers and 13 steals. He made his MLB debut for the Dodgers on July 19, 1993, against the
Philadelphia Phillies, hitting a single to center field as a pinch hitter in seventh inning against
David West for his first major league hit. He hit his first home run, a two-run shot off
Bob Scanlan in the 13th inning of a game against the
Chicago Cubs on July 31. He returned to the minors after the August 6 games, but was back with the Dodgers for good in September. He appeared in 42 games that season for the Dodgers, hitting .291 with four home runs. Mondesí made the Dodgers opening day roster in 1994 and played in 112 games, hitting .306 with 16 homers, 56 RBI, and 11 stolen bases. He was selected as the
National League Rookie of the Year. In 1995, he was twice selected as
National League Player of the Week (April 30 and July 5), he won the
Rawlings Gold Glove Award and was selected to the
1995 Major League Baseball All-Star Game. He flew out to right field in his one at-bat in the All-Star game. He also competed in the
Home Run Derby. Overall, he hit .285 with 26 home runs, 88 RBI, and 14 stolen bases. He had two hits in nine at-bats for the Dodgers in the
1995 National League Division Series loss to the
Cincinnati Reds. He was two for twelve in the
1996 National League Division Series against the
Atlanta Braves, with two doubles. In 1997, he hit .310 with 30 homers, 88 RBI, and 32 steals becoming the first Dodger player in history to join the
30–30 club. He also won his second
Rawlings Gold Glove Award and finished 15th in voting for the
National League Most Valuable Player Award. In 1999, he again joined the 30–30 club with 33 homers and 36 steals, though his average had dipped to .253.
Toronto Blue Jays On November 8, 1999, Mondesí was traded by the Dodgers (along with
Pedro Borbón Jr.) to the
Toronto Blue Jays for
Shawn Green and minor league player Jorge Nunez. He only played in 96 games during his first season in Toronto after he tore ligaments in his right elbow during a game on July 21, which required season-ending surgery. He played two and a half seasons with the Blue Jays, playing in 320 games and hitting 66 home runs. He won the
American League Player of the Week Award for the week of May 6, 2001.
New York Yankees Mondesí was traded by the Blue Jays to the
New York Yankees on July 1, 2002, for
Scott Wiggins. He played in 71 games for the Yankees that season and another 98 in 2003, hitting .250 with 27 home runs and 92 RBI. He had 3 hits in 12 at-bats for the Yankees in the
2002 American League Division Series against the
Anaheim Angels.
Arizona Diamondbacks The Yankees traded Mondesí on July 29, 2003, to the
Arizona Diamondbacks for
David Dellucci,
Bret Prinz and minor leaguer John Prowl. In 45 games with the Diamondbacks, he hit .302 with eight home runs.
Pittsburgh Pirates Mondesí signed as a free agent with the
Pittsburgh Pirates on February 24, 2004. By May he was talking of leaving the team for personal reasons, involving a legal dispute, in the Dominican Republic. He left the team on May 11, 2004, and his contract was terminated a week later.
Anaheim Angels The
Anaheim Angels signed Mondesí on May 30, 2004. The deal was investigated by
Major League Baseball, but the Angels were cleared of any wrongdoing. Shortly after Mondesí signed with the Angels, he tore his quadriceps and was placed on the disabled list. He was released by the Angels in July for not showing up for his rehab therapy.
Atlanta Braves The
Atlanta Braves signed Mondesí in 2005; he appeared in 41 games with the team before the Braves released him on May 31. ==Career statistics==