Erick Almonte is a former professional baseball player who played primarily as a shortstop and third baseman. He was born on February 1, 1978, in Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic. Almonte began his professional career in 1996 when he signed with the New York Yankees as an international free agent.
Almonte spent several years in the Yankees' minor league system, where he developed a reputation as a solid defensive player with a good bat. He made his major league debut on April 4, 2001, and played in 47 games for the Yankees that season, hitting .260 with two home runs and 12 RBIs.
Over the next few years, Almonte bounced between the Yankees and their minor league affiliates, never quite establishing himself as a regular player at the major league level. He played in a total of 68 games for the Yankees between 2001 and 2003, hitting .241 with three home runs and 18 RBIs.
In 2004, Almonte was traded to the San Diego Padres, where he spent the entire season playing for their Triple-A affiliate, the Portland Beavers. He hit .286 with 13 home runs and 68 RBIs in 127 games for the Beavers.
Almonte returned to the major leagues in 2005, signing with the Milwaukee Brewers as a free agent. He played in 25 games for the Brewers that season, hitting .222 with one home run and five RBIs.
After a brief stint with the Kansas City Royals in 2006, Almonte returned to the Yankees organization in 2007, signing a minor league contract with the team. He spent the entire season playing for their Triple-A affiliate, the Scranton/Wilkes-Barre Yankees, hitting .308 with 15 home runs and 69 RBIs in 123 games.
Almonte's final major league appearance came in 2011, when he played in two games for the Arizona Diamondbacks. He finished his major league career with a .260 batting average, five home runs, and 25 RBIs in 68 games.
Overall, Almonte had a solid career as a professional baseball player, spending parts of six seasons in the major leagues and playing for several different organizations. While he never became a star player, he was known for his solid defense and consistent hitting, and he was a valuable contributor to the teams he played for.
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