Spanish
SANTO DOMINGO. - The operations department of the Tigres del Licey announced the hiring of Major League outfielder Griffin Conine as a reinforcement for the 2025-26 season of the Dominican Republic Professional Baseball League.
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Conine is a 28-year-old player who is six feet one inch tall, weighs 210 pounds, and has experience at the highest level of the baseball industry. "We are hiring an impact player who can help energize our offense and versatility of our organization, as he can perform in different defensive positions, so he fits perfectly into the planning for this season," said VP of operations and general manager, Audo Vicente. The Florida native was the Marlins' right fielder on Opening Day. However, he dislocated his shoulder diving headfirst on April 19 and underwent surgery that sidelined him for nearly five months. His rehabilitation assignment began on September 7, participating in nine games in which he recorded a batting average of .292/.514/.583 with a double, two home runs, nine RBIs plus more walks (11) than strikeouts (9) for the Jumbo Shrimp. Finally, he returned to MLB on September 23 and hit a home run against right-hander David Robertson. The North American reinforcement is capable of connecting extra bases to all corners of the field thanks to a combination of bat speed, physical strength, and upward angle generated with his left-handed swing. Defensively, the North American stands out for covering enough ground to perform well in any corner of the outfield. Griffin is the son of Jeff Conine, who became known as "Mr. Marlin" after winning two World Series (1997, 2003) with the franchise, and his son Griffin is trying to follow in his footsteps in Miami. He signed for $1.35 million with the Blue Jays as a second-round pick in the 2018 draft from Duke and arrived at the Marlins as the player named in a trade for Jonathan Villar in August 2020. Since he was promoted to Triple-A in 2023, Conine has recorded 23 home runs, 24 doubles, 87 RBIs, an on-base percentage of .352, and an OPS of .812 in just 144 games. The North American reinforcement will be available from the first day of the season. The Tigres del Licey begin their home season next Wednesday, October 15, when they receive the visit of the Leones del Escogido starting at 7:30 pm.
