Josh Labandeira

Infobox MLB player


width = 150px
name = Josh Labandeira
team = Kansas City Royals
number = 8
position = Shortstop
birthdate = birth date and age|1979|2|25
bats = Right
throws = Right
debutdate = September 17
debutyear = 2004
debutteam = Montreal Expos
statyear = 2007
stat1label = Batting average
stat1value = .000
stat2label = Home runs
stat2value = 0
stat3label = Runs batted in
stat3value = 0
teams =
*Montreal Expos (by|2004)

John Joshua Labandeira (born February 25, 1979 in Tulare, California) is a Major League Baseball player for the Kansas City Royals organization. He is a second baseman/shortstop and bats and throws right-handed.

Labandeira attended Monache High School in Porterville, California and chose Fresno State University as the college he wished to attend. While at Fresno, he lettered in four different sports: wrestling, soccer, football and baseball. Labandeira majored in kinesiology. As a sophomore, he attended College of the Sequoias in Visalia (Bob Ojeda, Johnny Estrada, Jim Wohlford and Steve Stroughter all attended that college at one point or another as well).

In the 6th round of the by|2001 amateur entry draft, Labandeira was drafted by the Montreal Expos (now the Washington Nationals) after posting superlative numbers in college, in 2001, he hit .367 while belting 15 home runs.

At 5'7" and 180 pounds, Labandeira is not too imposing out on the diamond, but even with his small stature he has some pop in his bat. In by|2004, with the Harrisburg Senators for example, he hit 9 home runs in 534 at bats; not bad for his small size.

On September 17, 2004, Labandeira made his Major League debut at the age of 25. In seven games that year, he had a .000 batting average in 14 at-bats. He wore the number 1 during his tenure in the Major Leagues. He currently ranks 10th on the All-Time list of most career at-bats without a hit by a non-pitcher. The record of 23 is shared by Larry Littleton and Mike Potter.

He spent all of by|2005 and by|2006 playing for Harrisburg and Washington's Triple-A affiliate, the New Orleans Zephyrs. In July 2005, Labandeira was suspended 15 games for violating the policies in the Minor League Drug Prevention and Treatment Program. In by|2007, Labandeira played for the Florida Marlins Triple-A affiliate, the Albuquerque Isotopes. He became a free agent at the end of the season. On April 22, by|2008, he signed a minor league contract with the Tampa Bay Rays. He was released on July 26, 2008. On July 31, he signed with the Kansas City Royals.

Personal life

Labandeira was married in January of 2007 to college sweetheart, Rebecca Witt and they currently reside in Fresno, California.

Honors and Awards

*In 2001, he was a Western Athletic Conference All-Star and the Western Athletic Conference Player of the Year.