Luis ÃÂngel Medina (born May 3, 1999) is a Dominican professional baseball pitcher for the Athletics of Major League Baseball (MLB). He made his MLB debut in 2023.
Medina signed with the New York Yankees as an international free agent on July 8, 2015. He made his professional debut in 2016 with the Dominican Summer League Yankees. In 2017 he pitched for the Dominican Summer League Yankees and Pulaski Yankees, making 10 appearances (9 starts) and logging a 5.35 ERA with 39 strikeouts in innings of work.
Medina returned to Pulaski for the 2018 season, making 12 starts and recording a 6.25 ERA with 47 strikeouts in 36.0 innings pitched. Medina started 2019 with the SingleâÂÂA Charleston RiverDogs and was promoted to the HighâÂÂA Tampa Yankees during the season. In 22 total starts, he accumulated a 1âÂÂ8 record and 5.47 ERA with 127 strikeouts in innings of work.
On November 20, 2019, the Yankees added Medina to their 40-man roster to protect him from the Rule 5 draft. Medina did not play in a game in 2020 due to the cancellation of the minor league season because of the COVID-19 pandemic. He began the 2021 season with the HighâÂÂA Hudson Valley Renegades and was promoted to the DoubleâÂÂA Somerset Patriots during the season. In June 2021, Medina was selected to play in the All-Star Futures Game. In 22 contests (21 starts), Medina accumulated a 6âÂÂ4 record and 3.39 ERA with 133 strikeouts in innings pitched.
The Yankees optioned Medina to DoubleâÂÂA Somerset to begin the 2022 season. In 17 starts, he registered a 4âÂÂ3 record and 3.38 ERA with 81 strikeouts.
On August 1, 2022, the Yankees traded Medina, JP Sears, Ken Waldichuk, and Cooper Bowman to the Oakland Athletics in exchange for Frankie Montas and Lou Trivino. He spent the remainder of the year with the Double-A Midland RockHounds, making seven starts and pitching to a 1-4 record and 11.76 ERA with 26 strikeouts in innings pitched.
Medina was assigned to the Triple-A Las Vegas Aviators to begin the 2023 season. In three starts, he registered a 3.86 ERA with 11 strikeouts in innings of work before the Athletics promoted Medina to the major leagues on April 25. He made his major league debut in a start against the Los Angeles Angels the following day. The day after, the Athletics optioned Medina to Las Vegas. He made 23 appearances (17 starts) for Oakland in his rookie campaign, logging a 3âÂÂ10 record and 5.42 ERA with 106 strikeouts across innings pitched.
Medina began the 2024 season on the injured list after suffering a Grade 2 medial collateral ligament sprain in spring training. He was activated from the injured list on June 2, 2024. In 8 starts for Oakland, Medina logged a 2âÂÂ4 record and 5.18 ERA with 32 strikeouts across 40 innings. On July 25, it was announced that Medina would require Tommy John surgery to repair ligament damage in his elbow, ending his season.