David Clemente Bañuelos is an American professional baseball catcher who has played in Major League Baseball (MLB) for the Baltimore Orioles. Born on October 1, 1996, Bañuelos has built his reputation as a defensive-minded catcher with a notable collegiate career at California State University, Long Beach, before being selected in the 2017 MLB Draft. His professional journey has spanned multiple organizations, including the Seattle Mariners, Minnesota Twins, and Baltimore Orioles. Bañuelos is currently a free agent following his most recent stint with the Twins organization in February 2026.
David Bañuelos Early Life and Background
David Clemente Bañuelos grew up in La Verne, California, where he attended Damien High School. He graduated from Damien in 2014, having established himself as a standout baseball player during his high school career. As a senior, Bañuelos demonstrated his hitting ability by batting .395 with four home runs and 24 runs batted in (RBIs) for the Damien High School baseball team. Despite his impressive high school performance, he went undrafted in the 2014 Major League Baseball Draft and chose to pursue his baseball career at the collegiate level.
Bañuelos enrolled at California State University, Long Beach, where he played for the prestigious Long Beach State Dirtbags program. He quickly became a key contributor, eventually earning the role of the team’s starting catcher as a sophomore in 2016. During the summer of 2016, Bañuelos continued his development by playing collegiate summer baseball for the Bellingham Bells of the West Coast League, gaining valuable experience against top competition.
Path to Professional Baseball
His most prolific collegiate season came in 2017, when Bañuelos established himself as one of the top catchers in the country. He batted .289 that season with seven home runs and 29 RBIs for the Long Beach State Dirtbags. His outstanding performance earned him recognition as a First-Team All-American by Baseball America, and he was named one of three finalists for the prestigious Johnny Bench Award, which honors the top catcher in college baseball. This exceptional campaign put him firmly on the radar of Major League Baseball scouts and set the stage for his professional career.
David Bañuelos Professional Career
Seattle Mariners (2017)
The Seattle Mariners selected Bañuelos in the fifth round of the 2017 MLB Draft, choosing him with the 153rd overall selection. He signed with the organization shortly after being drafted, receiving a $300,000 signing bonus. Bañuelos made his professional debut with the Low-A Everett AquaSox, where he spent his inaugural professional season. In 36 games with the AquaSox, he posted a .236 batting average with four home runs and 26 RBIs, demonstrating his ability to translate his collegiate success to the professional level.
Minnesota Twins First Stint (2017–2023)
On December 6, 2017, Bañuelos was traded to the Minnesota Twins as part of the Mariners’ attempt to sign Japanese star Shohei Ohtani during the 2017-18 offseason. The Mariners sent Bañuelos to the Twins in exchange for $1 million in international signing bonus money. He began the 2018 season with the Single-A Cedar Rapids Kernels, where he batted .220 with two home runs and 22 RBIs in 73 games.
Bañuelos started 2019 with Cedar Rapids before earning a promotion to the High-A Fort Myers Miracle in May. Over 63 games with Fort Myers, he slashed .177/.232/.263 with two home runs and 20 RBIs. The 2020 season was lost to the COVID-19 pandemic, as the minor league season was cancelled entirely. He returned to action in 2021 with the Double-A Wichita Wind Surge and Triple-A St. Paul Saints, combining to hit .201/.245/.340 with three home runs and 18 RBIs in 45 games.
In 2022, Bañuelos spent the entire season with Triple-A St. Paul, playing in 55 games and hitting .204/.273/.376 with eight home runs and 26 RBIs. He continued his development in 2023 with Double-A Wichita, where he appeared in 48 contests and slashed .270/.369/.526. He set career highs that season with 10 home runs and 30 RBIs. Following the 2023 season, Bañuelos elected free agency on November 6, 2023.
Baltimore Orioles (2024–2025)
On December 21, 2023, Bañuelos signed a minor league contract with the Baltimore Orioles organization. His perseverance paid off on April 16, 2024, when the Orioles selected him to the 40-man roster and promoted him to the major leagues for the first time. He made his MLB debut that night as a pinch hitter, flying out in his only at-bat. The following day, Bañuelos was designated for assignment by Baltimore but cleared waivers and was sent outright to Triple-A Norfolk Tides on April 19.
He was added back to the major league roster on April 22 when the Orioles selected his contract. However, he did not appear in a game before being designated for assignment again on April 26. Bañuelos cleared waivers once more and was sent outright to Norfolk on April 27. On September 1, the Orioles selected his contract for a second time, adding him to the active roster, but he was designated for assignment the following day and sent outright to Norfolk on September 5.
On October 16, 2024, Bañuelos re-signed with the Orioles on a minor league contract. He began the 2025 season with Triple-A Norfolk. On July 10, 2025, the Orioles selected his contract and added him to the active roster. He played in one game for the team against the Miami Marlins, being hit by a pitch from Eury Pérez and striking out against Josh Simpson in his plate appearances. On July 14, Bañuelos was removed from the 40-man roster and sent outright to Triple-A Norfolk. He elected free agency on October 6, 2025.
Minnesota Twins Second Stint (2026–Present)
On February 5, 2026, Bañuelos signed a minor league contract to return to the Minnesota Twins organization. This second stint with the Twins marked a new chapter in his professional career, reuniting him with the franchise that initially acquired him back in 2017.
David Bañuelos MLB Career Statistics
Throughout his MLB career, Bañuelos has appeared in limited action at the major league level. His career MLB statistics through the 2025 season include a batting average of .000 with no home runs and no runs batted in. Despite limited opportunities at the highest level, Bañuelos has demonstrated solid offensive production throughout his minor league career, particularly showing power development in recent seasons with Double-A Wichita in 2023.
Minor League Career Highlights
Across his minor league career, Bañuelos has shown consistent ability as a defensive-minded catcher with developing power. His standout minor league season came in 2023 with Double-A Wichita, where he posted a .270 batting average with a .369 on-base percentage and a .526 slugging percentage, all representing career highs. He hit 10 home runs and drove in 30 runs that season, demonstrating the power tool that had been developing throughout his professional career. Prior to that, his best professional seasons included his 2017 debut with Everett AquaSox (.236 average, four homers, 26 RBIs) and his 2022 campaign with Triple-A St. Paul (eight home runs, 26 RBIs).
David Bañuelos Family and Personal Life
Limited personal information about David Bañuelos’s family background is available in the public record. He maintains an active presence on social media, with accounts on X (formerly Twitter) and Instagram. His career trajectory reflects a player who has demonstrated persistence and adaptability, moving through multiple organizations while continuing to develop his skills as a catcher.
2025 Season Performance
The 2025 season represented a year of transitions for David Bañuelos between the minor and major leagues. After beginning the year with Triple-A Norfolk, he earned a promotion to the Baltimore Orioles in July. His sole MLB appearance came on July 10 against the Miami Marlins, where he experienced the typical challenges faced by catchers called up from the minors. Bañuelos was hit by a pitch from Eury Pérez and struck out against Josh Simpson in his plate appearances, marking a memorable albeit brief major league experience.
Following his brief stint with the Orioles, he was returned to Norfolk where he spent the remainder of the season. The Orioles organization demonstrated confidence in his abilities by giving him opportunities at the major league level twice during the season. On October 6, 2025, Bañuelos elected free agency, opening the door for his subsequent signing with the Minnesota Twins in February 2026. His career path reflects the perseverance required for players to establish themselves in professional baseball, particularly as catchers who must demonstrate both defensive prowess and offensive capability to earn consistent MLB opportunities.