José Bautista

José Antonio Bautista Santos (born October 19, 1980), nicknamed "Joey Bats", is a Dominican former professional baseball right fielder and third baseman who played 15 seasons in Major League Baseball (MLB), primarily for the Toronto Blue Jays. Bautista also played for the Baltimore Orioles, Tampa Bay Devil Rays, Kansas City Royals, Pittsburgh Pirates, Atlanta Braves, New York Mets, and Philadelphia Phillies.

The Pirates selected Bautista in the 20th round of the 2000 MLB draft. He played for four clubs, primarily at third base, before joining the Blue Jays in 2008. In 2010, he became the 26th member of the 50 home run club, while leading MLB in home runs for the first of two consecutive seasons. From 2010–2015, Bautista hit more home runs than any player in the major leagues. He was an MLB All-Star six consecutive times and won three Silver Slugger Awards and two Hank Aaron Awards. He was named the American League (AL) Player of the Month five times and AL Player of the Week four times. Bautista was voted in the top ten in the AL Most Valuable Player Award four times.

Major league scouts took note of Bautista, including his power hitting potential and strong throwing arm, while he was in junior college. In 2004, he made his MLB debut with the Orioles and became the first player to appear on five MLB rosters in one season. He ended the season with the Pirates, where he would remain for four-plus seasons, seeing time as a utility player who played six positions, including designated hitter (DH).

Bautista was traded to the Blue Jays in August 2008. After making adjustments to his swing, he broke through with ten home runs in September 2009. From 2010 to 2017, Bautista hit at least 20 home runs each year, and in four of those seasons, hit at least 35 home runs, both scored and drove in at least 100 runs, and drew at least 100 bases on balls, including twice leading the AL. In 2015, while playing in the playoffs for the first time, his bat flip in the American League Division Series (ALDS) caused a sensation that became a symbol of Toronto's first playoff appearance in 22 years. He is a leader or among the top ten in numerous offensive single-season and career categories for the Blue Jays.

In 2011, Bautista set up a program that helps athletes from the Dominican Republic to attend universities in the United States.

In 2024, he became the owner of Las Vegas Lights FC.