Home of the Kit Pellow Fan Association

Collecting Cleveland Baseball Since 1982

Collecting Cleveland Indians Topps team sets from 1952-present, as well as post-war minor and major league autographs.

From the Collection: Japhet Amador, 1b, Houston Astros

Japhet Amador

Japhet Amador signed with the Houston Astros back in 2013. He was 26 at the time and a veteran of the Mexican League. His numbers in Mexico were impressive; in 2012 he hit .368/.419/.693 with 36 homers for the Mexico City Red Devils. The Mexican League is pretty much the equivalent of AAA-ball and tends to have inflated offensive numbers, but he still looked like a solid-hitting prospect. Despite being built like a softball beer-league DH, was a solid defensive first baseman. I remember being excited enough about him to buy this autograph.

From 2013-2014 Amador would only play in 17 games at AAA-Oklahoma City and 18 in the Arizona Fall League. Hoston was not particularly impressed by him, and he was sold back to the Diablos Rojos of the Mexican League, ending his time in affiliate ball. Since then he has played in Mexico and Japan, though his time in Japan was cut short due to PEDS.

Amador, now 35, is still playing in Mexico and hit .307/.356/.508 with 17 HR this past season.