Raphael Lanfranco caught in 4 minors seasons with Astros

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Raphael Lanfranco 1991 Asheville Tourists baseball card

Asheville Tourists pinch-hitter Raphael Lanfranco came on in the bottom of the eighth in this April 1991 game with a chance to tie the game, The Asheville Citizen-Times wrote.

Lanfranco then came through, knocking a single to center to score a run, The Citizen-Times wrote.

Lanfranco got that game-tying RBI in his third season as a pro. He went on to see time in one more. He topped out at single-A.

Lanfranco's career began in 1989, signed by the Astros as a free agent out of his native Dominican Republic. Lanfranco's name was also spelled Rafael Lanfranco.

Lanfranco started with the Astros in the rookie Gulf Coast League. He saw 21 games at catcher and hit .190.

He then returned for 26 games in the GCL for 1990 and hit .217, though he got hurt that August.

Lanfranco played 1991 between single-A Burlington and single-A Asheville. He saw 49 games in all and hit .194. 

He knocked a single in an April 1991 game for Asheville that helped Asheville to a lead. By late May, he was in Burlington and hit a home run in his first at-bat.

Lanfranco then returned to Burlington for 26 games in 1991. He hit .197 to end his career.

Raphael Lanfranco 1991 Asheville Tourists baseball card


1990 Minor League Tally 
Players/Coaches Featured:4,501
Made the Majors:1,431-31.8%
Never Made Majors:3,070-68.2%-X
5+ Seasons in the Majors:581
10+ Seasons in the Minors:357

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