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Junior Noboa joined the New York Mets when he was selected off waivers from the Montreal Expos on October 8, 1991. The infielder had first gained attention in 1989 while a member of the Expos' Triple-A baseball team in Indianapolis. Junior led the league in hits while recording a 340 batting average that season. The Mets signed him to a one-year contract on January 30, 1992.
Junior made his Mets' debut on Opening Day. Noboa came off the bench during New York's 4-2 victory over the St. Louis Cardinals at Busch Stadium. It was the first of 46 appearances that year. Only five of which came in a starting role. The right-handed hitter struggled at the plate. Registering only a .149 batting average that led to his option down to Triple-A Tidewater on July 27th.
The Mets granted him free agency on October 16th, and he would sign with the Cincinnati Reds organization. Noboa retired from his playing career following the 1995 season. Junior established a baseball academy in his native Dominican Republic and became the Director of Latin American Operations for the Arizona Diamondbacks. He was presented the Roland Hedmond Award in 1997 as the member who best bestowed the "Diamondback"approach to the game. Junior was promoted to the position of Vice President, Latin American Operations in 2011.
I created Junior Noboa's card in the set from an autographed index card purchased on October 17, 2011.
