Bob Natal

Rob Natal
Rob Natal
	Catcher
	Born: November 13, 1965 (age 59); Long Beach, California
	Batted: Right Threw: Right
MLB debut
	July 8, 1992, for the Montreal Expos
Last MLB appearance
	September 26, 1997, for the Florida Marlins
MLB statistics
Batting average	.197
Home runs	4
Runs batted in	19
	Stats at Baseball Reference
Teams
	Montreal Expos (1992); Florida Marlins (1993–1997);

Robert Marcel Natal (born November 13, 1965) is an American former Major League Baseball catcher. He is an alumnus of the University of California, San Diego.

Career

Natal attended Hilltop High School in Chula Vista, California. As a senior in 1993, he batted .430 and was named the Chula Vista Star-News Player of the Year. Natal helped the Lancers win the CIF San Diego Section Division 3A title, hitting a grand slam in their 9–1 championship game victory over Poway High School.^[1]^[2] He also played football as an offensive lineman, earning first-team all-Mesa League honors and an invite to the inaugural Fellowship Bowl all-star game played at DeVore Stadium.^[3]^[4] Natal was inducted into the inaugural class of the Hilltop High Athletic Hall of Fame in 2001.^[5]

Natal attended the University of California, San Diego (UCSD), where he played college baseball for the Tritons. As a senior in 1987, he earned second-team honors on the NCAA Division III All-America team after setting school records in batting average (.465), hits (74), RBIs (67), home runs (18) and runs (50). In 200 games played, Natal also set career marks with a .368 average, 257 hits, 208 RBIs, and 53 home runs, leading the Los Angeles Times to describe him as "probably the best player in UCSD history".^[6]^[7]

Natal was drafted by the Montreal Expos in the 13th round of the 1987 MLB amateur draft. He made his major league debut with the Montreal Expos on July 18, 1992, and appeared in his final game on September 26, 1997.

Natal was a member of the inaugural Florida Marlins team that began play in Major League Baseball in 1993 and won a World Series with the team in 1997.

He currently serves as the minor league catching instructor for the New York Mets.

References

^ Monahan, Terry (June 3, 1993). "Poway baseball team tries harder, but is still second". Escondido Times-Advocate. p. C1. Retrieved February 21, 2025 – via Newspapers.com.
^ Nahill, Jeff (June 5, 1993). "Bunt puts Lancers on top". Chula Vista Star-News. p. B2. Retrieved February 21, 2025 – via Newspapers.com.
^ "Coaches All-Mesa Teams". Chula Vista Star-News. December 5, 1982. p. B3. Retrieved February 21, 2025 – via Newspapers.com.
^ "Selections set for all-stars". Chula Vista Star-News. January 20, 1983. p. B7, B8. Retrieved February 21, 2025 – via Newspapers.com.
^ Brents, Phillip (January 12, 2001). "Hilltop High honors its own with unveiling of Athletic Hall of Fame". The Star-News. p. 9, 10. Retrieved February 21, 2025 – via Newspapers.com.
^ "UCSD's Natal Is Named Division III All-American". Los Angeles Times. May 28, 1987. p. III–5. Retrieved February 21, 2025 – via Newspapers.com.
^ Haddad, Dana (June 18, 1992). "Chula Vista's Natal On the Verge of Making the Major Leagues". Los Angeles Times. Archived from the original on December 13, 2024. Retrieved February 21, 2025.

External links

Career statistics from Baseball Reference, or Fangraphs, or Baseball Reference (Minors)

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[1] Monahan, Terry (June 3, 1993). "Poway baseball team tries harder, but is still second". Escondido Times-Advocate. p. C1. Retrieved February 21, 2025 – via Newspapers.com.

[2] Nahill, Jeff (June 5, 1993). "Bunt puts Lancers on top". Chula Vista Star-News. p. B2. Retrieved February 21, 2025 – via Newspapers.com.

[3] "Coaches All-Mesa Teams". Chula Vista Star-News. December 5, 1982. p. B3. Retrieved February 21, 2025 – via Newspapers.com.

[4] "Selections set for all-stars". Chula Vista Star-News. January 20, 1983. p. B7, B8. Retrieved February 21, 2025 – via Newspapers.com.

[5] Brents, Phillip (January 12, 2001). "Hilltop High honors its own with unveiling of Athletic Hall of Fame". The Star-News. p. 9, 10. Retrieved February 21, 2025 – via Newspapers.com.

[6] "UCSD's Natal Is Named Division III All-American". Los Angeles Times. May 28, 1987. p. III–5. Retrieved February 21, 2025 – via Newspapers.com.

[7] Haddad, Dana (June 18, 1992). "Chula Vista's Natal On the Verge of Making the Major Leagues". Los Angeles Times. Archived from the original on December 13, 2024. Retrieved February 21, 2025.

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