Gustavo Núñez is a Dominican switch-hitting shortstop born on February 8, 1988, in San Pedro de Macorís — the city the baseball world knows as the factory of elite Dominican shortstops. His professional journey took him through the American minor leagues and, ultimately, to a steady home in the Dominican Winter League (LIDOM), where he’s become a trusted fixture for the Tigres del Licey.
Quick Facts
- Full name: Gustavo Núñez
- Position: Shortstop
- Team: Tigres del Licey (LIDOM)
- Jersey number: 16
- Bats / Throws: Switch / Right
- Height / Weight: 5’11» / 190 lbs
- Born: February 8, 1988 (age 38)
- Hometown: San Pedro de Macorís, Dominican Republic 🇩🇴
Background
Growing up in San Pedro de Macorís means growing up surrounded by baseball — and by shortstops. The city has produced some of the finest players at that position in the history of the game, and Núñez is part of that lineage. He spent his professional career working his way through Double-A and Triple-A between 2016 and 2018, never quite breaking through to the big leagues, but never stopping either.
Minor League Career
Núñez had his best minor league showing in 2016 with the Erie SeaWolves (Double-A), hitting .279 with 2 home runs and an OPS of .698 across 86 games. In 2017, he posted a .270 AVG and a .651 OPS in 78 games with the Binghamton Rumble Ponies. His minor league run wrapped up in 2018 with the Triple-A Tecos de los Dos Laredos, where he hit .259 in 22 games. The MLB call-up never came, but Núñez pivoted to where he could keep competing at a high level.
Thriving in the Dominican Winter League
LIDOM has been where Núñez has made his mark. With the Tigres del Licey in the 2025-26 season, he appeared in 46 games and hit .292 with a .709 OPS, 2 home runs, and 16 RBI — a solid all-around campaign. Then in the early portion of the 2026-27 season, he’s taken it up a notch: in just 11 games, he’s batting .341 with an .898 OPS and 4 RBI, showing he still has plenty left in the tank.
Even after a tough 2024-25 stint with the Toros del Este — where he hit .201 with a .511 OPS — Núñez bounced back the following winter, a reminder of the resilience that’s defined his career.
Season-by-Season Stats (LIDOM)
- 2026-27 · Tigres del Licey: 11 G | .341 AVG | 0 HR | 4 RBI | .898 OPS | 14 H
- 2025-26 · Tigres del Licey: 46 G | .292 AVG | 2 HR | 16 RBI | .709 OPS | 56 H
- 2024-25 · Toros del Este: 41 G | .201 AVG | 2 HR | 7 RBI | .511 OPS | 29 H
- 2023-24 · Toros del Este: 26 G | .308 AVG | 1 HR | 9 RBI | .757 OPS | 32 H
Fun Fact
San Pedro de Macorís is globally recognized as the birthplace of elite Dominican shortstops. Núñez carries that tradition forward — quietly, consistently, and far from the spotlight of the major leagues, but very much alive in the Caribbean winter circuit.
