The Los Angeles Dodgers have a long lineage of talented players who have made their mark with the franchise since its first formed in Brooklyn. Among their most popular during the 1990s was Raúl Mondesi.
The former outfielder made his MLB debut in 1993 and appeared in 42 games that year. He assumed a larger role the following season and was named the 1994 National League Rookie of the Year.
Mondesi spent parts of seven seasons with the Dodgers, which included signing a four-year, $36 million contract in January 1998. At the time it was the richest contract in Dodgers franchise history.
For all that Mondesi accomplished during his 13-year career, he has run into some legal problems off the field.
The 53-year-old was sentenced to more than six years of prison time and fined for corruption during his tenure as mayor of San Cristóbal in the Dominican Republic, via the Associated Press:
Former Major League Baseball outfielder Raúl Mondesi was sentenced Friday by a Dominican court to six years and nine months in jail and fined $507,000 for corruption during his time as mayor in the city of San Cristobal.
Mondesi is being accused of embezzling $5 million during his time as mayor from 2010-2016:
Prosecutors accused the 53-year-old Mondesi of embezzling $5 million during his time as mayor between 2010 and 2016. The sentence came after a deal with the prosecutors’ office.
Mondesi has already spent six years under house arrest and won’t have to serve additional time in prison:
Mondesi, whose son Adalberto Mondesi was a big league shortstop, spent six years under house arrest, which means his sentence has already been completed.
Mondesi was previously sentenced to eight years in prison in 2017 for corruption and mishandling of public funds while serving as the mayor of San Cristóbal.
Mondesi was also fined the equivalent of $1.27 million for defrauding more than $6 million during his time as mayor. In addition to the sentencing and fine, he was not permitted to hold any public office in the Dominican Republic for 10 years.
Raúl Mondesi’s MLB career
Along with the Dodgers, Mondesi played for the Toronto Blue Jays, New York Yankees, Arizona Diamondbacks, Pittsburgh Pirates, Anaheim Angels and Atlanta Braves. He earned an All-Star selection in 1995, won two Gold Glove Awards and finished 15th in NL MVP voting in 1997.
Mondesi last played in the Majors in 2005, appearing in 1,525 games between the seven teams.
Have you subscribed to the Dodger Blue YouTube channel? Be sure to ring the notification bell to watch player interviews, participate in shows and giveaways, and stay up to date on all Dodgers news and rumors!
