López was signed as an amateur free agent by the Kansas City Royals on February 26, 1992.

He is often referred to as a "journeyman", a title bestowed upon those in the sports world who play on several different teams within a short amount of time.

Lopez has played for four Major League Baseball teams over the span of his 7-year career: the Kansas City Royals (1998–1999, 2003–2004), the Florida Marlins (2000), the Houston Astros (2001), and the Pittsburgh Pirates (2001–2002).

On July 9, 2004, the Kansas City Royals sold his contract to the Samsung Lions of the Korea Baseball Organization.

On November 3, 2022, the Pittsburgh Pirates promoted Lopez to their major league coaching staff.