Román Junior Méndez Pérez (born July 25, 1990) is a Dominican professional

baseball Baseball is a bat-and-ball games, bat-and-ball sport played between two team sport, teams of nine players each, taking turns batting (baseball), batting and Fielding (baseball), fielding. The game occurs over the course of several Pitch ...

pitcher In baseball, the pitcher is the player who throws ("Pitch (baseball), pitches") the Baseball (ball), baseball from the pitcher's mound toward the catcher to begin each play, with the goal of out (baseball), retiring a batter (baseball), batter, ...

and

coach Coach may refer to: Guidance/instruction * Coach (sport), a director of Athletes' training and activities * Coaching, the practice of guiding an individual through a process ** Acting coach, a teacher who trains performers Transportation * Coac ...

for the Conspiradores de Querétaro of the

Mexican League The Mexican Baseball League (, or LMB, ) is a professional baseball league in Mexico. It is the oldest running professional sports league in the country. The league has 20 teams organized in two divisions, North and South. Teams play 114 games ...

. He has previously played in

Major League Baseball Major League Baseball (MLB) is a professional baseball league composed of 30 teams, divided equally between the National League (baseball), National League (NL) and the American League (AL), with 29 in the United States and 1 in Canada. MLB i ...

(MLB) for the Texas Rangers and

Boston Red Sox The Boston Red Sox are an American professional baseball team based in Boston. The Red Sox compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the American League (AL) American League East, East Division. Founded in as one of the Ameri ...

, and in

Nippon Professional Baseball is a professional baseball league and the highest level of baseball in Japan. Locally, it is often called , meaning simply ''Professional Baseball''; outside of Japan, NPB is often referred to as "Japanese baseball". The roots of the league ...

(NPB) for the

Hanshin Tigers The are a Nippon Professional Baseball team playing in the Central League. The team is based in Nishinomiya, Hyōgo Prefecture, Japan, next to their main stadium, Hanshin Koshien Stadium. The Tigers are owned by Hanshin Electric Railway Co., ...

Professional career

Boston Red Sox

On July 16, 2007, Méndez signed with the

as an international free agent. Méndez made his professional debut with the DSL Red Sox in 2008. He spent the 2009 season with the rookie ball

GCL Red Sox The Florida Complex League Red Sox are a professional baseball team competing in the rookie-level Florida Complex League (FCL) of Minor League Baseball. The team is owned and operated by the Boston Red Sox of Major League Baseball (MLB). Prior t ...

, registering a 2-3 record and 1.99 ERA with 47 strikeouts in 12 games. Méndez was assigned to the Single-A

Greenville Drive The Greenville Drive are a Minor League Baseball team based in Greenville, South Carolina. They are the High-A affiliate of the Boston Red Sox and are a member of the South Atlantic League. They play their home games at Fluor Field at the West E ...

to begin the 2010 season, but was later demoted to the Low-A

Lowell Spinners The Lowell Spinners were a baseball team based in Lowell, Massachusetts. From 1996 to 2020, they were members of Minor League Baseball's New York–Penn League (NYPL) as the Class A Short Season affiliate of the Boston Red Sox. With Major Leagu ...

after recording an 11.40 ERA in 6 appearances.

Texas Rangers

On July 31, 2010, Méndez was traded, along with

Chris McGuiness Christopher Ryan McGuiness (born April 11, 1988) is an American former professional baseball first baseman. He played in Major League Baseball (MLB) for the Texas Rangers in 2013. Career McGuiness attended James Island High School in James Is ...

, to the Texas Rangers in exchange for

Jarrod Saltalamacchia Jarrod Scott Saltalamacchia (; born May 2, 1985) is an American former professional baseball catcher. Between 2007 and 2018, he played in Major League Baseball (MLB) for the Atlanta Braves, Texas Rangers (baseball), Texas Rangers, Boston Red So ...

. He finished the season in Low-A with the

Spokane Indians The Spokane Indians are a Minor League Baseball team located in Spokane Valley, the city immediately east of Spokane, Washington, in the Pacific Northwest. The Indians are members of the High-A Northwest League (NWL) as an affiliate of the Co ...

. In 2011, Méndez spent the season in Single-A with the

Hickory Crawdads The Hickory Crawdads are a Minor League Baseball (MiLB) team of the Carolina League and the Single-A affiliate of the Texas Rangers (baseball), Texas Rangers. They are located in Hickory, North Carolina, and play their home games at L. P. Frans St ...

, registering a 9-1 record and 3.31 ERA in 26 games. Méndez was added to the Rangers' 40-man roster on November 21, 2011. He split the 2012 season between three Rangers affiliates, the Double-A

Frisco RoughRiders The Frisco RoughRiders (often shortened to 'Riders) are a Minor League Baseball team of the Texas League and the Double-A (baseball), Double-A affiliate of the Texas Rangers (baseball), Texas Rangers. Based in Frisco, Texas, the team is named aft ...

, the High-A

Myrtle Beach Pelicans The Myrtle Beach Pelicans are a Minor League Baseball team in Myrtle Beach, South Carolina, and the Single-A affiliate of the Chicago Cubs of the National League in Major League Baseball. The Pelicans compete in the Carolina League. Home games a ...

, and the rookie ball

AZL Rangers The Arizona Complex League Rangers are a Rookie-level affiliate of the Texas Rangers, competing in the Arizona Complex League of Minor League Baseball. The team plays its home games at Surprise Stadium in Surprise, Arizona. The team is composed m ...

on a three game rehab assignment, accumulating a 6-7 record and 4.43 ERA between the clubs. Méndez did not make a major league appearance in 2013 as well, spending the season in Frisco, pitching to a 1.82 ERA with 24 strikeouts in 16 games. He was assigned to the Triple-A

Round Rock Express The Round Rock Express are a Minor League Baseball team of the Pacific Coast League (PCL) and the Triple-A (baseball), Triple-A affiliate of the Texas Rangers (baseball), Texas Rangers. They are located in Round Rock, Texas, and play their home ...

to begin the 2014 season. The Rangers promoted Méndez to the major leagues on July 8, 2014, and he made his MLB debut that day, pitching 2.0 scoreless innings against the

Houston Astros The Houston Astros are an American professional baseball team based in Houston. The Astros compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the American League (AL) American League West, West Division. They are one of two major leag ...

. Méndez made 30 appearances for the Rangers in 2014, registering a 2.18 ERA with 22 strikeouts. Méndez began the 2015 season with Texas, but was optioned to Round Rock after pitching to a 5.40 ERA in 12 appearances. He was designated for assignment by the Rangers on September 1, 2015.

Boston Red Sox (second stint)

On September 11, 2015, Méndez was claimed off waivers by the

. In 3 late season games for the Red Sox, Méndez allowed 1 run in 2.0 innings of work. On December 2, 2015, Méndez was designated for assignment by the Red Sox. Méndez spent the 2016 season in Triple-A with the

Pawtucket Red Sox The Pawtucket Red Sox, known colloquially as the PawSox, were a professional minor league baseball club based in Pawtucket, Rhode Island. From 1973 to 2020, the team was a member of the International League and served as the Triple-A affiliate ...

, and pitched to a 4-2 record and 3.38 ERA with 59 strikeouts without receiving a call-up to the big league club. On November 7, 2016, he elected free agency.

Hanshin Tigers

On November 30, 2016, Méndez signed with the

(NPB) for the 2017 season. In 8 games for Hanshin, he struggled to a 6.52 ERA and became a free agent after the season.

Washington Nationals

On January 3, 2018, Méndez signed a minor league contract with the

Washington Nationals The Washington Nationals are an American professional baseball team based in Washington, D.C. The Nationals compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the National League (NL) East Division. They play their home games at Na ...

. He made 44 appearances out of the

bullpen In baseball, the bullpen (or simply the pen) is the area where relief pitchers warm up before entering a game. A team's roster of relief pitchers is also metonymically referred to as "the bullpen". These pitchers usually wait in the bullpen if ...

for the Double-A

Harrisburg Senators The Harrisburg Senators are a Minor League Baseball team who play in the Eastern League, and are the Double-A affiliate of the Washington Nationals. The team is based in Harrisburg, Pennsylvania, and play their home games at FNB Field on Cit ...

, compiling a 3.67 ERA with 59 strikeouts and 11 saves across 54 innings of work. Méndez elected free agency following the season on November 2.

Tecolotes de Los Dos Laredos

On April 3, 2019, Méndez signed with the

Tecolotes de los Dos Laredos The Tecolotes de los Dos Laredos (English: Two Laredos Owls), formerly known as the Tecolotes de Nuevo Laredo (English: Nuevo Laredo Owls), are a professional baseball team in the Mexican League. The Tecolotes are a binational baseball team, spli ...

of the

. In 59 games 62.1 innings of relief he went 1-7 with a 3.75 ERA with 65 strikeouts and 32 saves. Méndez did not play in a game in 2020 due to the cancellation of the LMB season because of the

COVID-19 pandemic The COVID-19 pandemic (also known as the coronavirus pandemic and COVID pandemic), caused by severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2), began with an disease outbreak, outbreak of COVID-19 in Wuhan, China, in December ...

. He later became a free agent.

Saraperos de Saltillo

On April 23, 2022, Méndez signed with the

Saraperos de Saltillo The Saraperos de Saltillo (English: Saltillo Serapes) are a professional baseball team in the Mexican League. Their home ballpark is the Estadio de Béisbol Francisco I. Madero in Saltillo, Coahuila. They have won three championships (1980, 2009 ...

. Mèndez appeared in 38 games for Saltillo, working to a 4-0 record and 5.01 ERA with 33 strikeouts in innings pitched. He was released on July 25.

Bravos de León

On February 13, 2023, Méndez signed with the

Bravos de León The Bravos de León (English: León Braves) are a professional baseball team in the Mexican League based in León, Guanajuato, Mexico. History Cachorros de León (1979–80) Mexican League baseball in León began in 1979 when the Alijadore ...

. In 16 relief appearances, Méndez registered a 1–2 record with a 7.02 ERA and 13 strikeouts in innings. He was waived on May 21.

Olmecas de Tabasco

On May 23, 2023, Méndez was claimed off waivers by the

Olmecas de Tabasco The Olmecas de Tabasco (English: Tabasco Olmecs) are a professional baseball team in the Mexican League based in Villahermosa, Tabasco, Mexico. Their home ballpark is the Estadio Centenario 27 de Febrero. The Olmecas won their only Mexican Lea ...

. In 13 relief appearances, he posted a 0–2 record with a 5.40 ERA and 15 strikeouts in innings. Méndez was waived on July 4.

Conspiradores de Querétaro

On January 25, 2024, Mendez signed with the Conspiradores de Querétaro of the

. In 46 appearances for Querétaro, he posted an 8–3 record and 5.82 ERA with 37 strikeouts across innings pitched. On June 7, 2025, Méndez was registered as a player-coach for the team.

References

External links

{{DEFAULTSORT:Mendez, Roman 1990 births Living people Arizona League Rangers players Boston Red Sox players Bravos de León players Conspiradores de Querétaro players Dominican Republic expatriate baseball players in Japan Dominican Republic expatriate baseball players in Mexico Dominican Republic expatriate baseball players in the United States Dominican Summer League Red Sox players Estrellas Orientales players Frisco RoughRiders players Greenville Drive players Gulf Coast Red Sox players Hanshin Tigers players Harrisburg Senators players Hickory Crawdads players Lowell Spinners players Major League Baseball pitchers Major League Baseball players from the Dominican Republic 21st-century Dominican Republic sportsmen Myrtle Beach Pelicans players Nippon Professional Baseball pitchers Olmecas de Tabasco players Round Rock Express players Saraperos de Saltillo players Spokane Indians players Tecolotes de los Dos Laredos players Texas Rangers players Toros del Este players Baseball players from San Pedro de Macorís