Melquíades Rojas Medrano (born December 10, 1966) is a Dominican former
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)
relief pitcher
In baseball and softball, a relief pitcher or reliever is a pitcher who pitches in the game after the starting pitcher or another relief pitcher has been removed from the game due to fatigue (medical), fatigue, injury, ineffectiveness, ejection ...
. From 1990 to 1999, he played for the
Montreal Expos
The Montreal Expos () were a Canadian professional baseball team based in Montreal. The Expos were the first Major League Baseball (MLB) franchise located outside the United States. They played in the National League (baseball), National League ...
,
Chicago Cubs
The Chicago Cubs are an American professional baseball team based in Chicago. The Cubs compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the National League (baseball), National League (NL) National League Central, Central Division. Th ...
,
New York Mets
The New York Mets are an American professional baseball team based in the Boroughs of New York City, New York City borough of Queens. The Mets compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the National League (baseball), National ...
and
Los Angeles Dodgers
The Los Angeles Dodgers are an American professional baseball team based in Los Angeles. The Dodgers compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the National League (baseball), National League (NL) National League West, West Div ...
of the
National League and the
Detroit Tigers
The Detroit Tigers are an American professional baseball team based in Detroit. The Tigers compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the American League (AL) American League Central, Central Division. One of the AL's eight chart ...
of the
American League
The American League of Professional Baseball Clubs, known simply as the American League (AL), is the younger of two sports leagues, leagues constituting Major League Baseball (MLB) in the United States and Canada. It developed from the Western L ...
.
Career
His best season was in 1992, when he posted a 7-1 record in 68 relief appearances. Rojas had an amazing 1.43 ERA in 100.2 innings, and a WHIP of 1.043. He primarily was the set up man for closer
John Wetteland (37 saves in 1992), but Rojas was able to accumulate 10 saves that season.
On May 11, 1994, Rojas struck out three batters on nine pitches in the ninth inning of a 4-3 win over the New York Mets. Rojas became the 19th National League pitcher and the 28th pitcher in major-league history to accomplish an
immaculate inning.
Mel Rojas joined the
Sinon Bulls of the
Chinese Professional Baseball League
The Chinese Professional Baseball League (CPBL; ) is the top-tier professional baseball league in Taiwan. The league was established in 1989 and played the first season in 1990. CPBL eventually absorbed the competing Taiwan Major League in 20 ...
in Taiwan in 2004, played 11 games, posted 3 saves with 1.20 ERA and 14 strikeouts in 15 innings, but then was released by the team after the season ended.
Personal life
Mel Rojas is the nephew of
Felipe,
Jesús, and
Matty Alou and the cousin of
Moisés Alou.
Mel Rojas' son,
Mel Rojas Jr. was selected 84th overall in the
2010 Major League Baseball Draft by the
Pittsburgh Pirates
The Pittsburgh Pirates are an American professional baseball team based in Pittsburgh. The Pirates compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the National League (baseball), National League (NL) National League Central, Central ...
.
He played for the
KT Wiz of the
KBO League
The KBO League () is a professional baseball league in South Korea. The league comprises ten teams. The KBO League was founded with six franchises in 1982 and is the most popular sports league in South Korea. The Kia Tigers are the most success ...
from 2017 until 2020, winning the league MVP in 2020.
He is currently again playing for the
KT Wiz after playing for the
Hanshin Tigers of the
NPB.
See also
*
Alou family
References
External links
{{DEFAULTSORT:Rojas, Mel
1966 births
Living people
Alou family
Bridgeport Bluefish players
Burlington Expos players
Chicago Cubs players
Detroit Tigers players
Dominican Republic expatriate baseball players in Canada
Dominican Republic expatriate baseball players in the United States
Gulf Coast Expos players
Indianapolis Indians players
Jacksonville Expos players
Los Angeles Dodgers players
Major League Baseball players from the Dominican Republic
20th-century Dominican Republic sportsmen
Major League Baseball pitchers
Montreal Expos players
Nashua Pride players
New York Mets players
Ottawa Lynx players
Pawtucket Red Sox players
Rockford Expos players
Sarasota Red Sox players
West Palm Beach Expos players
People from Bajos de Haina
Baseball players from San Cristóbal Province
Sinon Bulls players
Dominican Republic expatriate baseball players in Taiwan
Dominican Republic expatriate baseball players in Mexico
Acereros de Monclova players