Miguel Mejía is a Puerto Rican former

professional baseball Professional baseball is organized baseball in which players are selected for their talents and are paid to play for a specific team or club system. It is played in baseball league, leagues and associated farm teams throughout the world. Moder ...

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, ...

. He played in 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 ...

(CPBL) for the

Brother Elephants A brother (: brothers or brethren) is a man or boy who shares one or more parents with another; a male sibling. The female counterpart is a sister. Although the term typically refers to a familial relationship, it is sometimes used endearingly ...

and

Lamigo Monkeys The Rakuten Monkeys (), formerly known as La New Bears (2004–2010) and Lamigo Monkeys (2011–2019), are a professional baseball team in the Chinese Professional Baseball League (CPBL) in Taiwan. Owned and administered by the Japanese technol ...

, 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

Saitama Seibu Lions The are a professional baseball team in Japan's Pacific League based north of Tokyo in Tokorozawa, Saitama Prefecture. Before 1979, they were based in Fukuoka, Fukuoka Prefecture, in Kyushu. The team is owned by a subsidiary of Seibu Railway ...

Career

Detroit Tigers

On August 20, 2009, Mejía signed with 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 ...

as an undrafted free agent after he was not selected in the

2009 Major League Baseball draft The 2009 Major League Baseball draft was held June 9 to June 11 at the MLB Network Studios in Secaucus, New Jersey. The drafting order is as follows: First-round selections Key Supplemental first-round selections From Baseball Americ ...

. He split his first professional season between the rookie–level Gulf Coast League Tigers and High–A

Lakeland Flying Tigers The Lakeland Flying Tigers are a Minor League Baseball team of the Florida State League and the Single-A affiliate of the Detroit Tigers. They are located in Lakeland, Florida, and play their home games at Publix Field at Joker Marchant Stadium. ...

, posting a 3.18 ERA in 3 total appearances. Mejía split the 2010 campaign between the Low–A

Connecticut Tigers The Norwich Sea Unicorns are a baseball team located in Norwich, Connecticut. From 2010 to 2020, they were members of Minor League Baseball's New York–Penn League (NYPL) as the Class A Short Season affiliate of the Detroit Tigers. They play ...

, Single–A

West Michigan Whitecaps The West Michigan Whitecaps are a Minor League Baseball team of the Midwest League and the High-A affiliate of the Detroit Tigers. They are located in Comstock Park, Michigan, a suburb of Grand Rapids, and play their home games at LMCU Ballpar ...

and Lakeland. In 35 games for the three affiliates, he compiled a 6–3 record and 2.80 ERA with 66 strikeouts and 5 saves across innings of work. Mejía was released by the Tigers organization on March 21, 2011.

Bridgeport Bluefish

Mejía subsequently signed with the

Bridgeport Bluefish The Bridgeport Bluefish were an American minor league baseball team based in Bridgeport, Connecticut. The team was a member of the Liberty Division of the Atlantic League of Professional Baseball, which was not affiliated with Major League Baseb ...

of the

Atlantic League of Professional Baseball The Atlantic League of Professional Baseball (ALPB) is a professional independent baseball league in the United States. It is an official MLB Partner League based in the Mid-Atlantic and Southeastern United States, and the headquarters are l ...

. In 13 games (4 starts) for the club, he struggled to a 7.88 ERA with 17 strikeouts over 32 innings pitched. Mejía was released by the Bluefish on June 30, 2011, after stating that he was "too tired" to pitch.

Miami Marlins

On July 6, 2011, Mejía signed a minor league contract with the

Miami Marlins The Miami Marlins are an American professional baseball team based in Miami. The Marlins compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the National League (baseball), National League (NL) National League East, East Division. The ...

organization. In 15 games split between the Low–A

Jamestown Jammers The Jamestown Jammers were a minor league baseball team based in Jamestown, New York from 1994 until 2014. The team was the Short-Season A classification affiliate of the Pittsburgh Pirates and played in the New York–Penn League. The team play ...

and Single–A

Greensboro Grasshoppers The Greensboro Grasshoppers are a Minor League Baseball team based in Greensboro, North Carolina. They are members of the South Atlantic League and are the High-A affiliate of the Pittsburgh Pirates. They play their home games at First National B ...

, he registered a 3–3 record and 3.18 ERA with 26 strikeouts over innings pitched. Mejía elected free agency following the season on November 2.

Brother Elephants

Mejía signed with the

of the

for the 2013 campaign. He was promoted to the active roster after Mike Ballard was released on April 12, 2013. In 21 games (18 starts) for the Elephants, Mejía compiled a 5–9 record and 3.26 ERA with 77 strikeouts across innings pitched.

Lamigo Monkeys

Mejía signed with the

of the

for the 2014 season. With the team, he set a CPBL record with 26 consecutive scoreless appearances. In 55 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 Monkeys, Mejía compiled a 5–1 record and 1.24 ERA with 46 strikeouts across 58 innings pitched. His 35 saves on the season were also a CPBL record. Following the season, Mejía was named the league's Closer of the Year.

Saitama Seibu Lions

On November 13, 2014, Mejía signed with the

. In four appearances for Seibu in 2015, he struggled to a 14.73 ERA with 4 strikeouts across innings.

Chicago Cubs

On December 21, 2015, Mejía signed a minor league contract with the

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 ...

organization. He made 25 appearances split between the Double–A

Tennessee Smokies The Knoxville Smokies are a Minor League Baseball team based in Knoxville, Tennessee. The team, which plays in the Southern League, is the Double-A affiliate of the Chicago Cubs. The team was based in Kodak, Tennessee, a Knoxville suburb, fr ...

and Triple–A

Iowa Cubs The Iowa Cubs are a Minor League Baseball team of the International League and the Triple-A (baseball), Triple-A affiliate of the Chicago Cubs. They are located in Des Moines, Iowa, and are named for their Major League Baseball (MLB) affiliate. T ...

, accumulating a 1.38 ERA with 18 strikeouts across 26 innings pitched. Mejía elected free agency following the season on November 7, 2016.

Diablos Rojos del México

On November 17, 2017, Mejía signed with the

Diablos Rojos del México The Diablos Rojos del Mexico (English: Mexico Red Devils) are a professional baseball team in the Mexican League based in Mexico City, Mexico. The team was founded in 1940 by Salvador Lutteroth and Ernesto Carmona. The Diablos Rojos play their ho ...

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 ...

. In 23 appearances for México, he posted a 4.70 ERA with 18 strikeouts and 2 saves over 23 innings. Mejía was released on July 2, 2018.

Piratas de Campeche

On June 20, 2019, Mejía signed with the

Piratas de Campeche The Piratas de Campeche (English: Campeche Pirates) are a professional baseball team in the Mexican League (LMB) based in Campeche, Campeche, Mexico. History In 1980, the Alacranes de Durango moved to Campeche, and played their home games at Ven ...

of the

. In 26 appearances out of the

, he registered a 4.68 ERA with 21 strikeouts and 8 saves across 25 innings of work. Mejía was released by Campeche on January 10, 2020.

References

External links

NPB
{{DEFAULTSORT:Mejia, Miguel 1988 births African-American baseball players American expatriate baseball players in Japan American expatriate baseball players in Taiwan American sportspeople of Puerto Rican descent Baseball pitchers Bridgeport Bluefish players Brother Elephants players Connecticut Tigers players Criollos de Caguas players Diablos Rojos del México players Gigantes de Carolina (baseball) players Greensboro Grasshoppers players Gulf Coast Tigers players Iowa Cubs players Jamestown Jammers players Lakeland Flying Tigers players Lamigo Monkeys players Liga de Béisbol Profesional Roberto Clemente pitchers Living people Mexican League baseball pitchers Nippon Professional Baseball pitchers Piratas de Campeche players Saitama Seibu Lions players Baseball players from Brooklyn Tennessee Smokies players West Michigan Whitecaps players Yaquis de Obregón players 2017 World Baseball Classic players Baseball players at the 2023 Central American and Caribbean Games 21st-century African-American sportsmen 20th-century African-American sportsmen