Víctor Mesa Jr.

Víctor Mesa Jr.
Mesa with the Jacksonville Jumbo Shrimp in 2024
Miami Marlins – No. 10
Outfielder
Born: (2001-09-08) September 8, 2001
Havana, Cuba
Bats: Left
Throws: Left
MLB debut
May 26, 2025, for the Miami Marlins
MLB statistics
(through 2025 season)
Batting average.188
Home runs1
Runs batted in6
Stats at Baseball Reference 
Teams
Medals
Men's baseball
Representing  Cuba
U-15 Baseball World Cup
2016 Iwaki Team

Víctor Mesa Jr. (born September 8, 2001) is a Cuban professional baseball outfielder for the Miami Marlins of Major League Baseball (MLB). He made his MLB debut in 2025.

Career

Mesa is the son of Víctor Mesa, a longtime player and manager in the Cuban National Series, and the younger brother of Víctor Víctor Mesa. Mesa and his brother defected from Cuba in 2018.[1] After they were declared free agents, both Mesa brothers signed with the Marlins on October 22. Mesa received a $1 million signing bonus.[2]

Mesa made his professional debut in 2019 with the Gulf Coast League Marlins, batting .284/.366/.398 with one home run, 24 runs batted in (RBIs), and seven stolen bases over 47 games played. Mesa did not play in a game in 2020 due to the cancellation of the minor league season because of the COVID-19 pandemic.[3] In 2021, for the Single-A Jupiter Hammerheads, Mesa batted .266/.317/.402 with five home runs, 71 RBIs, and 12 stolen bases in 112 games.[4] In 2022, he played in 121 games for the High-A Beloit Snappers, batting .244/.323/.346 with 5 home runs, 50 RBIs, and 10 stolen bases.[5]

On April 18, 2023, while playing for the Double-A Pensacola Blue Wahoos, Mesa hit for the cycle in a game against the Birmingham Barons.[6] In 123 games for Pensacola, he batted .242/.308/.412 with career-highs in home runs (18), RBIs (76), and stolen bases (16).[7]

On November 14, 2023, the Marlins added Mesa to their 40-man roster to protect him from the Rule 5 draft.[8] He was optioned to the Triple-A Jacksonville Jumbo Shrimp to begin the 2024 season.[9] In 83 appearances split between Jupiter and Jacksonville, Mesa slashed .255/.318/.423 with 13 home runs, 51 RBIs, and five stolen bases.

The Marlins optioned to Triple-A Jacksonville to begin the 2025 season.[10] On May 26, 2025, Mesa was promoted to the major leagues for the first time.[11] He made his major league debut that day and recorded his first hit the next day.[12] On September 8, his 24th birthday, Mesa hit his first career home run off of Shinnosuke Ogasawara of the Washington Nationals.[13]

Personal life

Mesa became a United States citizen in February 2024.[14]

References

  1. ^ "Longtime manager Victor Mesa's sons leave Cuba". MLB.com.
  2. ^ "Mesa brothers sign with Marlins". MiLB.com. Retrieved December 14, 2018.
  3. ^ "2020 Minor League Baseball season cancelled". mlb.com. Retrieved June 19, 2023.
  4. ^ "Victor Mesa Stats & Scouting Report". baseballamerica.com. Retrieved June 19, 2023.
  5. ^ "Victor Mesa Jr. - Stats - Batting". fangraphs.com. Retrieved June 19, 2023.
  6. ^ "Victor Mesa Jr. Hits for Historic Cycle In Series Opener". milb.com. Retrieved April 20, 2023.
  7. ^ Jackson, Barry (February 9, 2024). "The twist with Mesa brothers after the Marlins' $6.25 million investment. And new arms". Miami Herald.
  8. ^ "Marlins Select Anthony Maldonado, Victor Mesa Jr". MLB Trade Rumors. November 14, 2023. Retrieved March 20, 2024.
  9. ^ "Marlins Trim Spring Roster With First Round of Cuts". marlinsbaseball.com. Retrieved March 20, 2024.
  10. ^ "Mesa Jr. among Marlins' first spring cuts". mlb.com. Retrieved March 5, 2025.
  11. ^ https://apnews.com/article/miami-marlins-6751014edc317d00ffd35218b9b894f5
  12. ^ De Nicola, Christina (May 28, 2025). "Victor Mesa Jr. gets first MLB hit and RBI with Marlins". MLB.com. Retrieved November 8, 2025.
  13. ^ De Nicola, Christina (September 9, 2025). "Victor Mesa Jr. hits first homer on 24th birthday". MLB.com. Retrieved November 3, 2025.
  14. ^ McPherson, Jordan (February 23, 2024). "Miami Marlins Q&A: Victor Mesa Jr. talks citizenship, baseball and Lionel Messi". Miami Herald.
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