| Jenrry Mejía | |
|---|---|
_(cropped).jpg) Mejía with theNew York Mets in 2014 | |
| Charros de Jalisco – No. 36 | |
| Pitcher | |
| Born: (1989-10-11)October 11, 1989 (age 36) Azua,Dominican Republic | |
Bats: Right Throws: Right | |
| MLB debut | |
| April 7, 2010, for the New York Mets | |
| MLB statistics (through 2015 season) | |
| Win–loss record | 9–14 |
| Earned run average | 3.68 |
| Strikeouts | 162 |
| Saves | 28 |
Stats atBaseball Reference  | |
| Teams | |
Jenrry Manuel Mejía (Spanish pronunciation:[ˈxenrimeˈxi.a]; born October 11, 1989) is a Dominican professionalbaseballpitcher for theCharros de Jalisco of theMexican League. He has previously played inMajor League Baseball (MLB) for theNew York Mets.
Mejía signed with the Mets as an international free agent on April 4, 2007. He made his MLB debut in 2010 and was named the Mets'closer in May 2014. Mejía was suspended for the first 80 games of the 2015 season after testing positive forperformance-enhancing drugs (PED). He received his second suspension in July 2015 after a second failed test. He tested positive for a third time, which was reported in February 2016, resulting in his permanent suspension from MLB. He was the first player to receive a permanent suspension due to violating MLB's drug policy three times.[1] Mejía later submitted an application for reinstatement, as allowed under MLB's drug policy, which was granted byCommissionerRob Manfred in July 2018.[1]
Mejía was born inAzua in the southwestern Dominican Republic.[2] Growing up, Mejía lived with his parents and younger brother in a neighborhood called Herrera, nearSanto Domingo'sformer airport of the same name.[2][3] Starting at age 11, he made his living byshining shoes, earning about 300 pesos a day.[3] When he was 15 years old, he started playing baseball, becoming interested in the sport once he realized that players were able to earn a large signing bonus.[3] He drew some interest from several teams, including theBoston Red Sox andNew York Yankees, but was not seen at that time as a top talent, because he was small and slight of build.[3][4] He ultimately signed with the New York Mets for $16,500 in 2007, at the age of 17.[3][4][5]
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In 2007, Mejía played for theDominican Summer League Mets.[3] He recorded a 2–3 record with a 2.47 ERA 14 games (7 starts). The next year, Mejía pitched for theGulf Coast League Mets and theBrooklyn Cyclones.[3] His combined statistics were a 5–2 record, with a 2.89 ERA in 14 starts.[citation needed]
Mejía started the 2009 season pitching for the Single-ASt. Lucie Mets.[3] He was 4–1 with a 1.97 ERA.[6] Then, he was promoted to the Double-ABinghamton Mets. There he posted a 0–5 record with a 4.47 ERA in 10 starts.[6] He also missed seven weeks with a strained middle finger on his pitching hand.[3] Mejía had a 4–6 record with a 3.14 ERA in 19 total starts.[4] Because of his success in the 2009 season, he was named the 48th best prospect in the major leagues in the MLB.com Midseason Top 50 Prospect list. After the 2009 season, the Mets assigned him to theSurprise Rafters of theArizona Fall League,[4] where he posted a 12.56 ERA in six starts.[7] In February 2010, Mejía was ranked as the 56th best prospect in all of baseball byBaseball America.[8]
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Mejía made the Mets 2010 opening day roster as a relief pitcher, at only 20 years old, making him the youngest Met to make anOpening Day roster sinceDwight Gooden.[6] He made his major league debut on April 7, 2010.[9] After posting a 2.60 ERA in 30 relief appearances, on June 20, 2010, Mejía was optioned toDouble-ABinghamton to become a starter, withBobby Parnell taking his spot in the Mets bullpen.[6][10] Mejía was recalled fromTriple-ABuffalo on September 1.[10] On September 4, Mejía made his first major league start for the Mets atWrigley Field against theChicago Cubs.[11]Mike Nickeas, who caught Mejía, also made his debut in the majors on the same day.[12]
After starting five games for the Mets' Triple-A affiliate inBuffalo, on April 29, 2011, Mejía left the game after four innings due to elbow discomfort. He was diagnosed a few days later with a complete tear of hisulnar collateral ligament and requiredTommy John surgery, which put him out of reach for the remainder of the 2011 season.[5][13] Mejía missed much of the 2012 season due to recovery from Tommy John surgery.
Mejía began the 2013 season on the 60-day disabled list. He was activated on July 26, 2013, and started the first game of a day-night doubleheader against theWashington Nationals atNationals Park. He pitched 7 scoreless innings, giving up 7 hits, striking out 7, and walking none en route to his first win of the season.[14]
In 2014, Mejía won the Mets' fifth starter role out ofspring training, beating outDaisuke Matsuzaka andJohn Lannan.[15] Mejía's first start and win came on April 4 atCiti Field against theCincinnati Reds in which he went 6 innings striking out 8 and allowing 4 hits, 1 run, and 5 walks. After struggling in seven starts, Mejía was moved into the bullpen on May 12.[16] The Mets began using Mejía as the closer, after the release of former closersKyle Farnsworth andJosé Valverde.[17] On May 25, Mejía played a key role in a double header against theArizona Diamondbacks. In the first game, Mejía gave up a run off a fielder's choice to Diamondbacks shortstopChris Owings in the top of the 9th inning. The Mets would go on to lose the first game 2–1. However, in the second game, Mejía again pitched the 9th inning, this time earning his 3rd save of the season in a 4–2 Mets victory. Mejía earned 28 saves in 31 chances on the season.[18] As closer, Mejia was known for a distinctive stomp to celebrate completing a save.[19]
On Opening Day, Mejía was warming up for a 9th inning save, but injured his elbow. He was placed on the 15-day disabled list the next day with elbow inflammation, retroactive to April 5.[20] On April 11, it was announced that Mejía was suspended for 80 games by MLB after testing positive for use ofstanozolol, aperformance-enhancing drug (PED).[21] Despite returning to the Mets in July, Mejía was replaced as closer byJeurys Familia.[22] On July 28, 2015,Major League Baseball announced that Mejía had been suspended for 162 games after failing a test for stanozolol andBoldenone.[23]
On January 25, 2016, the Mets re-signed Mejía to a one-year deal for $2.47 million, avoiding arbitration. However, due to his 162-game suspension, he would have only received a portion of that salary, since he would have to miss the first 99 games of the season.[5][24] On February 12, MLB announced that Mejía had tested positive for Boldenone, again.[5] He was the second player to have three positive tests, afterNeifi Pérez.[5] As this was his third positive test foranabolic steroids, he was automatically banned from MLB for life.[18][25] He became the first person to be banned for life due to multiple PED use offenses. He was also one of only four living people to be permanently banned, the others beingPete Rose in 1990, along with Chris Correa andJohn Coppolella in 2017.[5][26] Mejía claimed that he only failed one test, and that MLB pressured him to reveal where he obtained the PEDs after the second positive test, which he considered to be inaccurate. He further claimed that MLB conspired to engineer the third positive test.[27]
Mejía was eligible to petitionCommissionerRob Manfred for reinstatement after one year. However, he was required to sit out a minimum of two years, meaning that he would not be eligible to return until 2018 at the earliest.[citation needed] The Mets and Mejía did agree to a contract for the 2017 season, despite the fact that Mejía was not eligible to play and did not receive any salary in 2017.[28] On November 1, 2017, Mejía returned to professional baseball when he signed a contract to play in theVenezuela Winter League for theNavegantes del Magallanes.[29] He pitched9+1⁄3 innings across six games, finishing with a 3.86 ERA, but allowed eight hits and issued 12 walks.[30]
On July 6, 2018, MLB announced that Mejía was being reinstated, and was allowed to have "non-public workouts at Mets facilities" after the2018 MLB All-Star Game.[1] He subsequently made two appearances with theDominican Summer League Mets, pitching a total of seven innings without allowing any runs.[31] The Mets released Mejía on November 20, 2018, the deadline for the team to protect Mejía from being picked by other clubs in theRule 5 draft by adding him to their40-man roster, which the Mets declined to do.[32]
On January 30, 2019, Mejía signed a minor league contract with theBoston Red Sox.[33] After spending spring training with Boston, he was assigned to the Triple–APawtucket Red Sox, and also made appearances with the Double–APortland Sea Dogs andLow–ALowell Spinners.[34] Overall during 2019, Mejía was 2–8 with eight saves and a 6.02 ERA, with 58 strikeouts in55+1⁄3 innings.[34] He elected free agency following the season on November 4.[35]
On February 7, 2020, Mejía signed with theAlgodoneros de Unión Laguna of theMexican League. He did not play in a game in 2020 due to the cancellation of the Mexican League season because of theCOVID-19 pandemic.[36]
Mejía returned to action in 2021, appearing in 26 games and posting a 2–3 record and 3.81 ERA with 26 strikeouts and 14 saves over28+1⁄3 innings of work. He made 6 appearances for the team in 2022, struggling to an 0–2 record and 13.50 ERA with 4 strikeouts across 4 innings pitched.
On May 12, 2022, Mejía was traded to thePericos de Puebla of theMexican League.[37] In 7 games for Saltillo, he struggled to a 1–2 record and 18.56 ERA with 7 strikeouts and 2 saves over5+1⁄3 innings of work. Mejía was released by the Saraperos on June 4.
On June 7, 2022, Mejía signed with theSaraperos de Saltillo of theMexican League.[38] In 20 relief appearances, he posted a 2–1 record with a 3.18 ERA and 16 strikeouts in22+2⁄3 innings.
In 2023, Mejía transitioned from a relief pitcher to a starter. In 8 starts, he registered a 1–3 record with a 5.89 ERA and 26 strikeouts over36+2⁄3 innings pitched. Mejía was waived on July 3, 2023.[39]
Mejía re-signed with the Saraperos on February 24, 2024.[40] In 28 appearances for the team, he logged a 2–1 record and 3.37 ERA with 28 strikeouts across26+2⁄3 innings pitched.
Mejía made two appearances for Saltillo in 2025, allowing six runs (five earned) on four hits with one strikeout across1⁄3 of an inning. He was released by the Saraperos on April 23, 2025.[41]
On May 24, 2025, Mejía signed with theCharros de Jalisco of theMexican League.[42]
Mejía throws a total of five pitches.[43] His primary pitch is a naturalcut fastball, created by his three-quarters arm angle.[3][7][43] As a prospect, his fastball averaged 94 to 96 miles per hour.[3] Mejía also throws a curveball, slider, changeup, andsinker.[3][43] He retained the use of all five pitches, even as a reliever.[43]
