Flame-Thrower Alex Vesia Will Cut Through the Miami Marlins System

Hard-throwing left-handed reliever Alex Vesia had a strong introduction to professional baseball in 2018.

Throughout the 2018/2019 offseason, Marlin Maniac will devote one article each for every player who appeared in the Miami Marlins system for the 2018 season. Every. Single. Player. This is Part 204 of 286.

Alexander Victor Vesia is a 6’2″, 195 lb. left-handed pitcher from Alpine, California. Although nobody has made the majors out of the town, three have been drafted, including current Cleveland Indians outfield prospect Trenton Brooks.

Vesia was born on April 11th, 1996, and was a 17th round choice of the Miami Marlins in the MLB Entry Draft of 2018. Chosen 507th overall, Vesia would be the 11th picked at that spot to make it to the major leagues. The group is led by “Spaceman” Bill Lee (1968, Boston Red Sox, 21.9 career WAR). Here’s Vesia pitching in 2013, courtesy of Alex Vesia.

Vesia played one season of Division 2 college ball before getting selected out of Cal State East Bay, a California Collegiate Athletic Association team. He started in half of his 14 games while there, going 8-2 with a 1.94 ERA and 82 K’s in 78 2/3 innings, along with a 1.081 WHIP. You can follow Vesia on Twitter @A_Vesss.

I am so thankful that the Marlins have given me this opportunity. I have to thank my coaches and East Bay, my family, and everyone who has supported me from the beginning.  – Vesia, as quoted by Steve Connolly at the East Bay Pioneers website

After signing with the Miami Marlins for a $25,000 bonus, Vesia joined the rookie-level, Florida-based GCL Marlins, in the Gulf Coast League. He didn’t allow a run over 8 2/3 innings covering four games while there, with seven whiffs and a .133 opposing batting average. This includes a five-inning appearance on July 13th, when he struck out three and allowed only one hit to earn the 8-1 victory over the GCL Nationals.

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On July 20th, the Miami Marlins promoted Vesia to the short-season-A Batavia Muckdogs in the New York-Penn League. Four days later, he whiffed four in a scoreless three inning appearance, a 7-1 win for the Staten Island Yankees. In his final appearance of the season, on September 2nd, he struck out six in three scoreless innings in a 5-4 win over the Auburn Doubledays.

While with the Muckdogs, Vesia struck out 31 in 24 2/3 innings, an 11.31 K/9 rate. He achieved this despite an unbelievably bad-luck BABIP of .394. Between the two levels, he walked only seven batters, a 1.89 BB/9 rate, and picked up a 1.140 WHIP.

Vesia is still rostered as part of the Muckdogs, but it’s hard to believe he will stay there for very much longer. He should start the 2019 campaign with the single-A Clinton LumberKings in the Midwest League. It’s likely he joins the high-A Jupiter Hammmerheads in the Florida State League before the end of the season.

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