Ernesto Mejía

Ernesto Antonio Mejía Alvarado [meh-HEE-ah] (born December 2, 1985) is a Venezuelan first baseman for the Saitama Seibu Lions of the Pacific League. Listed at 6' 5", 245 lb., he bats and throws right handed.[1]

In this Spanish name, the first or paternal surname is Mejía and the second or maternal family name is Alvarado.
Ernesto Mejía
Saitama Seibu Lions – No. 99
First baseman
Born: (1985-12-02) December 2, 1985
Guanare, Venezuela
Bats: Right Throws: Right
NPB debut
May 15, 2014, for the Saitama Seibu Lions
NPB statistics
(through 2020 season)
Batting average.243
Home runs141
Runs batted in403
Teams

Career

Atlanta Braves

Mejía was signed by the Braves as a non-drafted free agent on July 8, 2002, and started his minor league career with the GCL Braves rookie team in 2005. But he spent six full seasons in the minors, playing also for the Kansas City Royals system (2010), before reaching Triple-A level with the Gwinnett Braves in 2012.

Mejía led the circuit in RBI (92), hits (150) and total bases (256), was second both in SLG (.517) and at-bats (489), and tied for second in home runs (24), ending third in extra-bases (57), fourth in OPS (.858), fifth in runs (72) and eight in batting average (.298), while tying for sixth in both doubles (32) and games played (126). Mejía earned the International League Rookie of the Year distinction as well as the Postseason All-Star team. The All-Star nod is his sixth All-Star selection. He also became the third consecutive Gwinnett Braves player to claim the award for the league's top rookie, joining Freddie Freeman (2010) and Julio Teherán (2011).[2]

Saitama Seibu Lions

Mejía was released by the Braves on April 26, 2014 so that he could sign with the Saitama Seibu Lions.[3] Mejía led NPB's Pacific League with 34 home runs in 2014, finishing in a tie for the top spot with Takeya Nakamura. In his first three seasons with the Lions through 2016, Mejia batted .257 overall with 96 home runs and 265 RBIs.

On November 18, 2019, Mejía signed a 1-year extension to remain with the Lions.[4]

References
  1. "– Ernesto Mejia profile". Milb.com. January 1, 2012. Retrieved November 18, 2012.
  2. Lezotte, Dave. "– Mejia Captures IL Rookie of the Year Award". Milb.com. Retrieved November 18, 2012.
  3. First Baseman Ernesto Mejia Released from Braves Roster
  4. "選手契約について". 埼玉西武ライオンズ 公式サイト (in Japanese). December 6, 2019. Retrieved December 22, 2019.
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