Welcome to the Show: Francisco Mejia!!
The Indians have made yet another huge roster move today announcing the call-up of superstar prospect Francisco Mejia, Major League Baseball’s number 11 overall prospect.
Mejia had been playing catcher this season at Triple-A Columbus including hitting an astonishing .357 in the month of June. However, that is not the most impressive achievement in his young professional career, that would be the incredible 50-game hit streak that tied a mark set 94 years prior in 1922.
Mejia, who last year was a September call-up for the Tribe, played in only 11 games and went 2-13 from the plate although he was only 21 years old at the time. This season in the minors this Mejia had been struggling, hitting just .214 through 50 games and striking out 45 times compared to only 13 walks.
For his minor league career, though, he has a batting average of .284 with 44 home runs and 270 RBI in six seasons. The Indians calling up Mejia at this time could mean the end for backup catcher Roberto Perez who is hitting just .130 this season through 24 games and was hit in the hand by a pitch during his last game. It also could mean that he is being called up to play outfield due to a litany of injury problems in the outfield this season for the Tribe.
Starting Indians catcher Yan Gomes, who had really struggled with the bat since winning the American League Silver Slugger Award for catchers in 2014, hitting .267 in ’15, and .201 in ’16 until picking it back up last season hitting .309 and .291 this year. However, Gomes is a bit older at 30 then Mejia is 22.
It will be interesting to see with time how the youth movement that the team has begun here plays out with players like Erik Gonzalez and Mejia as well as Bradley Zimmer and young pitchers Adam Plutko and Shane Bieber.
Image: ESPN
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