Sun Sentinel Palm Beach Edition
Mesa delivers sample of potential at camp
Sporting a grey Marlins t-shirt with No. 32 emblazoned on the back, Victor Victor Mesa strolled to the batting cage on a cloudless day at Roger Dean Chevrolet Stadium.
The No. 1 international free agent this past offseason, the highly-coveted Cuban star was making his practice debut for the Marlins, giving Monday’s hitting camp an extra jolt of electricity.
With media members and Miami coaches lining the Jupiter diamond, the 22-year-old gave onlookers their first glimpse of his hitting potential — and the Marlins liked what they saw.
“We love what he looks like in the cage,” Marlins vice president of player development and scouting Gary Denbo said. “He had a great [batting practice] today. The tools that he brings to the table are obvious. He’s very serious about his work. He’s done a lot of work this winter with his trainers and
it’s prepared him well for spring training.”
“He’s got the kind of tool package we look for — he’s got speed, he can fly in the outfield. His defensive abilities and throwing arm are very good. We think he’s going to hit for a high average. What remains to be seen is whether he hits for power or not.”
Mesa, along with his younger brother Victor Jr., and highly-touted outfielder Monte Harrison, were among nine Marlins prospects to take part in the hitters camp on Monday. Denbo oversaw the action, while new minor league hitting coordinator Eric Duncan also helped guide the workout.
After landing the Mesa brothers in October, Marlins fans have eagerly anticipated seeing Victor Victor showcase his skill set and help transform the team into contenders again.
So when will the Cuban star debut in the majors? While there’s no official timetable, Marlins fans may have to be patient with Mesa.
While he has undeniable talent, it’s been nearly two years — 21 months to be precise — since he last played organized baseball. That came in the 2017 World Baseball Classic, where he went 3 for 7 with two doubles and three RBI in six games.
His last extended action came in Serie Nacional during the 2016-17 season. Mesa hit .354./.399/.539 with seven home runs and 40 stolen bases in 70 games in that stretch.
“He’s got limited experience in professional baseball, so he’s got some work to do,” Denbo said. “It isn’t easy to get to the major league level and it’s even more difficult to stay at the major league level.”
Mesa will take part in Major League spring training, but it’s a near certainty he’ll begin the season in the minors. While rosters haven’t been finalized, High-A Jupiter or Double-A Jacksonville would be likely start-off points.
In addition to the layoff, there’s also a significant jump between the level of play in Cuba and in the majors. But the Marlins have a plan to acclimate their offseason acquisition. Denbo says the team will focus on getting him as many at bats as possible and have him spend more time in the bullpen to track pitches during bullpen sessions.
“That’s something we do for all our hitters to try and expedite their development as hitters and to get them to see game-like speed,” Denbo said. “That’s the most difficult adjustment all of our guys have to make during spring training. Victor Victor especially, because he hasn’t played in organized games in a while.
“He’ll have to make some adjustments and we’ll be very patient with him and give him every opportunity we can to face live game speed even if it’s just in the bullpen tracking pitches.”
For Mesa, he’s well aware of the expectations and is ready to hit the field running. While he hasn’t been in South Florida long, he has liked what he’s seen.
“I’ve enjoyed the Cuban community,” Mesa said. “It’s one of the things I’ve enjoyed the most. I feel the pressure. I’ve got a lot of pressure, because they’re expecting a lot from me, so I want to work with the Marlins organization — work and try to get everything they expect from me.”
“I feel very anxious [to play in games]. There’s a lot of expectations. After all what makes a player a player is to play the game, so I’m looking forward to doing that and just keep working hard to become a better player.”