Welland Jackfish close deal with their star closer
Deivy Mendez returning for a third season with defending IBL champs
As nicknames go “Canada Deposit Insurance” isn’t going into the National Baseball Hall of Fame and Museum in Cooperstown, N.Y., where it will join the likes of “Big Train,” “Georgia Peach,” “Sey Hey Kid,” “Splendid Splinter” and “Stan the Man.”
But relief pitcher Deivy Mendez has been exactly that — guaranteed, money in the back — for the Welland Jackfish. Since joining the Intercounty Baseball League (IBL) team at the beginning of the 2021 season, the six-foot-two, 190-pound fireballer from San Pedro de Marcoris, Dominican Republic, has yet to allow an earned run over 40 1⁄3 innings in 20 games, while compiling a 4-0 record and earning 10 saves.
His stat line in last year’s playoffs, as the Jackfish captured the franchise’s first championship, was almost as eye-popping: 1-0, two saves and 0.93 earned-run average in five games.
If “Canada Deposit Insurance” is too much of a mouthful, how about “Mr. K?” In 37 innings — 27 ⁄, 1
3 regular season; 9 2⁄3, playoffs — the right-hander had 60 strikeouts.
No wonder Jackfish manager Brian Essery is happy to welcome Mendez for a third season as the closer on his pitching staff.
“Deivy had an opportunity in winter ball to perform in front of some MLB (Major League Baseball) clubs in hopes of getting an invite to spring training,” Essery said. “Unfortunately, it didn’t work out this year, but we’re ecstatic to have him back in Welland.”
He suggested Mendez could pitch on any team in the American Association or Frontier League, but chooses to come back to Welland.
“He is treated great here by the organization, the fans and the community.”
In two seasons in Canada’s oldest independent baseball organization, Mendez has built a reputation as a pitcher batters would rather not face with the game on the line.
“He is not only the best pitcher, but the most feared guy in the league,” Essery said. “No one wants to face 97-99 (miles per hour) in the eighth or ninth inning.
“We’re a tough team to beat if we have a lead late in the ball game.”
Essery hopes that Mendez, who has had stints in various MLB organizations such as the Detroit Tigers, Oakland Athletics, Pittsburgh Pirates and Tampa Bay Rays organizations, gets another chance to show that his skills are majorleague calibre.
“He deserves another opportunity. He works incredibly hard and is such a great person and teammate.”
Essery, who is enshrined into the Central Ontario Baseball Association Hall of Fame as a pitcher and knows a thing or two about throwing a baseball 60 feet, six inches, has never been tempted to start Mendez in a game.
“I’ve been asked that question many times by fans and the media, but the success he’s had, and what we’ve had with him in that role, we’re not going to change,” Essery said. “He offers so much to us as the closer.”
Essery pointed out not every pitcher can throw effectively and consistently in relief when they’re called in to protect a lead late in games.
“Having a dominant closer is the hardest to find,” Essery said. “It SEE MENDEZ, B6