Newly-Converted Nationals Pitcher Gets Promotion After Eye-Catching Success

The minor league system is filled with guys who have carved out long and winding careers while trying to get their shot in The Show.

Baseball is a hard game, and for some, Triple or Double-A is as far as their journey takes them.

For Washington Nationals pitcher Erik Mejia, that path has taken some very unique turns in his 13-year professional career.

The Dominican Native and former Seattle Mariners top prospect has been in the minor leagues since he was 17 years old when he started out as a promising shortstop.

Despite some initial promise, though, he has only had two stints in the MLB so far.

Both of these were with the Kansas City Royals in 2019 and again during the COVID-shortened 2020 campaign.

Mejia recorded just 36 at-bats and six hits before being sent back down.

He joined the Nationals' farm system in 2023, and the club came to him with a new proposition ahead of the 2025 season.

They floated the idea of Mejia making the transition to pitcher at 30 years old.

Sensing that his opportunities to make the big league roster as a middle infielder were probably long gone, Mejia jumped at the opportunity, and it's a risk that appears to be paying off.

The newly-converted right-hander has been dominant at the High-A level so far this season, making 10 appearances out of the bullpen where he's struck out 17 batters and walked just four.

This stellar performance has led the team to promote him to Double-A Harrisburg, per The Washington Post's Andrew Golden.

It's pretty remarkable that after 13 years of playing professional baseball a player can make such a sudden switch and find success, but that's what Mejia appears to have done.

He possesses a devastating fastball that he can run up to 98 MPH, along with a very solid off-speed selection that keeps batters honest.

With stuff like that, it's hard to see why it took coaches so long to attempt to put him on the mound, but Washington finally has and it could pay off in a major way.

The team's bullpen struggles are very well known, and they could soon be looking for any help they can get.

If Mejia can continue to show out against tougher competition, then it will be hard to find a reason not to eventually promote him to the MLB.

All of that is still a ways way, but the fact Mejia has given himself this opportunity is still incredible.

It will be interesting to see just how far he's able to progress on the mound and whether or not his newfound role finally lands him back at the big league level.

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