Each year, every major league team signs a group of teenage prospects from outside the United States, mostly — between 80 and 90% — from the Dominican Republic and Venezuela. Every one of those young prospects approaches his coming professional career with big dreams and high hopes, dreams that big league clubs encourage with large cash bonuses that can range well into the millions.
But not every story ends well for international prospects. In fact, most do not, and the Toronto Blue Jays saw a clear example of this disappointment when they released Luis Meza, a highly regarded catcher from Venezuela who, at age 17 in 2022, was handed a $2.05 million bonus from the Blue Jays.
Meza was handed his release by the Blue Jays on Jan. 12, according to his official transactions ledger. But the transaction was not reported by journalist Wilber Sánchez until Monday.
Signing out of Venezuela, Meza was considered “one of the premier catchers in the 2021-22 international class,” according to Baseball America. The publication’s scouting report described the then-teenager as “agile and flexible behind the plate,” while as a hitter bringing “an advanced approach, controlling the strike zone well with a high contact rate in games and the ability to use the whole field.”
Unfortunately for Meza, he was never able to showcase those talents for the Toronto organization. Nonetheless, MLB Pipeline praised him for having “some high-upside building blocks.”
In four full seasons, he was never able to advance above the rookie-level Florida Complex League. Including his first pro season in the Dominican Summer League, the catcher who was rated the No. 33 overall prospect among the top 100 in the 2022 international free agent class by MLB Pipeline played only 85 games, coming to the plate just 253 times.
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After signing in 2022, Pipeline ranked Meza the No. 20 overall prospect in the entire Blue Jays farm system.
“The 2024 season was Meza’s best in the Jays’ system, as he slashed .274/.361/.290 with no home runs and a double in 72 plate appearances, or 24 games,” wrote Ryley Delaney of Blue Jays Nation. “In 2024, he finished with a 92 wRC+, which was easily his best season.”
Last season, however, Meza took a significant step backward. Managing only 50 plate appearances for the Florida Complex League Blue Jays, he scraped together a mere eight hits.
What comes next for Meza remains uncertain. He could attempt to catch on with another organization, or in an independent league in an attempt to develop his abilities and attract MLB attention once again. Or he could simply retire from baseball and move on with his life. Either way, Meza’s story stands as a cautionary tale about placing high amounts of faith, and money, in teen players with no professional or even high-level amateur experience.
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