Scary news for the Seattle Mariners. MLB.com reports that their 11th rated prospect in their No. 21 rated farm system, pitcher Victor Sanchez, was severely injured in a boating accident in Venezuela on Saturday. He has currently been stabilized in intensive care, but remains in critical conditional.
Sanchez was seemingly innocently swimming off the beaches of Carupano, Venezuela when he was hit by a passing boat. Sanchez was left unconscious for some time before being rushed to a hospital for emergency surgery. Dr. Rolando Cobis performed surgery on Sanchez’s fractured skull on Sunday and said the 20-year old is still fighting for his life.
More from MLB Prospects
- Is Arizona Diamondbacks prospect Ivan Melendez the next Pete Alonso?
- Los Angeles Dodgers prospect talk: Catching up with Hunter Feduccia
- MLBPA secures major victory for Minor League Baseball players
- Phillies: Breaking down the prospects fighting for an Opening Day spot
- What the XFL can learn from minor league baseball
The 6-foot-0, 255 pound, right hander is the third rated pitcher in the Seattle Mariners system. The Mariners signed Sanchez out of Venezuela at the young age of 16 in 2011 and he has been successfully climbing the minor league ladder every year since his 2012 Single-A Short Season debut. Known for his control and command with a fastball that sits in the low-90s, MLB Pipeline has graded Sanchez out at an overall 45 with his control at 55. His fastball, although low in velocity rarely misses the strike zone, and is his highest graded pitch at 55. His curveball and changeup both grade out at 50.
Sanchez’s brief career is not short of highlights. He hurled a nine inning no-hitter in his second professional season for the Class-A Clinton Lumberjacks. The feat earned him his first career Pitcher of the Week Award. It would not be his last.
Sanchez pitched at Double-A this season and compiled a 7-6 record with a career worst 4.19 ERA. He caught fire in the middle of the season, snagging his second Pitcher of the Week Award of his young career behind an eight inning, nine strikeout masterpiece against the Birmingham Barons. He would show fatigue by season’s end after throwing a career high innings and pitches, somewhat unfairly inflating his ERA and WHIP.
Sanchez has a 19-14 career record over three levels of minor league ball. He adds an impressive 3.43 ERA with a 1.18 WHIP and 245 strikeouts over 323 innings pitched. He pitched in his native Venezuelan Winter League this offseason, accumulating a 2-1 record with a 4.50 ERA. Sanchez did not earn an invite as a non-roster invitee to the Mariners’ spring training, but was expected to be in minor league camp when their spring training opened.
More updates will be provided as they are made available. Here is hoping to a speedy and safe recovery.
More from Call to the Pen
- Philadelphia Phillies, ready for a stretch run, bomb St. Louis Cardinals
- Philadelphia Phillies: The 4 players on the franchise’s Mount Rushmore
- Boston Red Sox fans should be upset over Mookie Betts’ comment
- Analyzing the Boston Red Sox trade for Dave Henderson and Spike Owen
- 2023 MLB postseason likely to have a strange look without Yankees, Red Sox, Cardinals