Victor Victor Mesa was expected to be the next major star to come from Cuba. The son of the legendary Cuban player Victor Mesa, he and his brother – also named Victor Mesa – signed with the Miami Marlins with the hope that the duo would be a pair of cornerstone players. Evaluators were highest on Victor Victor Mesa, citing his extreme athleticism and impressive speed as reasons why he was expected to rocket through their system and become the face of the franchise.
It is three years later. The elder of the Mesa brothers is still where he started, spending most of the 2021 season in High-A while struggling in Double-A. His brother, meanwhile, has surpassed him on the Marlins’ top prospect rankings as Victor Victor Mesa has become a disappointing afterthought.
Victor Victor Mesa running out of time for Miami Marlins
This should be when Mesa is getting ready to establish himself in the majors. The Marlins need a center fielder and have been exploring the trade market throughout most of the offseason. Mesa should be ready to step into that void and fulfill his destiny as the future face of the franchise.
Instead, it is fair to wonder how much more time the Marlins will invest in him. He has been solid in High-A, even if he has not been the superstar he was expected to be. Mesa has produced a decent enough .272/.318/.338 batting line in his 615 plate appearances. While he is never going to hit for much power, he has stolen 26 bases while showing excellent range and a solid arm in center.
The problem is that he has not hit at all in Double-A. Mesa has had two brief stints at the higher level now and has a .143/.214/.159 batting line in his 204 plate appearances, stealing just three bases. While he has been making contact, it has not been hard at all.
It is now at the point where the Marlins need Mesa to take that next step. He has to show that he can handle the upper minors and that he is worth continuing to spend their resources on. And he needs to do this soon.
Victor Victor Mesa has been a disappointment for the Miami Marlins. He needs to change that narrative quickly before he runs out of time.