Florida’s two Major League Baseball clubs made a small trade on Friday, with Miami sending an outfielder Victor Mesa Jr. to Tampa Bay in exchange for a minor leaguer Angel Brachi. The Marlins had appointed Mesa to work earlier in the week. Both teams announced the exchange.
Mesa and his older brother, Victor Victor Mesathey are the sons of Cuban baseball legend Victor Mesa, who worked for 19 years in the Cuban top league and once managed Team Cuba in the World Baseball Classic. Both, especially Mesa’s older brother, were top international prospects for the 2018-19 season, but neither disappointed after signing with Miami. Victor Victor never reached the top score, and Mesa Jr. was designated for assignment after only 38 plate appearances at the Show.
All those plate appearances of Mesa’s little brother happened in 2025. He appeared in 16 games and hit .188/.297/.344 with a homer, two doubles and as many walks as strikeouts (five and one). He had a good showing in 171 Triple-A plate appearances (.286/.352/.460), but it was the first time Mesa Jr. which even reached the middle level of the young.
Mesa Jr. The 24-year-old is considered a solid defensive player and has shown more pop than some expected when he was signed. He ripped 18 homers in 123 games in the 2023 season, slugged 13 homers in just 83 games in ’24 and added seven more in 42 Triple-A contests last season (and one home run in 38 MLB plate appearances).
Mesa Jr. still has a minor league option remaining. He will give the Rays another candidate to pick up at-bats in a patchwork area. The rays signaled Cedric Mullins again Jake Fraley on one-year deals this winter and get to hook you in center field and right field, respectively, at least against right-handed pitching. A left-handed player Chandler Simpson he is a very fast baseball player and a very dangerous base stealer, but he is not a good outfielder, rarely walks and does not have the power to speak. Johnny Deluca, Justin-Henry Malloy, Richie Palacios, Ryan Vilade and high hopes Jacob Melton other outside options on the 40-man roster.
Brachi is something of a lottery ticket – a 19-year-old former international high-profile signing who spent the past two seasons in the Dominican Summer League. He was not ranked among Tampa Bay’s top 30 prospects in Baseball America’s latest update to their system.
The Rays signed Brachi with an $800K bonus out of his native Dominican Republic. He struggled badly as a 17-year-old in ’24 (.247/.348/.276 with no homers, three doubles and one triple in 206 plate appearances). Brachi had a break at the plate that repeated that rate in 2025, however, exploding with a .337/.453/.408 batting line in a large sample of 228 turns at the plate.
Brachi is probably not strong yet and is not expected to grow much. His massive Summer League OBP is misleading, as he only walked in 8.7% of his plate appearances but has struck out 30 times in 434 plate appearances. Brachi is a pass rusher who hasn’t been effective in routes (35 steals on 48 attempts) but could be a big threat. He played shortstop, second base and third base in pro ball.
Franchys Romero first reported that Mesa was headed to Tampa Bay. Kevin Barral of Fish On First reported that it was a trade (not a waiver claim) and that Miami is getting one prospect in return.
