Eduardo Vera

Eduardo Vera

• Bats Right, Throws Right
• Height 6' 2", Weight 184 lb.

• Born July 3, 1994 in Mérida, Yucatán Mexico

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Biographical Information

Eduardo Vera has pitched as high as AAA and has been on the Mexican national team.

He was signed by Pittsburgh Pirates scouts Rene Gayo and Jesus Valdez in 2012. He split 2012 between the DSL Pirates 1 and DSL Pirates 2, going 2-0 with a 3.49 ERA in 16 games overall. In 2013, he was 1-0 with a 1.95 ERA for the DSL Pirates 2. He came stateside in 2014, going 3-1 with a 4.80 ERA for the GCL Pirates and walking only five in thirty innings. He made his Mexican Pacific League debut in 2014-2015, giving up six runs in four and a third innings for the Venados de Mazatlán.

Vera had Tommy John surgery in 2015. He returned in 2016, going 0-1 with a save and a 4.15 ERA in seven games for the GCL Pirates. Moving up to the West Virginia Power in 2017, he posted a 8-7, 3.33 record with three saves, walking just 19 in 132 1/3 IP. He was the first Pirates farmhand in five years to throw three complete games; Phil Irwin had done it last. He tied for 8th in the Bucs chain in wins and was tied for 6th with 109 K (even with Steven Brault, JT Brubaker and Taylor Hearn). He tied Harol González and Domenic Mazza for the South Atlantic League lead in complete games.

In 2018, he split time between the Bradenton Marauders (3-2, 2.95 in 9 G) and Altoona Curve (8-3, 3.62), walking 33 in 155 IP overall. He was 5th in the Pirates farm chain in ERA (between Domingo Robles and Mitch Keller), tied Luis Escobar for 5th in wins and was second in innings (12 behind James Marvel). He allowed one run in eight innings in the playoffs against the Akron RubberDucks. That winter, he was 1-1 with a 1.46 ERA for the Venados. He opened 2019 with the AAA Indianapolis Indians but struggled (5-9, 6.75) and was released. The Washington Nationals picked him up and he allowed 12 runs in 15 innings for the Harrisburg Senators. He tied Braxton Ashcraft and Nick Economos for 4th in the Pirates chain in defeats.

Despite his '19 struggles, he starred for Mexico in the 2019 Premier 12. In his first game, he allowed one run in four before Humberto Castellanos relieved versus the Dominican Republic, outdueling former major leaguer Enny Romero but not lasting long enough to get the win. He next blanked Australia for five innings to get the win over Josh Guyer; Manny Barreda succeeded him. In the Bronze Medal Game, with a spot in the 2020 Olympics (later delayed to 2021 due to the COVID-19 pandemic) at stake, he relieved Francisco Ríos in the 7th with a 2-1 deficit against Team USA, with one on and one out. He retired Brent Rooker and then struck out Alec Bohm looking. In the 8th, he went 1-2-3 against Jake Cronenworth, C.J. Chatham and Mark Payton. Jo Adell singled to lead off the 9th but Andrew Vaughn hit into a double play, then Erik Kratz flew out. After Mexico tied it in the bottom of the 9th, Mexico tied it. Carlos Bustamante took over in the 10th, Vera having kept Mexico in it. His relief proved critical when Mexico scored in the 10th to lock up their first Olympic berth in baseball. He tied Shao-Ching Chiang for 6th in the event in IP and had formed a solid rotation with Eduardo Reyes and Barreda (the other Mexican starter, former major leaguer Horacio Ramirez, struggled). Despite his contributions to their Olympic spot, he would not be with Mexico for the Tokyo Olympics.

The Merida native was 3-0 with a 1.18 ERA for the 2019-2020 Águilas de Mexicali. The 2020 minor league season was wiped out by the COVID pandemic. He returned to Mexicali in 2020-2021 and again did well (3-0, 2.05). He split 2021 between the Rocky Mountain Vibes (1-0, 3.26 in 4 G) and the Acereros de Monclova (0-2, 7.84 in 3 G).