Erick Leal

Erick Alejandro Leal Plaza

• Bats Right, Throws Right
• Height 6' 3", Weight 180 lb.

• Born March 17, 1995 in Valencia, Carabobo Venezuela

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Biographical Information

Erick Leal has pitched in the minors and for the Venezuelan national team.

He was signed by the Arizona Diamondbacks in September 2011. He made his pro debut the next year, going 6-2 with a 2.44 ERA for the DSL Diamondbacks; he struck out 70 and walked only 11 in 70 innings. He was then traded with Jesus Castillo to the Chicago Cubs for major leaguer Tony Campana. He was 3-2 with a save and a 2.77 ERA for the '13 AZL Cubs, maintaining an excellent K:BB ratio (52 K, 8 BB in 48 2/3 IP).

Leal went 6-2 with a 3.73 ERA for the 2014 Boise Hawks. He tied for third in the Northwest League in wins. In his full-season debut, he posted a 10-8, 3.85 record for the South Bend Cubs. He tied Daury Torrez for third in the Cubs chain in wins. He made his Venezuelan Winter League debut with the Navegantes del Magallanes that winter, going 1-0 with a 3.97 ERA in ten relief appearances.

In 2016, he mostly pitched for the Myrtle Beach Pelicans, going 10-4 with a 3.23 ERA; he was 1-0 with one unearned run in three innings for the AZL Cubs as well. He was 4th in the Cubs farm system in wins and tied Matthew Kent for 4th in the Carolina League in victories. He then missed all of 2017 with an elbow injury. He returned in 2018 with Myrtle Beach (1-1, Sv, 1.41 ERA, .82 WHIP in 21 G) and then was 2-1 with a 2.66 ERA for the Mesa Solar Sox of the Arizona Fall League. He had a 4.20 ERA in four starts for Magallanes in 2018-2019.

The Valencia native split 2019 between the Pelicans (1-1, 4.31 in 6 G) and the Tennessee Smokies (3-5, 5.74 in 11 G). He became a free agent at the end of the year but there were few opportunities in 2020 as the minor league and many other countries shut down due to COVID-19. He got back into action with a strong winter for Magallanes at 5-1, 1.31. He easily led the LVBP in ERA (.71 ahead of Henry Centeno). He also tied for 4th in K and tied Loiger Padrón for 2nd in wins. He won Pitcher of the Year.

He next signed with the Rieleros de Aguascalientes of the Mexican League, going 1-1 with a 3.18 ERA in his first two games. He then took a break to pitch for Venezuela in the Americas Olympic Qualifier. He turned in a strong start to beat Colombia, allowing two hits (to Jonathan Lozada and Brallan Pérez) and one walk in six shutout innings. Andrés Sotillet replaced him in the 7th with a 2-0 lead but Colombia would tie the game, costing Leal the win, before Venezuela rallied to win it in the bottom of the 9th. He also pitched in the finale, relieving Oddanier Mosqueda with a 3-2 deficit in the 6th against Team USA, one on and one out. He struck out Mark Kolozsvary, intentionally walked Jon Jay and fanned Nick Allen. He began the 7th by retiring Luke Williams and Jarren Duran but Todd Frazier homered, then Enmanuel De Jesús took over. He finished 5th in the event in IP, between Anibal Sánchez and Ryan Kellogg.