Jose Sanchez (minors12)

Jose Sanchez middle name listed sometimes as Allen, middle initial sometimes listed as J

• Bats Right, Throws Right
• Height 6' 0", Weight 170 lb.

• Born May 12, 1984 in Maracaibo, Zulia Venezuela

BR minors page

Biographical Information

Jose Sanchez pitched as high as AAA. He has pitched in Venezuela, the US, Mexico and Italy.

Playing Career

Sanchez was initially signed by New York Mets scout Carlos Pascual. He debuted in 2002 with the Universidad club, going 2-3 with a 2.37 ERA, striking out 60 while walking only 8 in 57 IP. He improved to 8-2, 2.01 with 82 K and a WHIP under 1 for Tronconero 2 in 2003; he led the Venezuelan Summer League in wins. He came to the US in 2004 and was 4-5 with a 4.42 ERA for the GCL Mets, walking only 9 in 55 innings. He tied for 8th in the Gulf Coast League in losses. That winter, he allowed four earned runs in four innings for the Navegantes del Magallanes. In 2005, he posted a 11-5, 4.20 record for the Hagerstown Suns. He tied Jimmy Barthmaier and Carlos Perez for 7th in the South Atlantic League in wins and was 4th with 18 gopher balls. He tied for third in the Mets chain in wins, behind Jason Scobie and Brian Bannister.

Jose went 11-9 with a 3.87 ERA for the 2006 St. Lucie Mets, tying Anthony Swarzak for third in the Florida State League in wins (behind Orlando Trias and Chase Wright) and his 156 innings were second to Brett Smith. He tied Jonathon Niese for third in the Mets farm system in victories. In winter ball, he gave up 3 runs in 4 1/3 IP for Magallanes. The following summer, he fell to 4-9, 4.52 with the Binghamton Mets. He allowed 90 runs, most in the Eastern League, two ahead of Salvador Aguilar, Shawn Nottingham and Oscar Alvarez. He was 2-0 with a 4.24 ERA for the Navegantes in 2007-2008.

In 2008, Sanchez was sharper for Binghamton (13-7, 3.83), tying Jason Jones and Garrett Broshuis for second in the EL in wins (two behind Brad Bergesen) and ranking 5th with 118 strikeouts (between Jason Berken and Phil Coke. In the Mets farm system, he tied Dylan Owen for the most wins and was 4th in Ks (behind Niese, Owen and Michael Antonini). He was 1-0 with a 5.00 ERA in the winter. He struggled in 2009 and presumably battled injuries as he spent time with the GCL Mets (0-1, 4.09 in 3 G) and St. Lucie (3.68 ERA in 4 G) as well at Binghamton (1-6, 6.88) and the Buffalo Bisons (0-1, 4.91 in 3 G) for a rough 1-8, 5.95 season.

He recovered in the winter to go 4-0 with a 3.24 ERA as a member of the Navegantes rotation for the first time. He tied for 7th in the Venezuelan League in wins, was 4th in ERA (trailing Alberto Bastardo, Raul Rivero and Seth Etherton) and 4th in strikeouts (48, behind imports Josh Schmidt, Jeff Farnsworth and Heath Totten). Joining the Leones del Caracas for the 2010 Caribbean Series, he turned in a solid start against the Naranjeros de Hermosillo but left with a 2-2 tie after six against Juan Delgadillo. He allowed one run thanks to a Michael Ryan error and the other on a Karim Garcia solo shot. Caracas wound up losing in 10 innings.

Let go by the Mets, he signed with the Lancaster Barnstormers and went 7-11 with a 5.45 ERA. He tied for second in the Atlantic League in defeats (two behind leader Rick Bauer), was third in hits allowed (198), fourth in runs (102) and second to Jake Dittler in earned runs (93). In 2010-2011, he faded to 2-2, 5.85 for Magallanes. In '11, he went 2-4 with a 4.53 ERA for the Acereros de Monclova. He was sharper in Venezuela in 2011-2012 (2-3, 3.56), though he walked an uncharacteristic 25 in 55 2/3 IP. He lost in his lone playoff appearance.

He began the summer of 2012 back in Mexico but did not do well for the Guerreros de Oaxaca (0-2, 6.88, 29 H in 17 IP) to drop his career minor league record to 63-65. Signing with Parma in Italy, he was 5-2 with a 2.25 ERA the rest of the summer. He finished 7th in the Italian Baseball League in ERA, between Ricardo Hernandez and Chris Cooper. He was dealt with Humberto Quintero to the Aguilas del Zulia in exchange for Carlos Maldonado and Amalio Diaz. He bombed in his first winter for Zulia (1-0, but with 23 hits, 7 walks and 16 runs in 11 1/3 IP in the regular season, then 0-1 in the playoffs).

Back in Italy in 2013, he starred again (12-2, 1.37, 143 K in 118 2/3 IP, opponent batting line of .194/.242/.252). He tied Tiago Da Silva for the win lead, was 4th in ERA (behind Rivero, Enrique Acosta and Enorbel Marquez), led in strikeouts (17 ahead of Da Silva), led in innings (one more than Da Silva), was second in opponent average (behind Rivero), was second to Da Silva in opponent OBP and was fourth in opponent slugging. He was named the IBL's All-Star pitcher. He started off the winter on a better note his second campaign with Zulia (2-2, 4.45).

Post-Playing Career

Sanchez was assistant pitching coach of the DSL Rays 1 in 2021, DSL Rays in 2022, and DSL Tampa Bay in 2023.

Sources

• Baseball.it
• Purapelota
• 2009 Mets Media Guide