Juan Mendoza (minors04)

Juan Antonio Mendoza

• Bats Left, Throws Left
• Height 6' 0", Weight 180 lb.

• School State University of West Georgia

• Born January 5, 1977 in Guayaquil Ecuador

BR minors page

Biographical Information

Juan Mendoza pitched for two years in the independent leagues.

Mendoza was 7-7 with a 3.61 ERA for the 2000 Cook County Cheetahs. He tied for 7th in the Frontier League in wins, tied for 4th in losses, tied for 5th in complete games (5) and tied for 7th in hit batsmen (10). He was the first Ecuadorian player to get a decision in the US professional ranks; Alvaro Cañarte had been the first Ecuadorian pitcher but had no decisions. In 2001, Juan fell to 2-7, 4.54 for the Canton Crocodiles. He tied for 8th in losses.

He was on the Ecuadorian national team in the 2001 Bolivarian Games and when they won Bronze in the 2005 South American Championship. In the 2006 COPABE qualifiers for the 2008 Olympics, Mendoza tossed one shutout inning for Ecuador (though he allowed two hits). He mostly played left field in the event, going 5 for 19 with two doubles, a walk, run and two RBI. He helped Ecuador to a Silver Medal in the 2011 South American Championship.