Keive Rojas

Keivi Javier Rojas Pérez

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

• Born February 26, 1993 in Valencia, Carabobo Venezuela

BR Register page

Biographical Information

Keive Rojas has pitched in Venezuela, the US and France and for the French national team. His name is alternatively listed as Keive (per BR Register), Keivi (per MILB.com) and Keivy (per the WBC site and French sources).

Rojas was signed by Philadelphia Phillies scout Jesús Méndez. He was 2-4 with a 3.875 ERA for the 2011 VSL Phillies. In '12, he came stateside and was excellent between the GCL Phillies (4-1, 1.67 in 17 G) and Clearwater Threshers (1 shutout inning, fanning two of the three batters). He had a .87 WHIP and .191 opponent average.

In 2013, he was 1-2 with two saves and a 3.00 ERA for the Williamsport Crosscutters, fanning 44 in 36 innings. He split 2014 between the Lakewood BlueClaws (1-0, 3.18 in 11 G), Williamsport (1-0, 3.55 in 12 G) and the GCL Marlins (Sv, 5.63 in 6 G), the latter stint coming after Philadelphia released him and the Miami Marlins signed him. He made his Venezuelan Winter League debut with the Navegantes del Magallanes, going 3-2 with a 3.94 ERA in 26 outings. He allowed only one run in six postseason innings.

The right-hander allowed one run in 1 1/3 IP for Magallanes in 2015-2016. Signing with the Leones del Caracas in 2016-2017, he put up the same line. By 2019, he was pitching for the Tigers de Toulouse in French Division I. He was 2-7 with a 2.65 ERA. He was among the league leaders in opponent average (.187, 6th, between James Murrey and Esteban Prioul), strikeouts (105, 8th, between Yorfrank López and Rayner Oliveros) and losses (tied for 5th).

The 2020 French season was canceled due to the COVID-19 pandemic. He went 2-4 with 3 saves and a 1.96 ERA for Toulouse in '21, striking out 71 in 46 innings while allowing a .165 average. He allowed the lowest average in the league (.009 better than Erlis Casanova) despite not making the top ten in ERA. He was 10th in K, tied for first in saves (with Owen Ozanich, Ismail Pontiac and Jonathan Mottay) and tied for 5th in losses. With the '22 Tigers, he was 0-2 with a 1.71 ERA, whiffing 41 in 26 1/3 IP. He was 8th in ERA (between Wilce Nieves and Ozanich). He was on France's staff for the 2022 World Baseball Classic Qualifiers (WBC rules allowing players active in that country's league), the pitchers being as likely to be from Rojas's Venezuela as France (each with six representatives). His lone appearance went poorly. Relieving Robinson Maestre in the 7th with a 6-3 deficit against Great Britain, he walked Justin Wylie, allowed an Alex Crosby single and walked D'Shawn Knowles, having only thrown one strike among the three batters. Quentin Moulin relieved and all three runners would score. His three earned runs with no one retired tied Kevin Townend and Armando Dueñas Jr. for the event's second-highest ERA; Eugene Gay allowed four without retiring anyone.