Mayque Quintero

Mayque Quintero Isaac listed as Maique Quintero in Cuba

• Bats Right, Throws Right
• Height 6' 2", Weight 225 lb.

• Born April 19, 1978 in Cuba

BR minors page (drafted)

BR minors page (playing)

Biographical Information

Mayque Quintero was a Rookie of the Year in Cuba who later defected. He did not make it beyond high A ball.

Quintero was 0-2 in the 1995 World Junior Championship despite a 0.55 ERA. Only Aaron Myette (Canada) and Byung-hyun Kim (South Korea) had lower ERAs while pitching 10+ innings. He was the 1996-1997 Serie Nacional Rookie of the Year for his performance for the Industriales. In 1997-1998, things went wrong as he walked 69 batters, the most by any Cuban hurler during Cuba's aluminum bat era (1976-1999). He pitched four seasons in Cuba, going 30-28 with a 2.85 ERA and .253 opponent average in 82 games (74 starts). He struck out 275 in 467 2/3 innings and walked 164.

The former prospect defected to the United States in the fall of 2000 with Industriales teammate Evel Bastida-Martinez. He played for the independent Sonoma County Crushers in 2001 and put up mediocre numbers (2-3, 4.33, 46 K in 43 2/3 IP). He was subsequently drafted by the Cincinnati Reds in the 31st round of the 2002 Amateur Draft, a sign of how far his stock had fallen since 1995-1997. He was 2-1 with a 4.11 ERA for the 2002 Billings Mustangs.

After sitting out 2003, he signed with the Montréal Expos. He did well with the 2004 Brevard County Manatees (3-2, 2.75). Remaining in high-A in 2005, he slumped to 2-2, 4.67 with two saves for the Potomac Nationals. Ending in the New York Mets chain, he struggled at 1-3, 8.51 for the 2006 St. Lucie Mets. Overall, he was 10-11 with two saves and a 4.63 ERA in 78 minor league games, with 212 hits, 77 walks and 192 strikeouts in 204 innings.