Robert Palencia

Roberto Antonio Palencia Prada

• Bats Right, Throws Right
• Height 6' 1", Weight 190 lb.
• School Miami Dade College
• High School Monsignor Edward Pace High School

• Born January 9, 1986 in Maracay Venezuela

BR minors page

Biographical Information

Robert Palencia was born in Venezuela but moved to Miami and went to high school there. The Cincinnati Reds took him in the 35th round of the 2004 amateur draft but he did not sign. He was at Miami Dade College in 2005-2006. He then returned to Venezuela to pitch in the Liga Paralela.

For 2010, Palencia signed with Italy's Godo Baseball club. He started on Opening Day, April 1 against Bologna and allowed 4 runs in five innings in taking the loss against Jesus Matos. He was was 1-6 with a save and a 6.11 ERA for Godo. He tied William Lucena for 5th in the Italian Baseball League in losses. That winter, he was 0-1 with 8 hits, 3 walks and 5 runs in 3 innings for the Venezuelan Winter League's Caribes de Anzoátegui. He then pitched in lesser Venezuelan leagues and in Panama, where he won Foreign Pitcher of the Year in 2017 (4-0, 1.37).

He made the Venezuelan national team for the 2015 Premier 12, making one appearance. He relieved Josmar Carreño in the 3rd inning of a 13-2 loss to South Korea (it was 3-2 when he came in) and allowed four hits, a walk and four runs in 1 2/3 IP before Jhonny Caraballo took over. In the 2017 Bolivarian Games, he got the nod in a contest against Panama to see who made the Gold Medal game and who would be in the Bronze Medal game, presumably based off his success in Panama that season. He blanked Panama for four innings but was matched by Davis Romero, then allowed three runs in the 5th for the loss. After a scoreless 6th, he was replaced by Angel Vargas.