Roger Deago

Roger I. Deago Villarreal

• Bats Right, Throws Left
• Height 5' 10", Weight 180 lb.

• Debut May 10, 2003
• Final Game May 15, 2003
• Born June 21, 1977 in Monagrillo, Herrera, Panama

BR page

Biographical Information

Roger Deago was the first player from the Czech Extraliga to make the majors. The Panamanian signed with Technika Brno for 1997 and was 9-2 with a 1.31 ERA, striking out 135 in 82 1/3 IP. In 1998, he went 7-4 with a 1.26 ERA and 111 K in 71 1/3 IP. Deago hit .487 in '98 as well and smacked 11 homers both years, finishing second in the circuit both times. His .458 average was tied for the best in the Extraliga for the period 1995-2000 with former Expos farmhand Pavel Budský. His 135 K in 1997 were the highest for a season for that era and his 1.29 ERA was the best career mark for the period. He helped Panama to a Gold in the 1997 Central American Games.

He was 1-1 with a 4.08 ERA in the 2001 Baseball World Cup. His 23 strikeouts were second to Chih-Chia Chang. He helped Panama to a Gold in the 2001 Bolivarian Games. In the 2002 Intercontinental Cup, he went 2-0 for Panama and had a 1.29 ERA. He whiffed 19 in 14 innings, tying for third while he tied for the win lead. Panama finished third but was later stripped of its Bronze Medal due to positive tests for banned substances. He also was with Panama for the 2002 Central American and Caribbean Games, a Silver Medal finish.

Deago was signed by the San Diego Padres in 2002 and made only six starts in the minors before being called up to the big leagues. He held the New York Mets to two runs in six innings in his first major league start on May 10, 2003 but got lit up by the Atlanta Braves in his second outing, giving up seven runs in 4 and 1/3 innings. He was then returned to the Mobile BayBears, for whom he was 8-7 with a 4.03 ERA in 26 appearances.

Deago spent most of 2004 back with Mobile, going 3-2 with a 1.69 ERA in 22 games. However, he was slowed by an elbow injury the next year and missed most of the season. He bounced back in 2006, going 10-6 with a 4.49 ERA between Mobile and the AAA Portland Beavers. After starting off the following season with the San Antonio Missions and going 3-3 with a 4.16 ERA there, he was promoted to Portland, where he was 3-5 with a 6.24 ERA.

He appeared in two games in the 2006 World Baseball Classic, pitching 1 1/3 innings and allowing three hits and two runs (neither of them were earned). He posted a 0.00 ERA.

Following the 2007 season, he became a free agent and signed with the Tampa Bay Rays organization. He pitched for their Double-A team, the Montgomery Biscuits. That season, he went 2-5 with a 2.95 ERA in 59 relief appearances.

In the COPABE qualifiers for the 2008 Olympics, Deago allowed 3 runs in 11 innings and had no decisions; Panama failed to advance.

Deago returned to the Czech Republic with Technika Brno in 2011.

He coached for Panama in the 2017 Central American Games, when they won a Silver Medal.