Thyago Vieira
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Position:
RHP
Born:
01/07/93
Height:
6'2"
Weight:
210
B/T:
R/R
Acquired:
Signed as an international free agent (Brazil) on September 21, 2010 (SEA).
Most Recent Stats at Time of Debut
| 2-3 with a 3.59 ERA in 36 games between Arkansas (Double-A) and Tacoma (Triple-A), striking out 45 and walking 21 in 47 2/3 innings while allowing 39 hits for a .222 BAA. |
Info & MLB Debut Date
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Recalled from Tacoma on August 14, when RHP Christian Bergman was sent down. MLB Debut Date: 08/14/17 |
Debut Details
| August 14, in an 11-3 loss to the Orioles. The last of three pitchers, he tossed one perfect inning, striking out one. Of 10 pitches, seven were for strikes. Coming on to start the top of the ninth for right-handed reliever Casey Lawrence, he retired Chris Davis on a liner back to the mound, struck out Joey Rickard looking and got Caleb Joseph to ground out to third base. |
Player Notes
| Just the fourth Brazilian-born player to make it to the majors (following in the footsteps of Indians catcher Yan Gomes, Padres right-hander Andre Rienzo and Royals outfielder Paulo Orlando), Vieira is not an unfamiliar face to many in the international baseball community, having pitched for the Brazilian team in two World Baseball Classic tournaments, 2013 and 2017, as well as in the 2017 Futures Game. But what really makes him stand out, other than his unusual and proud nationality, is his 103-MPH fastball that he complements with a plus slider to make him one of the most exciting back-end-of-the-bullpen prospects in the game right now. The Sao Paulo native has been used sparingly since signing with the Mariners as he's had to learn how to harness that amazing heat and his development has been impressive, especially over the last two seasons, convincing the club that he was ready for prime time. Armed with, not surprisingly, what Baseball America calls the best fastball in the system, he went 1-0 with a 2.84 ERA in 34 games at Bakersfield in 2016, his pivotal season, converting all eight of his save opportunities and allowing one home run in his 44 1/3 innings of work, striking out 22 and walking 20. That fall he touched 104 MPH in the Arizona Fall League. He becomes the first Thyago in the history of MLB, though the name itself (alternatively spelled Tiago and generally pronounced "Choggo," a shortened version of Santiago) is not uncommon in his native country. |
2080 Notes