The Braves drafted Ian Mejia in the 11th round of the 2022 MLB Draft, selecting him with their top pick of the now-expired third day of the draft. Mejia is a 6’3, 205-pound right-handed pitcher from New Mexico State who started his college career at Arizona, which was drafted in the 35th round by the Mets out of high school.
What were the expectations?
Mejia, who turned 25 in late January, was a guy many thought would start the year in Triple-A after making 23 solid starts with Mississippi in 2024 and another start with Gwinnett. In those 24 starts and one relief appearance, he pitched to a 3.80 ERA, 1.37 WHIP and 124 strikeouts to 59 walks in 125.2 innings, so based on his age and Double-A results it seemed logical.
Results 2025
Mejia actually opened the season in Double-A, but this time with Columbus after switching to an affiliated team. He made 17 starts and 24 total appearances there, pitching to a 2.62 ERA, 1.06 WHIP and 106 strikeouts to 37 walks in 127.1 innings. He also made one start for Gwinnett in July, allowing four runs (two earned) over four innings, with three strikeouts and four walks.
Mejia has done a great job pitching contact this year. During his time in Columbus, he allowed just 6.9 hits per nine innings. Also his command, which had always been a strength until he saw his walk rate increase to 4.1 per nine, while 2024 Mississippi stabilized to just 2.6 walks this year.
Mejia saw his 2024 strikeout rate drop significantly in 2025. After striking out 8.9 per nine in 124.1 innings last year in Mississippi, he struck out just 7.5 in 127.1 innings in 2025. This is a particular concern for him because he doesn’t have the biggest stuff and relies more on command and pitchability.
Outlook for 2026
Mejia will likely play in Triple-A for the 2026 season after making one start each of the past two years there. There’s #5 starter potential there, but he’ll have to do a better job of missing bats than he did in 2025 for that to happen. Otherwise, he’s more likely to be a reliever, with his above-average slider being his best offering to go with a fringe fastball and variety and solid or better command.
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