Elih Christopher Villanueva (born July 26, 1986) is an American

professional baseball Professional baseball is organized baseball in which players are selected for their talents and are paid to play for a specific team or club system. It is played in leagues and associated farm teams throughout the world. Modern professional ...

pitcher In baseball, the pitcher is the player who throws ("pitches") the baseball from the pitcher's mound toward the catcher to begin each play, with the goal of retiring a batter, who attempts to either make contact with the pitched ball or draw ...

for the Wild Health Genomes of the Atlantic League of Professional Baseball. He played in

Major League Baseball Major League Baseball (MLB) is a professional baseball organization and the oldest major professional sports league in the world. MLB is composed of 30 total teams, divided equally between the National League (NL) and the American League (AL), ...

(MLB) for the

Florida Marlins The Miami Marlins are an American professional baseball team based in Miami. The Marlins compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the National League (NL) East division. The club's home ballpark is LoanDepot Park. The fran ...

, who drafted him in the 27th round of the

2008 Major League Baseball draft The 2008 Major League Baseball First-Year Player Draft continued Major League Baseball's annual amateur draft of high school and college baseball players, and was held on June 5 and 6, 2008. First round selections ;Key Supplemental first ro ...

out of Florida State University. He has also played in the

Chinese Professional Baseball League The Chinese Professional Baseball League (CPBL; ) is the top-tier professional baseball league in Taiwan. The league was established in 1989 and played the first season in 1990. CPBL eventually absorbed the competing Taiwan Major League in 20 ...

(CPBL) for the Chinatrust Brothers and

Rakuten Monkeys The Rakuten Monkeys (), formerly First Financial Holdings Agan (, abbreviated ), La New Bears () and then the Lamigo Monkeys (), are a professional baseball team in the Chinese Professional Baseball League (CPBL) in Taiwan. Owned and administer ...

Amateur career

Villanueva was a 2004 graduate of Westminster Academy in Ft. Lauderdale, Florida where he posted a 1.15 ERA to go along with a 10–3 record on his way to earning second team All-State honors as a senior. With Florida International he compiled a 7–3 record in his freshman season. He was second on the team in innings pitched with and 79 strikeouts in . Villanueva transferred to

Miami-Dade Community College Miami Dade College (Miami Dade, MDC or Dade) is a public college in Miami, Florida. Founded in 1959, it has a total of eight campuses and twenty-one outreach centers throughout Miami-Dade County. It is the largest college in the Florida College ...

in where he was named the Florida Community College Activities Association Pitcher of the Year, the

National Junior College Athletic Association The National Junior College Athletic Association (NJCAA), founded in 1938, is the governing association of community college, state college and junior college athletics throughout the United States. Currently the NJCAA holds 24 separate regions ...

second team All-American and first team All-State. He helped Miami Dade win the Southern Conference championship as he posted a 0.81

ERA An era is a span of time defined for the purposes of chronology or historiography, as in the regnal eras in the history of a given monarchy, a calendar era used for a given calendar, or the geological eras defined for the history of Earth. Comp ...

striking out 109 batters in 89 innings of work. After the 2006 season, he played collegiate summer baseball with the

Orleans Cardinals The Orleans Firebirds, formerly the Orleans Cardinals, are a collegiate summer baseball team based in Orleans, Massachusetts. The team is a member of the Cape Cod Baseball League (CCBL) and plays in the league's East Division. The Firebirds play ...

of the Cape Cod Baseball League. He spent his Junior and Senior years at Florida State University.

Professional career

Florida/Miami Marlins

Villanueva made his professional debut and pitched at three Minor League levels in . He started the season in the Rookie-level

Gulf Coast Marlins The Florida Complex League Marlins are a Rookie-level affiliate of the Miami Marlins, competing in the Florida Complex League of Minor League Baseball. Prior to the 2021 season, the team was known as the Gulf Coast League Marlins. The team plays ...

where he pitched four scoreless innings in his lone

Gulf Coast League The Florida Complex League (FCL) is a rookie-level Minor League Baseball league that operates in Florida, United States. Before 2021, it was known as the Gulf Coast League (GCL). Together with the Arizona Complex League (ACL), it forms the l ...

start on July 19 against the Gulf Coast League Cardinals. Villanueva made five appearances, one start, for the Short-Season

Jamestown Jammers The Jamestown Jammers were a minor league baseball team based in Jamestown, New York from 1994 until 2014. The team was the Short-Season A classification affiliate of the Pittsburgh Pirates and played in the New York–Penn League. The team pla ...

of the

New York–Penn League The New York–Penn League (NYPL) was a Minor League Baseball league that operated in the northeastern United States from 1939 to 2020. Classified as a Class A Short Season league, its season started in June, after major-league teams signed th ...

. He allowed one run over six innings in his lone start with the Jammers on September 3. Opponents hit .205 (15-for-73) against him. Villanueva was promoted to Class-A and went 1–0 with a 0.77

in four games, two starts, for the

Jupiter Hammerheads The Jupiter Hammerheads are a Minor League Baseball team of the Florida State League and the Single-A affiliate of the Miami Marlins. They are located in the town of Jupiter in Palm Beach County, Florida, and play their home games at Roger Dean ...

. In Villanueva pitched for Class-A Advanced Jupiter and the Double-A

Jacksonville Suns The Jacksonville Jumbo Shrimp are a Minor League Baseball team of the International League (IL) and the Triple-A affiliate of the Miami Marlins. They are located in Jacksonville, Florida, and are named for shrimp caught in the area. The team pla ...

. With the Hammerheads he went 9–12 with a 3.47 ERA in 26 games, 25 starts. With the Suns he went 0–1 with a 4.50 ERA in two games, both of them starts. He helped the Suns to their fourth Southern League championship as a Marlins' affiliate. Villanueva threw five innings, allowing five hits, no walks, three runs, all earned, and striking out six to earn the win in the final game, however, this was not his main contribution. He hit a three-run go-ahead

home run In baseball, a home run (abbreviated HR) is scored when the ball is hit in such a way that the batter is able to circle the bases and reach home plate safely in one play without any errors being committed by the defensive team. A home run i ...

off of the Birmingham Barons pitcher,

Andrew Cashner Andrew Burton Cashner (born September 11, 1986) is an American former professional baseball pitcher. He played in Major League Baseball (MLB) for the Chicago Cubs, San Diego Padres, Miami Marlins, Texas Rangers (baseball), Texas Rangers, Baltimor ...

. In 2010 Villanueva was a key figure leading the Jacksonville Suns to a second straight Southern League championship. He was second on the team with 14 wins and 115 strikeouts, and lead the team with four complete games, three shutouts, 179 innings pitched. He was named as a Topps Double-A All-Star, Southern League Post-Season All-Star, Southern League Mid-Season All-Star, and Southern League pitcher of the week for 8/16/2010. On June 15, 2011, Villanueva was called up to replace Osvaldo Martínez. He made his Major League debut against the Philadelphia Phillies on June 15, 2011. He pitched three innings, giving up on eight runs, walking five and striking out two. His first major league strikeout was of

Shane Victorino Shane Patrick Victorino (born November 30, 1980), nicknamed "The Flyin' Hawaiian", is an American former professional baseball outfielder. He played in Major League Baseball (MLB) for the San Diego Padres, Philadelphia Phillies, Los Angeles Dodger ...

, earning the loss. He started the 2012 season and finished it with the New Orleans Zephyrs going 9-8-1 with a 3.90 ERA, a 1.45 WHIP, in 113 innings pitched with 44 walks, 83 strikeouts in 32 games played(16 starts). In 2013, he pitched at two levels: Rookie and Triple A. Combined, he threw 64 and a third innings, striking out 50 and walking 14. He had a 2.80 ERA, a 1.17 WHIP, and a 4–3 record. For 2014, he has pitched in 11 games(all starts) and has a 5–2 record with a 2.48 ERA, a 1.10 WHIP, 39 strikeouts, and 13 walks in 61.2 innings.

Baltimore Orioles

On February 28, 2015, Villanueva signed a minor league contract with the

Baltimore Orioles The Baltimore Orioles are an American professional baseball team based in Baltimore. The Orioles compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the American League (AL) East division. As one of the American League's eight charter ...

organization. He spent the season with the Double-A Bowie Baysox and Triple-A

Norfolk Tides The Norfolk Tides are a Minor League Baseball team of the International League and the Triple-A affiliate of the Baltimore Orioles. They are located in Norfolk, Virginia, and are named in nautical reference to the city's location on the Chesapea ...

before electing free agency on November 6, 2015.

Lancaster Barnstormers/Boston Red Sox

Villanueva took the 2016 season off of baseball. After a brief period with the independent

Lancaster Barnstormers The Lancaster Barnstormers (colloquially known as the Stormers) are an United States, American professional baseball team based in Lancaster, Pennsylvania. They are a member of the North Division of the Atlantic League of Professional Baseball, a ...

, the

Boston Red Sox The Boston Red Sox are an American professional baseball team based in Boston. The Red Sox compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the American League (AL) East division. Founded in as one of the American League's eigh ...

purchased his contract on June 4, 2017. He elected free agency on November 6, 2017.

Chinatrust Brothers

On March 30, 2018, Villanueva signed with the Chinatrust Brothers of the

as a foreign backup pitcher. He will pitch for the club's farm team and can only be promoted if one of the other three foreign pitchers on the active roster is released. On July 21, 2018, Villanueva was promoted to the Brothers following the release of pitcher Zack Segovia. On September 28, 2018, Villanueva pitched a no-hitter against the Lamigo Monkeys, becoming the 9th player in the history of the league to accomplish the feat, and the second one that season. He became a free agent following the season, but later re-signed with the team as their foreign backup pitcher on April 24, 2019. He was again promoted to the active roster on June 5, 2019. He became a free agent following the season.

Rakuten Monkeys

On February 8, 2020, Villanueva signed with the

of the

. Villanueva struggled to a 7.13 ERA in 12 games for Rakuten in 2020. He became a free agent after the season.

West Virginia Power

On April 5, 2021, Villanueva signed with the

West Virginia Power The Charleston Dirty Birds are an American professional baseball team based in Charleston, West Virginia. They are a member of the South Division of the Atlantic League of Professional Baseball, a partner league of Major League Baseball. The ...

of the Atlantic League of Professional Baseball. In 7 starts, Villanueva posted a 2–2 record with a 3.16 ERA and 37 strikeouts.

Sultanes de Monterrey

On July 8, 2021, Villanueva's contract was purchased by the Sultanes de Monterrey of the

Mexican League The Mexican League (, ) is a professional baseball league based in Mexico and the oldest running professional league in the country. The league has 18 teams organized in two divisions, North and South. Teams play 114 games each season. Five te ...

. In 4 starts, he posted a 1–3 record with a 13.11 ERA over 11.2 innings. The Sultanes failed to qualify for the playoffs, and Villanueva became a free agent after the season.

West Virginia Power (second stint)

On August 7, 2021, Villanueva re-signed with the

of the Atlantic League of Professional Baseball. He became a free agent following the season.

Wild Health Genomes

On February 28, 2022, Villanueva signed with the Wild Health Genomes of the Atlantic League of Professional Baseball.

References

External links

Florida State Seminoles Bio
{{DEFAULTSORT:Villanueva, Elih 1986 births Living people Sportspeople from Coral Springs, Florida Baseball players from Florida Major League Baseball pitchers Florida Marlins players FIU Panthers baseball players Miami Dade Sharks baseball players Orleans Firebirds players Florida State Seminoles baseball players Gulf Coast Marlins players Jamestown Jammers players Jupiter Hammerheads players Jacksonville Suns players New Orleans Zephyrs players Toros del Este players Bowie Baysox players Norfolk Tides players Lancaster Barnstormers players Portland Sea Dogs players CTBC Brothers players Rakuten Monkeys players American expatriate baseball players in Taiwan Águilas Cibaeñas players American expatriate baseball players in the Dominican Republic Charros de Jalisco players West Virginia Power players Sultanes de Monterrey players American expatriate baseball players in Mexico