José Gregorio Quijada (born November 9, 1995) is a Venezuelan professional
baseball
Baseball is a bat-and-ball games, bat-and-ball sport played between two team sport, teams of nine players each, taking turns batting (baseball), batting and Fielding (baseball), fielding. The game occurs over the course of several Pitch ...
pitcher
In baseball, the pitcher is the player who throws ("Pitch (baseball), pitches") the Baseball (ball), baseball from the pitcher's mound toward the catcher to begin each play, with the goal of out (baseball), retiring a batter (baseball), batter, ...
in the
Los Angeles Angels
The Los Angeles Angels are an American professional baseball team based in the Greater Los Angeles, Greater Los Angeles area. The Angels compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the American League (AL) American League West, ...
organization. He has previously played in
Major League Baseball
Major League Baseball (MLB) is a professional baseball league composed of 30 teams, divided equally between the National League (baseball), National League (NL) and the American League (AL), with 29 in the United States and 1 in Canada. MLB i ...
(MLB) for the
Miami 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 (baseball), National League (NL) National League East, East Division. The ...
.
Professional career
Miami Marlins
Quijada was signed as an international free agent by the
Miami 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 (baseball), National League (NL) National League East, East Division. The ...
on September 9, 2013. He made his professional debut in 2014 for the
Rookie-level
Minor League Baseball (MiLB) is a professional baseball organization below Major League Baseball (MLB), constituted of teams affiliated with MLB clubs. It was founded on September 5, 1901, in response to the growing dominance of the National L ...
Dominican Summer League Marlins
The Dominican Summer Marlins are a minor league baseball team in the Dominican Summer League. The team plays in the Boca Chica North division and is affiliated with the Miami Marlins
The Miami Marlins are an American professional baseball t ...
, going 5–5 with a 2.91 ERA in 74 innings.
In 2015, he pitched 8 innings for the
Rookie-level
Minor League Baseball (MiLB) is a professional baseball organization below Major League Baseball (MLB), constituted of teams affiliated with MLB clubs. It was founded on September 5, 1901, in response to the growing dominance of the National L ...
Gulf Coast League 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 i ...
, going 0–0 with a 0.00 ERA.
[ He split the 2016 season between the Class A ]Greensboro Grasshoppers
The Greensboro Grasshoppers are a Minor League Baseball team based in Greensboro, North Carolina. They are members of the South Atlantic League and are the High-A affiliate of the Pittsburgh Pirates. They play their home games at First National B ...
and the Class A-Advanced
High-A, officially Class High-A, formerly known as Class A-Advanced, and sometimes abbreviated "A+" in writing, is the third-highest level of play in Minor League Baseball in the United States and Canada, below Triple-A (baseball), Triple-A and D ...
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 ...
, accumulating a 5–2 record with a 2.32 ERA over 50 innings.[ His 2017 was split between Jupiter and the Double-A ]Jacksonville Jumbo Shrimp
The Jacksonville Jumbo Shrimp are a Minor League Baseball team of the International League (IL) and the Triple-A (baseball), Triple-A affiliate of the Miami Marlins. They are located in Jacksonville, Florida, and are named for shrimp caught in th ...
, accumulating a 5–1 record with a 3.23 ERA over 55.2 innings.[ He split his 2018 season between Jacksonville and the Triple-A ]New Orleans Baby Cakes
The New Orleans Baby Cakes (formerly the New Orleans Zephyrs) were a Minor League Baseball team in the Pacific Coast League (PCL) and the Triple-A affiliate of the Miami Marlins. They were located in Metairie, Louisiana, a suburb of New Orleans, ...
, going 2–6 with a 3.00 ERA over 62.1 innings.[
The Marlins added him to their 40-man roster after the 2018 season. He opened the 2019 season with New Orleans.][ On April 23, he was promoted to the major league roster for the first time. He made his major league debut on April 24, pitching of an inning in relief. His first decision was a loss to the ]Chicago Cubs
The Chicago Cubs are an American professional baseball team based in Chicago. The Cubs compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the National League (baseball), National League (NL) National League Central, Central Division. Th ...
on May 8 that year; he allowed a walk-off solo home run to Jason Heyward
Jason Alias Heyward (born August 9, 1989), nicknamed "J-Hey", is an American professional baseball outfielder for the San Diego Padres of Major League Baseball (MLB). He has previously played in MLB for the Atlanta Braves, St. Louis Cardinals, ...
in the 11th inning. He was optioned to New Orleans three days later. On February 3, 2020, Quijada was designated for assignment by the Marlins.
Los Angeles Angels
Quijada was claimed off waivers by the Los Angeles Angels
The Los Angeles Angels are an American professional baseball team based in the Greater Los Angeles, Greater Los Angeles area. The Angels compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the American League (AL) American League West, ...
on February 10, 2020. On September 11, Quijada surrendered a walk-off grand slam to Charlie Blackmon
Charles Cobb Blackmon (born July 1, 1986), nicknamed "Chuck Nazty", is an American former professional baseball outfielder who spent his entire 14-year Major League Baseball (MLB) career with the Colorado Rockies. He made his MLB debut in 2011. B ...
of the Colorado Rockies
The Colorado Rockies are an American professional baseball team based in Denver. The Rockies compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the National League (baseball), National League (NL) National League West, West Division. Th ...
. On the year, Quijada pitched to a 7.36 ERA with 6 strikeouts in innings pitched. On July 30, 2021, the Angels recalled Quijada from the Triple-A Salt Lake Bees
The Salt Lake Bees are a Minor League Baseball (MiLB) team that plays in the Pacific Coast League (PCL) and are the Triple-A affiliate of the Los Angeles Angels. Based in South Jordan, Utah, the team plays its home games at The Ballpark at Am ...
. On October 1, in a game against a Seattle Mariners
The Seattle Mariners are an American professional baseball team based in Seattle. The Mariners compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the American League (AL) American League West, West Division. The team joined the American ...
team attempting to make the playoffs for the first time in 20 years, Quijada entered the game with baserunners on first and third and no outs. He proceeded to strike out all three batters, thwarting an opportunity for Seattle to take the lead and win the game, greatly hurting the team's chances of making the playoffs. In 2021, Quijada made 26 appearances, posting an 0–2 record, 4.56 ERA, and innings pitched.
In 2022, Quijada pitched in 42 games for the Angels, registering a 3.98 ERA with 52 strikeouts and 3 saves in innings of work. For the 2023 season, Quijada made 10 appearances, struggling to a 6.00 ERA with 8 strikeouts and 4 saves before he was placed on the injured list on April 29, 2023. On May 3, it was announced that Quijada would require Tommy John surgery
Ulnar collateral ligament reconstruction, sometimes referred to as Tommy John surgery is a surgical graft procedure where the ulnar collateral ligament in the medial elbow is replaced with either a tendon from elsewhere in the patient's body, ...
, ending his season.
Quijada was activated from the injured list on July 22, 2024, in order to make his return from surgery. In 22 appearances for the Angels, he compiled a 2-2 record and 3.26 ERA with 24 strikeouts across innings pitched.
On March 25, 2025, Quijada was designated for assignment
Designated for assignment (DFA) is a contractual term used in Major League Baseball (MLB). A player who is designated for assignment is immediately removed from the team's 40-man roster, after which the team must, within seven days, return the pla ...
by the Angels. He cleared waivers and was sent outright to Triple-A Salt Lake on March 30.
References
External links
{{DEFAULTSORT:Quijada, Jose
1995 births
Living people
Arizona Complex League Angels players
Caribes de Anzoátegui players
Dominican Summer League Marlins players
Greensboro Grasshoppers players
Gulf Coast Marlins players
Inland Empire 66ers players
Jacksonville Jumbo Shrimp players
Jupiter Hammerheads players
Los Angeles Angels players
Major League Baseball pitchers
Major League Baseball players from Venezuela
21st-century Venezuelan sportsmen
Miami Marlins players
New Orleans Baby Cakes players
Rocket City Trash Pandas players
Salt Lake Bees players
Sportspeople from Monagas
Tiburones de La Guaira players
Venezuelan expatriate baseball players in the Dominican Republic
Venezuelan expatriate baseball players in the United States
2023 World Baseball Classic players