The Chicago Cubs have signed 28-year-old right-hander Daniel Missaki out of the Mexican League. Missaki was pitching for the Diablos Rojos in 2024, but the club announced he was signing with the Chicago Cubs on X.
The club wished Missaki success in Spanish on social media as they announced his contract with the Cubs. Missaki has had a long road back to affiliate ball. He signed with the Seattle Mariners in 2014, but a series of Tommy John surgeries eventually prevented him from pitching in the majors.
Missaki pitched for Brazil in the 2013 World Baseball Classic as a 16-year-old.
Missaki’s Long Road Back
At the age of 16, Missaki made a name for himself on the World Baseball Classic stage. Missaki signed with the Mariners organization shortly after. He pitched for the Mariners affiliates but was eventually traded to the Milwaukee Brewers. Missaki was involved in the trade for Adam Lind that sent All-Star Freddy Peralta to the Brewers.
Missaki held a 7-6 record with a 3.40 ERA in 24 games in the Mariners system. He underwent his first Tommy John surgery in 2015. Missaki would not pitch in affiliate ball in 2016 and 2017. He had his second Tommy John surgery in 2017, according to World Baseball Classic reporter Shawn Spradling. He attended spring training with the Brewers in 2018, but the club eventually released him.
Missaki would not pitch again until 2020 when he signed with Tochigi Golden Braves of Baseball Challenge League, according to Spradling. In 2021 he signed a developmental contract with the Yomiuri Giants. He pitched for the Giants in 2021 and 2022.
In 2023 he pitched in the Columbian Winter League where he helped lead his team to a championship. He won the MVP of the final series after pitching a complete game shutout in a series-clinching game.
On March 23, he signed with the Diablos Rojos as a free agent. The Diablos Rojos were his last stop before signing with the Cubs.
Missaki’s Contribution to the Cubs
Missaki is a developmental project for the Cubs. The 28-year-old has pitched internationally but has yet to step foot on the mound for a major league game.
In 2024 he had a 1.50 ERA in five outings in Mexican League play. In the Columbian Winter League, he had a 1.26 ERA in nine outings, which included seven starts. The best-case scenario for the Cubs is that Missaki can make his way to Triple-A Iowa and potentially showcase his ability there.
Former Brewers manager, and current Cubs manager Craig Counsell, was in Milwaukee when the Brewers acquired Missaki in 2015. Should Missaki pitch in the majors he has a chance to make history.
“There have only been five Brazilian-born players in major league baseball history,” said Spradling. “There are only two on active rosters in 2024. One is a relief pitcher for the Brewers, Thyago Vieira. The second is Yan Gomes, who is the first-ever Brazilian-born player.”
Gomes and Missaki would be the first ever Brazilian-born battery in MLB history should they ever share the field. Missaki is still far from pitching in the majors, and the singing may not amount to much. However, his experience and recent success make him a unique signing for the Cubs.
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