Juan Jaime’s major league career was brief but, like many, represented the tip of an iceberg in a professional career that spanned three decades.
Jaime, who was still pitching professionally as recently as this year, passed away at age 37 following a heart attack, according to multiple reports.
Nicknamed “El Lapiz” — “the pencil” — Jaime died on Friday, according to a report from his native San Cristobal.
Luto en el beisbol por la desaparición de Juan Jaime.
“Fue un líder por su personalidad”, dice la persona que lo contrató para jugar en Venezuela.
Lo cuenta @NormanMontilla en esta nota: https://t.co/rbYpdu5CZt#LVBP
— Ignacio Serrano (@IgnacioSerrano)
December 29, 2024
Jaime appeared in 18 games out of the bullpen for the Atlanta Braves from 2014-15, allowing nine runs across 13.2 innings. He made his major league debut on June 20, 2014 — coincidentally against the Nationals, the organization that signed him as a 17-year-old amateur — and threw a scoreless 11th inning in a game the Braves needed 13 innings to win.
The San Cristobal, Dominican Republic native was one of six players involved in a May 2015 trade that saw Juan Uribe go from the Dodgers to the Braves (while the two teams were playing each other in Los Angeles). Jaime, Alberto Callaspo, Eric Stults and Ian Thomas went from the Braves to the Dodgers in exchange for Uribe and pitcher Chris Withrow.
SEATTLE, WA – AUGUST 06: Relief pitcher Juan Jaime #58 of the Atlanta Braves pitches against the Seattle Mariners at Safeco Field on August 6, 2014 in Seattle, Washington. Jaime died at age 37 of…
SEATTLE, WA – AUGUST 06: Relief pitcher Juan Jaime #58 of the Atlanta Braves pitches against the Seattle Mariners at Safeco Field on August 6, 2014 in Seattle, Washington. Jaime died at age 37 of a heart attack.
Otto Greule Jr/Getty Images
But Jaime would not appear in a major league game with the Dodgers. He made seven appearances for the Triple-A Oklahoma City Dodgers, allowing two runs and striking out seven batters in 9.2 innings.
Signed by the Montreal Expos as an amateur free agent in Dec. 2004, Jaime also spent time in the Expos/Nationals and Arizona Diamondbacks organizations before leaving affiliated baseball in North America for Japan prior to the 2016 season. Jaime appeared in six games for the Chunichi Dragons of Nippon Professional Baseball that year.
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After bouncing around the Dominican Republic, Mexico and Colombia, Jaime pitched for the Tigres de Cartagena in the Colombian Winter League in 2024-25. He started seven games, going 2-3 with a 1.59 ERA in 39.2 innings.
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“Jaime was part of our organization during the 2023/2024 season, standing out not only as a great pitcher, but also for his camaraderie and joy, qualities that he demonstrated both on and off the field,” the team said in an Instagram post in Spanish. “Juan Jaime played in the Major Leagues with the Atlanta Braves, having as teammates his Colombian cousins ??Julio Teherán Pinto and Sugar Ray Marimón. We express our deepest regret for this unfortunate loss, sending a message of strength and solidarity to all of his family and loved ones.”
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Former Braves, Dodgers, Nationals Pitcher Dies at 37
