Norwin grad JJ Matijevic keeps slugging in Mexican Baseball League

To follow JJ Matijevic online in the Mexican Baseball League, fans might have to make an extra click to translate the league website into English.

No translation is needed when it comes to Matijevic still chasing his dream of playing at the game’s highest level.

Watch him swing a bat or chase down a fly ball and it’s clear — in any language — the man who has a World Series ring and had bobblehead and T-shirt nights on his resume is still locked in.

The grind of the minors was real, and Matijevic knew it. But the reward outweighed the toiling it often takes to reach “The Show.”

So, what is the big-swinging slugger up to these days?

A Norwin grad who put on a show when he came to the plate during his WPIAL days, spent a short but enriching time in the majors in 2022, Matijevic is playing for the Tigres de Quintana Roo in the 20-team Mexican League, the oldest running professional sports league in the nation, which is known for paying its players well. The Mexican League is the second-wealthiest baseball league in the western hemisphere, according to Wikipedia.

Matijevic is waiting for a big-league team to relocate his number in the rolodex, for the right set of eyes to take notice, while he keeps his professional career running.

Until then, the outfielder will learn as much Spanish as it takes to make a living south of the border.

Matijevic, 29, began the year in the independent Atlantic League and hit eight homers and drove in 20 runs in 26 games with the Charleston Dirty Birds.

His first lime-in-a-bottle taste of the Mexican League came last summer when he played 69 games with two teams — Dorados de Chihuahua and Caliente de Durango. He had 78 hits (.321), including three homers, and drove in 33.

To this season, he was slashing .309.338/.588 and had three homers and 17 RBIs in 18 games.

He made a highlight-reel catch to take away extra bases against Toros de Tijuana.

He it two homers in his first four days with the Tigers and also doubled in a 7-5 win over Olmecas de Tabasco.

Just three years ago, he was making a splash with the Houston Astros, with whom he won a World Series ring as a member of their taxi squad.

One big swing in particular resonates with the Matijevic camp.

He took the New York Yankees’ Gerrit Cole deep in the seventh to wipe out a scoreless tie and help Houston win a combined no-hitter.

Matijevic spent time in all four levels of the minors — Class A, High-A, Double-A and Triple-A — before back-and-forth call-ups with the Astros in ‘22.

In 67 MLB at-bats, he hit .209 (14 for 67) with two homers, five RBIs and seven runs scored.

De lado y al guante ????

JJ Matijevic ???? se queda con el que pintaba para ser extrabase #CienAñosSiendoElRey ???? pic.twitter.com/KPO8uOm9ch

— Liga Mexicana de Beisbol (@LigaMexBeis) June 20, 2025

JJ Matijevic takes Gerrit Cole second deck to give the Astros a lead! pic.twitter.com/uLZ7ns2bG5

— Talkin’ Baseball (@TalkinBaseball_) June 25, 2022