Former Blue Wahoos, Pelicans Players Make Instant Impact As MLB Postseason Begins

Right off the bat, Blue Wahoos connections in the 2026 MLB Wild Card Series’ had a significant role in Tuesday’s opening game of four playoff matchups.

Atlanta Braves third baseman Austin Riley, who played against the Blue Wahoos in parts of two seasons, smashed a dramatic, two-out, 3-run homer off Philiadelphia Phillies closer Jhoan Duran, who pitched for the Blue Wahoos in 2019, giving the Braves a comeback 5-3 win in the best-of-three series.

Duran is one of 15 former Blue Wahoos or Pensacola native players who are part of 10 of 12 teams in the MLB postseason. Braves closer Raisel Iglesias, who did an injury rehab assignment in 2016 in Pensacola as Cincinnati Reds prospect, earned the save for the Braves on Wednesday by getting a double-play ball and facing just three batters.

In addition to player connections, former Pensacola Pelicans infielder Joe Espada, the Houston Astros manager, who returned in February with former New York Mets manager Carlos Mendoza for a special Pelicans reunion event at Brownsville Community Center, steered the Astros into an improbable American League West Division title.

The Astros faced the Chicago White Sox in Tuesday’s second game of the four playoff contests.

“Early in the season, adversity came in hard on us - very hard," said Espada, speaking to his team after the Astros clinched the AL West title on Sept. 27, edging their rivals, Texas Rangers. The Astros (81-81 record) became the first team in MLB history to reach the playoffs without a winning record.

"Mid-May, we were down in the standings, down in our record, 10, 15 games under 500,” said Espada in his celebration speech to players. “When adversity came knocking at that door, you guys never opened that door. You guys just came together and came closer together, 'cause you guys knew that at the end of the day, you were the best team in the (AL) West."

Espada’s three-year contract ends this season and it’s uncertain whether he will return as Astros manager. But he and Mendoza, once an infield double-play tandem for the Pelicans 21 years ago, both had similar and remarkable journeys as former Independent League players to become MLB managers.

Meanwhile, the Blue Wahoos’ 14-year history as a franchise has brought many alumni into MLB’s climatic chase for a World Series title.

Following their stunning win, the Braves will try to win the short series Wednesday with starting pitcher Tyler Mahle, best remembered for his perfect game in 2017 with the Blue Wahoos. He was a Cincinnati Reds prospect that season.

Mahle, 32, has been sensational with the Braves since being acquired in a August 2 trade with the San Francisco Giants. He carries a 4-1-1 record and 1.99 earned run average with Atlanta into a potential clinching playoff game Wednesday.

Riley’s memorable playoff homer Tuesday scored Michael Harris II and Ozzie Albies. Harris II reached on a single and Albies was hit by a pitch from Duran to set up the rally. Both Harris and Albies played in Pensacola multiple times while with the Mississippi Braves.

Riley played against the Blue Wahoos in parts of two seasons for the M-Braves, who are now the Columbus (Ga.) Clingstones.

The Phillies snuck into the playoffs on the final day of the regular-season, after once having a commanding lead for a wild card spot.

But they are without second baseman Luis Arraez, who played for the Blue Wahoos the first two months of 2019 as a rising Minnesota Twins prospect.

Arraez, a three-time MLB All-Star, sustained a severe left ankle injury Sept. 24. It kept him off the Phillies playoff roster and cost him a fourth batting title.

Arraez missed the rest of the final week and finished with a .310 batting average, the sixth time in his eight-year career that he has hit .300 or better in a season. He was edged out of the NL batting title when Arizona’s Moreno finished with a .311 average.

The Tampa Bay Rays, who have a playoff bye into the American League divisional series, have three former Blue Wahoos players – catcher Nick Fortes, right fielder Victor Mesa Jr. and right-handed pitcher Griffin Jax on their roster.

Mesa Jr. is one of the Rays hottest hitters and his return from injury in late August is credited with helping Tampa Bay capture the AL East title in a monster division with the New York Yankees and Boston Red Sox all in the postseason.

Mesa Jr. was a Miami Marlins prospect in 2023 when he played for the Blue Wahoos and was a popular player with fans. He frequently signed autographs and always participated in the Blue Wahoos community service projects.

Mesa was part of a Marlins trade in February, after he made his MLB debut for the Marlins in 2025. He made his Tampa Bay debut in May. A hamstring injury on August 19 sidelined him until he returned to bolster Tampa Bay’s first-place finish.

“The way I take it, is that everything happens for a reason,” said Mesa, speaking to Forbes Magazine. “When I came back, I knew I had to come back in the best way.

“So, instead of looking at how disappointing it was (to miss games), I was looking at how fast I could come back and help the team win games.”

Fortes is the Rays’ starting catcher. He played in 109 games this season with a .258 average.

The Milwaukee Brewers, runaway winners of the NL Central and boosting the best record (103-59) in MLB, have two former Pensacola high school standouts, pitcher Brandon Sproat and outfielder Brandon Lockridge, on the their 40-man roster.

Lockridge, a former Pensacola Catholic standout, may be part of the Brewers playoff roster after being called back up to the big leagues in the final week of the season.

Sproat, once a starter in the Brewers rotation, had a struggling rookie season, which was affected by injuries and is not part of the post-season options.

Miguel Rojas was part of the Blue Wahoos inaugural season-opening roster in 2012. He’s now 37 years-old and in the final year of his MLB career with a chance at a third consecutive World Series title with the Dodgers, after joining the club in 2024.

Here’s a look at the Blue Wahoos and Pensacola connections in the MLB Playoffs. The last seasons played for the Blue Wahoos are noted in parenthesis.

AMERICAN LEAGUE

Tampa Bay Rays: C Nick Fortes (2021), OF Victor Mesa Jr. (2023), RHP Griffin Jax (2019).

New York Yankees: None.

Boston Red Sox: LHP Jovani Morán (2019).

Cleveland Guardians: None.

Chicago White Sox: RHP Luis Castillo (2017).

Houston Astros: OF LaMonte Wade Jr. (2019), RHP Jason Alexander (2021, currently in AAA) and manager Joe Espada (Pensacola Pelicans 2004-2005).

NATIONAL LEAGUE

Milwaukee Brewers: OF Brandon Lockridge (Pensacola Catholic), P Brandon Sproat (Pace, not on playoff roster).

Los Angeles Dodgers: IF Miguel Rojas (2012)

Atlanta Braves: RHP Raisel Iglesias (2016), RHP Tyler Mahle (2016-17)

San Diego Padres: LHP Wandy Peralta (2015-16)

Chicago Cubs: RHP Edward Cabrera (2021-22)

Philadelphia Phillies: IF Luis Arráez (2019), RHP Jhoan Duran (2019)