“The Chosen One” and “The Messiah”

Jacksonville Jumbo Shrimp outfielder Victor Mesa Jr. has been tearing up the International League to start the 2024 campaign. The Havana, Cuba native is currently slashing .277/.345/.466/.811 as of May 19. Mesa Jr. has been the spark that ignites the fire of the Jumbo Shrimp offense. Whether he’s turning a single into a double or cranking a home run over the right field wall, Mesa Jr. plays the game inspired. Usually when you ask a baseball player who their idol is, the usual responses are Bonds, maybe Mcgwire, or even Griffey Jr.. However Victor Mesa Jr.’s response to that question might surprise you. His idol isn’t a baseball player, it’s arguably the greatest soccer player of all time, Lionel Messi.

When Mesa Jr. was growing up, he and his brother Victor Victor Mesa would play and watch soccer with each other. Sometimes it brought the two together and other times it pulled them apart. Mesa Jr. liked FC Barcelona because Messi played on that squad, while Victor Victor Mesa liked Real Madrid due to Cristiano Ronaldo playing for them. The rivalry between the two teams sparked a rivalry between the two brothers.

Mesa Jr. would study Messi but not just as a soccer player, but also as a human being. It’s no secret that some of Mesa Jr.’s mannerisims and the way he conducts himself professionally emulates Messi. Even Mesa Jr.’s nickname “The Chosen One” draws similarities to what Messi is often reffered to “The Messiah” which illustrates his god-like prowess and skills on the soccer field. So how did Mesa Jr. receive his nickname? Well, he gave it to him himself.

“One day I was listening to music in Spanish, they said something about the chosen one in the music that I like and I saw 7-8 years ago the big leaguers play with their nicknames on the back of their jersey’s for MLB players weekend…I said dang I gotta get something,” Mesa Jr. said. “I said why don’t I use that as my nickname…I feel like I can do anything on the field when I think about it, it empowers me.”

In life some people would do anything to get the chance to meet their hero or idol. However, others would say you don’t want to meet your hero because you might not like who they truly are. While Mesa Jr. still hasn’t had the chance to meet Lionel Messi, he was able to have a cool interaction with “The Messiah.”

Back in 2021 after Messi had led Argentina to victory in the Copa America final, he was on a vacation trip in Miami which was where Mesa Jr. happened to be at the time. All it took was a few text messages to his friend, who happened to figure out where Messi was staying at the time for Mesa Jr. to embark on a quest to meet his hero.

At 11:30 p.m. that night, Mesa Jr. made it to the area where Messi was supposedly. Once he arrived to the house, he thought to himself that he had no chance of meeting him due to it being so late at night. Then his luck changed.

All of the sudden… Mesa Jr. spotted Messi’s dad Jorge, and brother walk into the street just two houses away from where Messi was. This was his chance to potentially meet his idol, the man he had idolized throughout his entire life and he knew he couldn’t let the moment slip away but he also wanted to be respectful of the Messi’s privacy.

So very politely, Victor walked over to Jorge and introduced himself.

“I said Jorge, hey how are you I’m Victor, I play for the Marlins and I don’t wanna bother you guys because I know how you guys live, but I was hoping to meet Messi,” Mesa Jr. explained. “He told me that it’s too late and that I don’t have a chance but to maybe come back at another time.”

Mesa Jr. understood and accepted defeat because he himself understands how pressing fans can get especially being a top prospect in the Marlins organization. So after 15 minutes of standing around and just admiring the high end neighborhood, Mesa Jr. noticed Messi’s nephew exit the house and walk over towards them. The nephew apologized that they couldn’t get the opportunity to meet Messi but that if there was a message or something that Mesa Jr. wanted to give to Messi that he could make that happen.

Well the Jumbo Shrimp outfielder had come prepared as he had brought his own Marlins Jersey with him to the house. Mesa Jr. handed the jersey to Messi’s nephew and said that if he could pass it along to Messi that it wouldn’t just make his day but it’d make his life.

The next day, Mesa Jr. labored through a tough game. “I had an awful game, 1-for-4 with three strikeouts and I was super mad,” Mesa Jr. exclaimed. “Then I received a picture from Messi’s nephew of Messi himself holding my jersey and I’m not gonna lie, I even cried because I never expected to see Messi hold my jersey.”

It was a moment that will stick with the 22-year-old outfielder for the rest of his life.

Back on July 15, 2023, Messi left the international soccer leagues overseas and signed with MLS club Inter Miami CF. It was a deal that sent the entire city of Miami into such a frenzy of the likes that hadn’t been seen since basketball superstar Lebron James signed with the Miami Heat back in 2010. Since the signing Messi has been drawing record numbers of crowds to the club’s matches.

With Victor Mesa Jr. lighting up the stat sheet in Triple-A with Jacksonville, he is certainly on the fast track to receive a call to the big leagues in the near future. “The Chosen One” and “The Messiah” playing in the same city will be nothing short of extroadinary.