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Marek Minařík

Marek Minařík is a Czech professional baseball pitcher who played in the Philadelphia Phillies and Pittsburgh Pirates minor league systems and represents the Czech Republic national team.

1. Early Life and Background

Marek Minařík was born on 28 June 1993. He is a native of the Czech Republic, where he began his career in baseball.

2. Professional Career

Marek Minařík embarked on his professional baseball career after signing as an international free agent, spending time with two different Major League Baseball organizations.

2.1. Philadelphia Phillies Organization

Minařík began his professional journey on 18 May 2010, when he signed with the Philadelphia Phillies organization as an international free agent. In 2011, he made his debut with the rookie-level Gulf Coast League Phillies, where he pitched 3 innings and recorded an earned run average (ERA) of 6.00. He returned to the GCL Phillies for the 2012 season, improving his performance with a 1-0 record, a 2.65 ERA, and 11 strikeouts over 17 innings of work.

2.2. Pittsburgh Pirates Organization

On 22 November 2013, Minařík signed a minor league contract with the Pittsburgh Pirates. During the 2014 season, he pitched for both the rookie-level Bristol Pirates and the Low-A Jamestown Jammers. Across both teams, he compiled a combined record of 1-6 with an ERA of 5.06, striking out 31 batters in 53 1/3 innings. In 2015, Minařík continued to pitch for the Bristol Pirates, where he posted a 2-6 record with a 6.32 ERA and 39 strikeouts over 52 2/3 innings. He was released by the Pirates organization on 11 November 2015.

3. International Career

Marek Minařík has been a consistent presence on the Czech Republic national baseball team, representing his country in numerous international tournaments.

3.1. Major International Tournament Appearances

Minařík's international appearances include:

  • The 2012 European Baseball Championship
  • The 2013 World Baseball Classic Qualification
  • The 2014 European Baseball Championship
  • The 2015 USA Tour
  • The 2017 World Baseball Classic Qualification
  • The 2016 European Baseball Championship
  • The Africa/Europe 2020 Olympic Qualification tournament held in Italy in September 2019
  • The 2019 European Baseball Championship
  • The 2023 World Baseball Classic qualification, where he notably earned a win against the China national team
  • The 2023 European Baseball Championship