Jesús Vargas

Jesús Miguel Vargas (born August 18, 1998) is a Venezuelan professional baseball pitcher for the CTBC Brothers of the Chinese Professional Baseball League (CPBL).

Career

Los Angeles Dodgers On December 2, 2014, Vargas signed with the Los Angeles Dodgers organization as an international free agent. He spent his first two professional seasons with the Dominican Summer League Dodgers, compiling a 6-4 record and 41 strikeouts in innings over 16 games (12 starts).

Vargas split the 2017 season between the rookie-level Arizona League Dodgers and rookie-level Ogden Raptors. In 15 appearances (11 starts) for the two affiliates, he posted a combined 5-3 record and 3.59 ERA with 52 strikeouts over innings of work. In 2018, Vargas played for the AZL Dodgers, Ogden, and the Single-A Great Lakes Loons, accumulating a 4-4 record and 3.99 ERA with 42 strikeouts across innings pitched. A shoulder injury he suffered near the end of the season caused him to miss the entirety of the 2019 campaign.

Vargas did not play in a game in 2020 due to the cancellation of the minor league season because of the COVID-19 pandemic. He returned to action in 2021 with Great Lakes, now Los Angeles' High-A affiliate, where he posted an 8-5 record and 4.40 ERA with 88 strikeouts in innings pitched across 24 games (14 starts). Vargas elected free agency following the season on November 7, 2021.

New York Mets On December 6, 2021, Vargas signed a minor league contract with the New York Mets. He made 26 appearances (15 starts) split between the High-A Brooklyn Cyclones, Double-A Binghamton Rumble Ponies, and Triple-A Syracuse Mets, accumulating a 4-10 record and 5.66 ERA with 89 strikeouts and one save across innings pitched. Vargas elected free agency following the season on November 10, 2022.

Toros de Tijuana On February 8, 2024, after a year of playing only in winter leagues, Vargas signed with the Toros de Tijuana of the Mexican League. In three appearances for Tijuana, Vargas struggled to an 0-2 record and 10.13 ERA with one strikeout across innings pitched.

Pericos de Puebla On April 26, 2024, Vargas was traded to the Pericos de Puebla of the Mexican League in exchange for Faustino Carrera. In 17 appearances (16 starts) for the Pericos, Vargas compiled a 5-3 record and 4.48 ERA with 58 strikeouts across innings of work.

In the final game of the Preliminary Round of the 2025 Caribbean Series, Vargas, pitching for the Cardenales de Lara, threw an 8-inning no-hitter against the Japan Breeze.

CTBC Brothers On July 26, 2025, Vargas signed with the CTBC Brothers of the Chinese Professional Baseball League; he and William Cuevas were signed in an attempt to mitigate multiple injuries to other foreign players.