DETROIT – The Detroit Tigers today announced the club has agreed to terms with four undrafted free agents. The players signed include:
- Nick Davila, RHP, University of South Florida
- Wilmer Flores, RHP, Arizona Western College
- Chris Mauloni, RHP, Jacksonville University
- Gabriel Sequeira, RHP, Texas Wesleyan University
Davila, 21, appeared in seven games for the University of South Florida during the shortened 2020 season, allowing seven earned runs in 12 innings pitched, while striking out 19 and walking four. Prior to his time with the Bulls, Davila pitched two seasons for Hillsborough Community College. Over 151 innings with the Hawks, he posted an 8-11 record with 123 strikeouts and just 22 walks.
Flores, 19, played one season for Arizona Western College in the Arizona Community College Athletic Conference. In six outings, Flores posted a 4.63 ERA (11.2IP/6ER), striking out 16 and walking 12. His 12.34 K/9 rate was a team-best mark during his junior college season. Flores’ older brother, also named Wilmer, is a seven-year Major League veteran, currently playing for the San Francisco Giants.
Mauloni, 22, joins the Tigers following a three-year career with Jacksonville University, over which he made 46 appearances, posting a 4-4 record and 4.08 ERA (53.0IP/24ER), striking out 83 and walking 24. Mauloni was previously drafted by the Boston Red Sox in the 35th round of the 2019 MLB First-Year Player Draft.
His freshman campaign with the Dolphins stood among the best in all of college baseball during the 2018 season, when he posted a 2.97 ERA (33.1IP/11ER) over 29 appearances, striking out 48 and walking 12. He also locked down 20 saves that season, which ranked him tied for the NCAA lead. That freshman season earned him a number of honors, including: NCBWA First-Team All-American, Rawlings/Perfect Game Third-Team All-American, Collegiate Baseball Third-Team All-American, Baseball America First-Team Freshman All-American, NCBWA Stopper of the Year Finalist, All-ASUN Second Team and ASUN All-Freshman Team.
Sequeira, 22, finished a college career that saw him pitch his freshman and sophomore seasons at Sam Houston State University, and junior year at Texas Wesleyan University. Over his two seasons with the Bearkats, Sequeira made 23 outings, including eight starts, posting a combined 5-4 record and 4.01 ERA (69.2IP/31ER), striking out 59 and walking 25. He was having a strong junior season with the Rams before it was shortened by the pandemic, combining for a 6-0 record and 2.11 ERA (47.0IP/11ER), striking out 82 and walking just 13.
When the season ended, Sequeira was among the NAIA pitching leaders in multiple categories, including first in strikeouts, tied for first in wins and second in innings pitched.
