The former agent of Philadelphia Phillies outfielder Johan Rojas is being investigated by the Major League Baseball Players Association for inappropriate and harmful financial advice, The Athletic reported Tuesday.
According to a grievance Rojas filed with the MLBPA last August, he took out two advances from his representation through former agent Yasser Mendez in 2019 and 2022 totaling $875,000. The agreement required him to pay more than 20 percent of his pre-tax earnings back to Mendez if he made the major leagues, which he first did in 2023.
Rojas has played 242 games in three seasons as a major leaguer, including 63 this season. He is batting .226 while set to make $773,500 with the Phillies this season.
Rojas alleged Mendez convinced him to invest more than $450,000 in 4Pro, the agent’s Venezuelan-based baseball academy. In addition, Rojas claimed his taxes were underpaid by his agent in 2020 and not paid at all in 2022.
Mendez was employed by Rep 1 Baseball, which is also listed in the grievance, along with Rep 1’s former COO Chris Koras. Rep 1 Baseball was bought in 2023 by Klutch Sports Group, which terminated Mendez in 2024, per the Athletic. Koras is now head of Klutch’s baseball division.
In a response to Rojas’ grievance to the MLBPA, Rojas and his lawyer, Michael Strauss, have been accused of “an unsuccessful eight-month effort to extort Klutch out of $7.5 million,” the report stated.
San Diego Padres star Fernando Tatis Jr. filed a lawsuit against Big League Advance (BLA) last month, attempting to void a deal he made as a teenage minor leaguer for a $2 million loan with an agreement to forfeit 10 percent of his future earnings. He currently is playing on a $340 million contract.
–Field Level Media
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