Who is Thyago Vieira? Everything you need to know about the veteran reliever claimed off waivers by Diamondbacks

The Arizona Diamondbacks have added a flamethrower to their pitching core after claiming Thyago Vieira off waivers. The hard-throwing lefty, who was designated for assignment by the Baltimore Orioles, will now compete for a role with his new club.

"The #Dbacks have claimed RHP Thyago Vieira off waivers from Baltimore. Vieira, 31, a native Brazilian, has appeared in 42 MLB games in parts of 5 seasons. He has a 6.85 ERA in 22.1 IP in '24 with MIL & BAL. He throws a hard sinker (97 mph avg.), slider & an occasional fastball." - @DbacksStatsInfo

The 31-year-old from Sao Paolo, Brazil, has had a shaky MLB career to say the least, however, his volcanic arm has always been intriguing.

Thyago Vieira has consistently been one of the hardest-throwing pitchers throughout his career, averaging 98 mph with his fastball, but can consistently reach triple-digits when called upon.

Although Vieira has lights-out velocity, it has not necessarily resulted in success throughout his major league career. The newest member of the Arizona Diamondbacks organization currently sports a career 6.71 ERA over 51.0 innings of work in the majors.

He has, however, recorded 51 strikeouts during those innings, showcasing the intriguing upside he can present to his team.

"Thyago Vieira’s strike out of Mike Trout yesterday. Vieira is from São Paulo, Brazil. He pitched for Brazil in the 2013 WBC and made his MLB debut in 2017. He spent 2020-22 with the Yomiuri Giants, and holds the all-time record for fastest pitch in NPB at 103 mph (166 kmh)" - @Shawn_Spradling

The Brazilian flamethrower has been well-traveled, to say the least. Before his most recent move to the Diamondbacks, Vieira has made pitstops with the Seattle Mariners, Chicago White Sox, Milwaukee Brewers, Baltimore Orioles, and even the Yomiuri Giants of Japan's NPB.

In the NPB, he recorded the hardest pitch ever thrown, clocking in at a whopping 103 mph.

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Thyago Vieira is one of five Brazilians to play in the MLB

Brazil may not exactly be known for their baseball talent, but five players from the South American country have made their way to the majors. Aside from Vieira, the other four Brazilians to make the MLB include Yan Gomes, Andre Rienzo, Paulo Orlando and Luiz Gohara.

The most successful Brazilian has easily been Yan Gomes, who has developed into a reliable catcher at the major league level. Gomes, who currently plays for the Chicago Cubs, has not only earned an All-Star selection in 2018, but he also helped the Washington Nationals secure the 2019 World Series.

Vieira will look to accomplish this feat with the Arizona Diamondbacks if he remains on the roster.