LOS ANGELES, CA — I will always remember the day when I realized the impact Latino players would be having in Major League Baseball. I saw it as an explosion of outstanding players who would eventually take this sport to another level. Life has many twists and turns that bring us to the realization that the world is changing.
My observation began in 2015 when I was covering the old Gulf Coast League in Florida with my boss, Tom ‘Tbone’ Giordano, who at the time was a super scout and senior advisor to the GM of the Atlanta Braves. We were sent to evaluate players in this rookie league, where young players are assigned when first signed by Major League teams. Some of the Latino prospects had already signed as 16-year-olds and had played in the Dominican Summer League.
The lineup card from that June 30th, 2015 day in Clearwater, Florida – Image Credit: William Coppola/Latino Sports
One of the games we attended was a meeting between the Phillies and the Astros’ rookie teams in Clearwater, Florida. We were there to see Astros’ first pick in the 2015 MLB draft, 18-year-old Kyle Tucker. When I approached one of the coaches, I asked where he was and was told he was at the far end of the dugout, sitting by himself. I asked why, and the coach told me, with a chuckle, “He doesn’t speak Spanish, and there are only three other players who speak English.”
That’s when I realized how many Latinos were on the squad. Twenty three of the twenty seven (23/27) on that Houston roster were Latinos.
Then a lightbulb went off for me as I thought, the Astros look to be signing as many Latinos as they can. I recall going back to my boss and telling him what I had seen and heard. He told me, “Son, you are about to see a significant change in baseball.” And boy did he get that right!
Houston was in the early stages of assembling what would become the most dominant organization for the next part of a decade. Soon, all the other organizations would follow in this “Monkey See, Monkey Do” business.
The Latino Core of the Astros: Yordan Álvarez (2022 AL LatinoMVP), José Altuve (2017 AL LatinoMVP) and Jeremy Peña (2022 ALCS & WS MVP) – Image Credit: Bill Menzel/Latino Sports
The rest of baseball would take several years to catch up to Houston in signing and developing these prospects. Until the Astros showcased the talent of players from Latin America, MLB clubs had not had enough of these talented players in their organizations.
The realization that there are many talented baseball players in Latin America and Mexico became clear to the other 29 clubs and that they also needed to invest more in these young, exciting, talented players.
LatinoMVP All-Stars: Elly De La Cruz (2023 NL LatinoMVP ROTY), Ronald Acuña Jr. (2018 NL LatinoMVP ROTY & 2023 NL LatinoMVP), Manny Machado (2022 NL LatinoMVP), and Fernando Tatis Jr. (2020 NL LatinoMVP) – Image Credit: Latino Sports
Not quite the Jackie Robinson moment for Latinos, but nonetheless a realization of just what Latinos bring to the table in baseball.
And now they are getting paid handsomely for their talent and the excitement they bring to the game and its fans.
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