Three Latin American ballplayers candidates for revelation
But who are the main candidates for the revelation of the 2022 season? Here is our ‘Top 3’ made up of two Dominican players and one Venezuelan.
- Julio Rodriguez (Seattle Mariners)
For many casual fans, Dominican Julio Rodriguez has slipped under the radar among the stars. While Vladdy Jr, Fernando Tatis Jr, Juan Soto, Wander Franco and Ronald Acuña are the stars of young baseball, the community surrounding the Mariners is hoping the 21-year-old prospect will become the club’s next legend and finally accomplish what A-Rod, Ichiro, Griffey Jr and Edgar Martinez couldn’t: make it to the World Series.
Now is the era of “J-Rod,” a kid from Loma de Cabrera, Dominican Republic signed for $1.75 million in 2017 as a 5-tool player, but of which he is a contact and power hitter, focused on his physical conditioning and a very high performance athlete. He is quick on the bases and as a center fielder is the guy who covers as much range as possible in space. He also understands the process and assumes that today the organization’s hopes are centered on his shoulders, all with just one weekend in the majors.
There is no doubt that he is poised to be the next Latino impact player, and in general the next impact star in baseball. Rodriguez has 217 games of minor league experience where he has a .331 average, 30 home runs and 152 RBIs. His Achilles heel is plate discipline, but perhaps that is part of the evolution of a hitter of his caliber. That was the case with Javy Baez, for example. But let’s not look for comparisons.
J-Rod does not want to be A-Rod, or Ichiro, he wants to be Julio, the boy who at just 20 years old lived the experience of playing for the Dominican Republic in the pre-Olympic in Florida and after helping to win a historic ticket to the Olympic Games, he was also part of a delegation that took the bronze medal in Tokyo 2020 batting 10 hits in 24 innings in Asian lands.
How do you send someone batting .412 with 3 HR in 14 Spring Training games to the Minor Leagues? Very difficult. Seattle gambled on his roster spot and tying up loose ends in his development while producing in the majors. Boston did it with Devers and Bogaerts, Toronto did it with Vladdy Jr. and even Atlanta did it with Acuna.
Now it’s Seattle’s turn to develop one of the game’s rising stars, who also has the attitude and charisma to put the whole package on the scene. Julio Rodriguez, or “J-Rod,” will be a sight to behold in Seattle for years to come and perhaps the one to punch that historic ticket to the World Series. Seattle deserves it.
- Jeremy Pena (Houston Astros)
Pena has a big responsibility in Houston: to replace Carlos Correa. Not an easy task. The best way to do it is not to create false expectations of wanting to be another Correa. Peña wants to be and at 24 years old is a shortstop with defensive range and above-average hands that make him stand out defensively, but whose offensive development currently places him as the organization’s number one prospect.
After blasting 10 home runs in AAA that left him with a .287 average in 2021, plus showing plenty of offensive progress in the Dominican League with the Eastern Stars, the Astros took a gamble on this low-profile prospect who was selected in the third round of the 2018 amateur draft out of the University of Maine. Peña was born in Santo Domingo, but at age 9 moved with his parents to Providence, Rhode Island, where he headed to baseball through the U.S. college system. However, he was selected in the LIDOM Draft by the Estrellas Orientales.
In terms of catches he is a “sleeper”, that is, a player without much noise. The signing of Correa by Minnesota opened the door to his opportunity and gave him his credentials. Today he is more than ready for the majors and his experience in the Winter League has been valuable playing 60 games in the last two seasons where he has amply demonstrated his offensive progress that was not so clear from the beginning of his career when he was considered a more defensively inclined player. After posting a .350 average in spring training with a pair of home runs in 8 games, it all became clear.
During the first weekend of the season he not only hit his first hit, but also his first home run, and the funny thing is that it happened while his parents were being interviewed for the television broadcast. Impossible to plan for! Pena is not looking to establish himself as a major leaguer in 2022 and who will be a big help in his development is his teammate in center, none other than Jose Altuve.
- Robert Suarez (San Diego Padres)
The case of Robert Suarez is more than atypical. A pitcher who fails to sign for any major league team despite a powerful straight line. Suarez signed with the Saraperos de Saltillo of the Mexican Baseball League in 2015 after trying out for a team in the Northern League of Coahuila.
He signed with Saltillo at the age of 24. However, he showed off his secret weapon: A powerful 100+ mile straight and a devastating changeup, plus slider and curve to complement his arsenal that made an excellent first impression in Saltillo. This caught the attention of the Fukuoka SoftBank Hawks who brought him to Japan as a bullpen specialist. The more he adapted to his new environment, the better he progressed as an available arm.
Suarez underwent Tommy John surgery and upon his return in for 2018 was part of back-to-back years of the Hawks’ title run. For 2019 he signed as a free agent with Hanshin Tigers and was designated closer finishing twice as the Central League saves leader and clearing all doubts about his arm.
For 2022 Suarez tested MLB free agency and received a one-year offer with an option for 2023 with the San Diego Padres. His debut came on Opening Day where he was harshly punished with 3 clean runs, and two walks. However, the team is not panicking over a debut to forget. Manager Bob Melvin is confident that Suarez will eventually be their closer, in the meantime he is getting experience with the rhythm of the game.
His strong point is the mental aspect. Trained under the Japanese school for many years, he is a stretch-and-shrink pitcher. His mentality and vision are fueled by adversity in his career and that becomes a motivation for a team like the Padres, who will benefit from his desire and his 100 mph straight.
