|
Post by JohnM on Mar 25, 2024 12:51:54 GMT -5
Juan Soto’s first order of business as a Yankee was visiting the team’s Dominican Academy. He met with each player, coach and staff member.
“I just feel part of them. I’m part of the Yankees. I want to give them 100 %.”
More ⬇️
(Subscribe for $1/mo)
|
|
|
Post by JohnM on Mar 25, 2024 14:43:28 GMT -5
Yankees Dominican Academy director on Juan Soto’s visit:
“It’s the best presence and best makeup I’ve ever seen in a superstar player. It’s the best presence and best makeup I’ve ever seen in a superstar player.“
More below ⬇️
|
|
|
Post by JohnM on Mar 25, 2024 14:50:41 GMT -5
TAMPA, Fla. — When Juan Soto was 12 years old, his mom, Belkis, and a few of his uncles forced him to take English courses. As a 12-year-old, Soto just wanted to focus on baseball. He wanted to become a star MLB player. He dreamed of becoming the next Robinson Cano or Manny Ramirez or David Ortiz. Learning English wasn’t going to help him swing a bat.
Shortly after signing with the Washington Nationals as a 16-year-old for $1.5 million, Soto was sent to the team’s Dominican Academy, where learning English no longer felt like a chore but another skill to master. His work in the classroom was just another example of how committed Soto was to becoming the best at everything he did.
“They wanted me to learn English because they felt like it would open many opportunities for me if I learned another language,” Soto said. “That was the mindset for why they wanted me to learn. You could have a lot of jobs in the D.R. where if you know how to speak English, it’s a plus in your background. That was the main thing. My education is very important to me. It means a lot to me because it shows my mom and dad did a great job raising me.”
In February, two months after the New York Yankees acquired Soto from the San Diego Padres, the star outfielder drove an hour east from Santo Domingo to Boca Chica. His first official order of business as a Yankee was to visit the team’s Dominican Academy. It wasn’t a required visit, but Soto is passionate about helping the next generation, so before getting to Tampa for spring training, it was a mandatory trip for him. He thinks back to how meaningful it would have been for him if the Nationals had a Dominican star spend time at their academy. So on Feb. 7, Soto spent several hours at the Yankees’ Dominican Academy meeting every player, coach, teacher, staff member, and, coincidentally, members of the U.S. Embassy who also happened to be there that day.
“It means a lot because I was once in the spot they were in,” Soto said. “I always looked up to other players to see how big they were. I wanted to be like them. I want to give back and let them see me and let them know I’m here to talk with them. I want to give them that little hope that they need. If I did it, they could do it, too. They can make it to the big leagues. It’s not impossible. It’s possible but you have to focus and sacrifice a lot of things to make it here. I wanted to sit there and talk with them to answer any questions they had.
“I just feel part of them. I’m part of the Yankees. I want to give them 100 percent to help them any way I can.”
Francisco Vilorio, a 17-year-old outfielder from the Dominican Republic, was one of those players Soto impacted that day. The Yankees’ No. 15 prospect, according to MLB Pipeline, signed with the Yankees for $1.7 million in January. Not even a month later, Vilorio listened to Soto in the team’s facility about the importance of education, his routine at the plate and his offseason work. Two years ago, Vilorio and Soto worked out together on a beach in Santo Domingo. Since then, Vilorio has looked up to Soto.
“He’s a great person and he always wants the best for the young players,” Vilorio said through an interpreter. “He’s a good man and a good dude. One thing that stuck with me when he spoke with the group is when he talked about his routine and how it doesn’t matter how bad of a day he has or if he’s going through a slump, his routine doesn’t change. I really enjoyed learning about that because I feel like it’s very important.”
After a Latin player is added to the Yankees’ organization, one of the first people they communicate with is Joel Lithgow, the team’s Dominican Academy director since 2009. Soto was no exception, even though he’s been in America since 2016. Lithgow connects with the player to make sure all of their documentation is in order and to offer up the Dominican facility as a place where they can work out if they choose.
Soto and Lithgow texted back and forth for several days when the new Yankee expressed his desire to meet the players. Inside a classroom at the academy, Soto gave insight into his mental approach at the plate and how he developed his patented eye for the strike zone, he spoke about the challenges of being a major leaguer and most importantly to the players, he stood at the front of the room and answered every single question.
“That was one of the best days we’ve ever had here,” Lithgow said. “He really impacted all of us. It meant a lot for him to show initiative.
“I was very impressed with his presence and his makeup. It’s the best presence and best makeup I’ve ever seen in a superstar player. How he transmitted his ideas to all of the young players was something I had never seen before in a superstar or a major-league player before. He’s been around a long time but he’s still young. He’s very humble. I was very impressed.”
Soto is in the final year of his contract before hitting free agency next offseason. Yankees general manager Brian Cashman said recently that it’s unlikely they’ll sign him to an extension before Soto becomes the most sought-after free agent in MLB this winter. If the Yankees re-sign him, they’ll have three of the best individual players in the sport in him, Aaron Judge and Gerrit Cole.
There’s also a group of potential future Yankees just over 1,000 miles away who would benefit from Soto’s presence.
“I feel like if I could give them a little help to start their careers, it would be special to me,” Soto said.
|
|