This is a baseball week. There is the MLB All Star Game with its different activities. There is the Major and the League Draft of young baseball players.
For one, Teoscar Hernandez, the Los Angeles Dodgers slugger, won the Home Run Derby on 16 July 2024. His victory highlighted the continuing power of the Dominican baseball player. He certainly solidified his place in the Dodger history books. He was the first Dodger to ever win the Home Run Derby.
For the last three years, Dominicans have won the HR Derby — Juan Soto (then with the Washington Nationals), Vladimir Guerrero Jr. of the Toronto Blue Jays, and now Teoscar Hernandez. Three-in-a-row!
Hernandez is also the eighth Dominican to win the Derby: Miguel Tejada, David “Big Pappy” Ortiz, Sammy Sosa, Robinson Cano, Vladimir Guerrero Sr. and Jr. and Juan Soto.
In the Major League Draft, more history was made when 18-year old Ronnie Cruz, from Mao, Valverde province, was selected in the highest round ever for an international player. He was chosen in the third round with the 90th pick by the Chicago Cubs. Cruz was trained at the Top 10 Academy in Boca Chica, by baseball agent and talent manager Luis Periera (Mejia).
Mejía decided his client would fetch a better price if the talented shortstop were to demonstrate his talents in the United States. And so, Ronnie Cruz, who had been spotted by Major League teams two years ago, was given a baseball scholarship to the Miami Christian School. As a result, the young man received a very attractive offer that was three times the amount he had been dealt two years ago.
Read more in Spanish:
Diario Libre
El Caribe
17 July 2024