DETROIT – Gabriel Moreno spun his club around the deck as he prepared for his fourth strike in the game.
The stadium announcer passed on Moreno’s name through the loudspeakers, and this time the Blue Jays fans in the stands of Comerica Park remained silent. Moreno received hearty applause from Toronto’s loyal travelers before his first MLB record appeared earlier in the game, but not this time.
It was the ninth inning and the Detroit Tigers came closer to Gregory Soto. With two outs, he fired a 98 mph fast ball into the area and Moreno returned it exactly where it came from.
The 105.2 mph liner jumped neatly into the center field, and when Moreno circled first, he kissed his hand and pointed to the sky. The Blue Jays eventually lost the game 3-1 on Saturday, but the 22-year-old hit the board with a punch.
“I wanted to get it [my first hit] get away, “Moreno said through translator Hector LeBron. “Thank God it happened in my last bat. I really wanted it. ”
Gabriel Moreno scored and scored a series in his Blue Jace debut. (AP Photo / Carlos Osorio)
The Blue Jays have seen no prospect of such a big debut since Vladimir Guerrero Jr. and Bo Bischet arrived in the major leagues in 2019 to save exhausted Jace fans who had lost baseball for several years.
Moreno does not boast the genealogy or famous surname of Guerrero or Bische, but his rise to the top of the charts for potential leaders was just as impressive. Signed as an international free agent by Venezuela in 2016 for just $ 25,000, Moreno was never expected to drive such a powerful hype train. He is now the fourth best potential chance in baseball – and on Saturday he finally joined a rival Blue Jays team that is referring to playoff baseball.
Praised for attacking for his fast hands and above average contact ability, Moreno showed some striking talents in 1 to 4 days. However, his defense is perhaps more influential.
Generously listed at 5 feet 11,195 pounds, Moreno does not carry the typical figure of a major league catcher – he was originally studied as a midfielder before the Blue Jays moved him behind the plate.
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If you watch Moreno capture, you’ll see his background slip through. Everything he does is smooth, almost like a dance. His God-given athleticism, quick footwork, sound transmission and handgun probably make him the best Blue Jace thrower.
He exposed all of these tools when a runner sampled to steal a second in the first inning. Moreno stabbed in a diving splitter and fired a bullet at Bichette, covering the second, who hit the label in time but missed the ball.
The best hunters in history combine their physical skills with even greater mental power. Good catchers develop deep relationships with their pitchers, guide them through games, help them line up, and comfort or challenge them when things go wrong.
These intangible assets are the most difficult for young defenders to master, and hunters often develop these traits on the go in specialties.
On Saturday, Moreno was tasked with catching Kevin Gaussman, an early AL Cy Young candidate who is coming out of his shortest start to the season. It was no small task for Moreno to make his debut with Gaussman, the owner of a devastating splitter and a 10-year record in the major leagues.
Instead of fearing the challenge of catching Gaussman, Moreno seemed calm. He blocked and shaped well during the six innings of the starting pitcher’s work.
“This is my big question mark every time I have a catcher for the first time, is how they will block this separation,” said Gaussman, who claimed the loss. “So, there are several times, boys in third place, he called him without hesitation and did a hell of a job blocking him today.”
And to add even more emotional stimulation to his debut, Moreno played his first game against one of his baseball heroes, Miguel Cabrera. The legend of the aging Tigers is an icon in Venezuela and one of the greatest right-handed strikers of all time, so when he asked to meet and greet Moreno, it was an easy decision.
“The meeting with Miguel was amazing,” Moreno said, adding that he and Cabrera had talked about where their families came from in Venezuela.
The quick but intimate moment with Cabrera offered a sincere perspective for the young man’s debut in MLB. For the outside world, Moreno’s story is for a beginner with incredible potential. For those who know Moreno best, this is a story about a happy child who overcomes chances and makes a dream come true.
“You always see something special in him,” said Luis Hurtado, one of Toronto’s bulping hunters, as he recalled when he first saw Moreno years ago.
Hurtado, also from Venezuela, first led Moreno to the Florida Coastal League in 2018. Since then, the couple has remained close, first bonding as compatriots and now sharing their successes as Moreno rose to the ranks of the minor leagues.
“It’s a difficult question,” Hurtado said, fighting back tears after being asked how much it meant to see Moreno succeed. “Especially because it’s difficult for us Venezuelans. For everything that happens in our country, for all the barriers you need [overcome]”
The Venezuelan flag is one of the many flags that cover the walls around the entrance to the visiting dugout in Comerica Park. (Photo by Ethan Diamandas)
Moreno’s family could not travel to the United States due to passport problems, but Hurtado was there for him, as was Francisco Placencia, the Venezuelan-born Blue Jay scout who first discovered 14-year-old Moreno and eventually signed him.
When Hurtado arrived at Comerica Park on Friday, he took a picture of a Venezuelan flag hanging in the hallway, ensuring he will never forget the weight of this weekend.
“I love my country,” he said. “I was born, raised there and I will always be proud of where I come from. And this is everyone who manages to reach the big leagues. Every Venezuelan player is proud of his country, of our country. “
It was a wild journey in baseball and in life for Moreno. With one match and one kick under his belt, he can now officially be called a player in the big league.
“Very emotional,” Moreno said. “I will remember this moment for the rest of my life.”
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