Rodrigo Vallés Watch 2040.16
Posted: Thu Nov 07, 2019 2:23 pm
Rodrigo Vallés, Catcher
Berkeley Golden Bears, Rookie League
California Crusader Organization
20th Round Selection (673rd overall), 2040 Draft
5430 -- The attendance in Waco, Texas, on July 18, 2040 for a baseball game between two rookie league affiliates, the Waco Thunder and Berkeley Golden Bears.
With one man on base in the top of the first, catcher Rodrigo Vallés stepped to the plate for the Golden Bears. Beer vendors quit their calls. A father placed a hand over his son's shoulder. The PA announcer, lost in the moment, forgot to announce Vallés' name.
Vallés looked out to the pitcher, then to his bat, and took a deep breath. His hands -- loose. Hips -- loose. Knees -- loose.
The pitcher glanced at the runner at first and slide-stepped towards home.
Vallés caught a glimpse of the grip of the ball as the pitcher's arm flashed towards the plate.
Fastball. High. Overthrown. Ball one.
Vallés backed out of the box, reached down to take a handful of dirt, and rubbed it into his bare hands. He caught his third base coach going through various meaningless signs and stepped back into the box.
The pitcher again glanced at the runner, paused, then exploded towards home.
Vallés again caught the grip of the ball as it passed through the frame imagined in his mind.
Another fastball. Over the plate this time. Thigh high.
Vallés drove his hands through the zone. Wood cracked against leather. A towering drive deep into the left-centerfield gap. Vallés didn't watch the ball. Instead, he put his head down and ran hard out of the box, thinking extra-bases. The ball bounced on the warning track and hit hard up against the wooden wall. The baserunner on first was already half way to third and being waved home. Vallés rounded first and picked up the outfielders going after the ball. He was close to second when the centerfielder gathered up the ball.
Vallés pounded for third. The throw from the outfield was cleanly cutoff by the shortstop and then rocketed in.
Vallés dove. The ball slammed into the third-baseman's mitt. The tag applied. Late.
Catchers don't hit triples. But, Rodrigo Vallés does.
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Batting G AB H 2B 3B HR RBI R BB K AVG OBP SLG OPS WOBA ISO wRC+
Overall 41 148 38 9 2 10 26 14 13 27 .257 .321 .547 .869 .353 .291 157