For the last installment of getting to know Rays prospects (previous ones can be found under More Interviews! and And Even More Interviews…), here’s all about a couple of international players who are adjusting to a whole lot more than a higher level of baseball:
Back in January, the Rays made history by tying the record for the most amount of prospects included in Baseball America’s Top 100 rankings. They had a total of nine players, which is the same amount that came from the San Diego Padres this year and the 2011 Kansas City Royals. The Rays have built much of this strong system completely on their own, with all nine prospects being homegrown players (drafted by the Rays or international signings).
Four of those nine are, in fact, international signings, which Rays director of minor league operations Mitch Lukevics says are vital to building the team’s system. However, there are some additional steps that need to be taken when it comes to these players. Once they are signed and come over to the U.S., they are suddenly thrown into a completely different country with a whole new culture. It’s very different from everything they’ve ever known and definitely takes some getting used to. This is why Lukevics says the team employs all its resources to try to help these kids get adjusted to this new way of life as quickly as possible.
Two top prospects — Ronaldo Hernandez and Moises Gomez are going through this exact situation.
Ronaldo Hernandez, C — .284 AVG/.339 OBP/.494 SLG (Bowling Green)
Following the 2018 season, Baseball American listed Hernandez as the №56 overall prospect in the minors and №4 in the Rays system. It was a season in which he was the MVP for Class-A Bowling Green and named to the Midwest League midseason and postseason All-Star teams. The Colombia native launched 21 home runs and picked up 79 RBI, which put him third among all Rays minor leaguers in the two categories.
Because the 21-year-old has had a great amount of success so far offensively, Lukevics says it’ll be interesting to see how he performs with the Charlotte Stonecrabs this season in a league that’s not necessarily hitter-friendly.
While there are no doubts about Hernandez’s ability on offense, the defensive side of his games is one thing the team is hoping he can improve. He started out as a third baseman and has since been coverted to catcher, so there has been a learning curve for him.
Hernandez says he won’t be trying to drastically change anything with his game this coming season. He knows he just has to show up to the field and work hard every day in order to keep getting better.
Moises Gomez, OF — .280 AVG/.328 OBP/.503 SLG (Bowling Green)
Gomez is another prospect receiving attention from the outside. The Venezuelan is ranked as the №10 prospect in the Rays system, according to Baseball America. And along with Hernandez, he was named to the Midwest League midseason and postseason All-Star teams.
Lukevics says pitching has historically been a bright spot for the Rays system, but he thinks the piece that has most improved the most in the last year is the talent of the position players. And it’s guys like Gomez, who’s an outfielder, who have helped bring this group to the forefront.
Even though Gomez finished second among all Rays minor leaguers in RBI (82) and tied for fourth in home runs (19) last season, he says there are still ways he’s hoping to improve his game.
In an environment where there could be a lot of pressure to be successful and make it to the big leagues, Gomez hasn’t lost sight of what’s most important when it comes to playing the game. He says making sure to have fun is his highest priority, which isn’t hard to do when he’s surrounded by teammates who make showing up to work a good time.
Work at the Trop 