In the National League’s 5-0 victory over the American League in the All-Star Futures Game at T-Mobile Park on Saturday, the Latino presence was felt in a big way.
Of the five rounds of the Old Circuit, four were produced by Latin bats: The Dominican New Yorker Nasim Núñez (3)—Most Valuable Player of the game–and the Venezuelan Jeferson Quero and (1). In addition, four of the five hits were from the Latino litter and four of the five runs scored.
Núñez, Quero, Cuban Yanquiel Fernández (one hit, one run), Dominican Noelvi Marte (one run) and Endy Rodríguez (two walks, one run) were protagonists in the victory of the team led by former Grandes outfielder Leagues, Raúl Ibáñez, of Cuban descent.
“Very nice,” Rodríguez, a top Pittsburgh Pirates prospect, said of the experience of playing on Major League Baseball. “The game here is quite simplified. The ball looks better and all. I felt very comfortable for the first time in a game of such a level”.
Marte, a former Mariners prospect who was traded from Seattle to Cincinnati in the trade that brought his compatriot Luis Castillo to the “Emerald City” in 2022, relished the opportunity to play here and took full advantage of it.
“I feel very happy for the work I did,” said Marte. “Thank God, we had a good turnout. The glory of him and we continue towards the future ”.