Kansas City Royals’ Fuenmayor the next impactful Venezuelan bat?
Fellow countryman Miguel Cabrera cracked the big leagues as a 20-year-old rookie back in 2003. While Miggy headlines a cast of other present Venezuelans like Felix Hernandez, Jose Altuve and Pablo Sandoval making a name for themselves in America’s pastime, one wonders when the next big thing to come out of Venezuela will make his mark on the game.
The Kansas City Royals might just have a candidate in mind. His name is Balbino Fuenmayor. On Major League scouts radars at an early age, Fuenmayor was inked by the Toronto Blue Jays as a 16-year-old International Free Agent back in 2006. His move to North America saw its fair share of adversity early on, with the youngster struggling to make it out of Single-A ball. The Jays then released him in 2013.
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Since strong turns in the Can-Am Independent League with the Quebec Capitales and playing Venezuelan Winter League Ball in 2014, the Royals signed Fuenmayor to a minor league contract in 2015. If not for one of the better performing offenses in baseball, he might have already logged his first big league at-bat by now.
Fuenmayor appears to finally have grown into his body and still seems intent on impacting the game with his bat. At 6-foot-3 and 230 lbs, his stature and right-handed swing are reminiscent of Cabrera’s. Now 25, Fuenmayor might be a late bloomer. But there’s nothing wrong with that. Josh Donaldson was a late bloomer. And even though Fuenmayor’s career got sidetracked for awhile in Quebec, a number of one-time independent league players have went on to find success within MLB. Former Twin and current Blue Jay Chris Colabello is a great example of such stories.
Royals scouts liked what they saw over the last year with Fuenmayor and have since extended him to a contract through 2016. After failing to make it out of Class-A in the Blue Jays’ organization, Fuenmayor broke out early in 2015 with the Northwest Arkansas Naturals of the Texas League. Across 291 Double-A at-bats, he slashed a stunning .354/.386/.591 and hit 15 home runs before a promotion to Triple-A Omaha with the Storm Chasers of the Pacific Coast League in early July.
Since settling in there, Fuenmayor has posted a line of .377-2-15 in 16 games, though he’s currently on the disabled list. With his age and the progress he has made in recent months, it’s likely he would have attracted sizeable interest from MLB clubs in free agency this offseason had the Royals not snatched him up.
Jul 12, 2015; Cincinnati, OH, USA; World Team infielder Balbino Fuenmayor (28) singles in the second inning against USA Team during the All Star Futures Game at Great American Ballpark. Mandatory Credit: Frank Victores-USA TODAY Sports
Fuenmayor plays first and third base. Right now, he’s valued depth and insurance. The Kansas City Royals should be set for years to come with Eric Hosmer and Mike Moustakas at those positions. However, since starting the season with a .297 first half batting average, Moose has now reverted to his old ways and is hitting only .189 in the second half and .176 since July 1.
Fuenmayor could also potentially serve as an above average designated hitter if he continues to develop and remains consistent with his approach at the plate. He is especially dangerous against southpaws, where he posted a 1.298 OPS against them during his tenure in Double-A this season.
After playing in the MLB Futures game this past July for the World contingent, the once promising Venezeulan prospect again appears to be showing a propensity for one day becoming an impactful big league bat.
The 2008 film Sugar painted a vivid portrait of the tribulations facing young IFA who move away from home to come to the United States with dreams of staying focused and assimilating into a foreign culture to make a living. For Balbino Fuenmayor and so may others that have trekked in his footsteps, it’s better late than never.