Hector Espino – Outfield/First Base
Considered the Babe Ruth of Mexico, Hector Espino was a tremendous power hitter who had a brief taste of minor league ball in the United States.
It did not take long for Espino to make an impact. He was the 1962 Rookie of the Year, and won back to back MVP awards in the Mexican Pacific League during winter ball. In 1964, he won the batting title with a .371/.479/.741 batting line, while setting a record with 46 homers. That performance drew the attention of the St. Louis Cardinals, who gave him a contract for the rest of 1964.
Although he did not flash the same power, Espino was solid for the AAA Jacksonville Suns. He produced a .300/.388/.450 batting line, hitting three homers and six doubles in 32 games. That performance earned Espino an invitation to Spring Training by the Cardinals, but he never played outside the Mexican League again. Varying reasons, from homesickness to his having to deal with rampant racism, were given from different sources as to why he stayed away.
Given his production in the Mexican League, it was certainly a major loss for the Cardinals. During his 25 year career in Mexico, Espino hit 484 homers and had 2754 hits. He won 12 batting titles, six home run titles, and was a six time MVP. Even more impressively, these numbers were produced in what was a dead ball era in Mexico, as offensive numbers would increase after Espino’s retirement.
Had circumstances been different, and Hector Espino not faced the racism or difficulties he had in 1964, he could have been a star in the United States. Instead, he became the greatest player in the history of the Mexican League.