Houston – Daniel Palencia has tried for so many major leagues baseball organizations as an amateur free agent in Venezuela, he lost the number of teams rejected him. A snobby comes out, however, for the Chicago Cubs to get closer.
Palencia, who reached 102 mi / h with her rapid ball in the majors, was 16 years old when a scout for the Tigers of Detroit refused him with a discordant prediction.
“I do not all remember them, but I remember a (test) who left a scar,” recently said the right -hander who launches hard in Spanish. “He is a scout who told me that I would never throw more than 90 mi / h.”
This prediction turned out to be ridiculous, especially because it already launched 90 mi / h. The native of San Carlos, in Venezuela, continued to try long after an age when most of the Latin America amateur agents would have left.
Through all this, he remained confident with the help of his parents Maria del Carmen Silva and Damaso Palencia, and his coach Jimmy Romero. Daniel Palencia was 20 when the Oakland Athletics tried its luck in 2020.
Perseverance is paid
According to industry standards, he was considered old. Most of the best lovers in Latin America sign at 16. At 18, they are considered more suspects than prospects. He waited for the pandemic coche before starting his career in 2021. Then, he practically sprinkled the majors.
“It was a bit difficult,” he said. “At 20, the majority of scouts do not want to see you. I think it was part of what I had to be aware of continuing to move forward. Nothing kept me. I never paid attention to the people who would tell me that I couldn’t.
“I just needed to believe in me and have the support of my parents. And I was always ready to do what the others were not willing to do. ”
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On the 5th of 11 inches and 160 pounds did not last long in the organization of A. Oakland exchanged it at the Cubs on July 26, 2021 with Greg Deichmann for Andrew Chafin. Less than two years later, he made his debut in the majors on July 4, 2023.
Now, he ends matches for the central leaders of the NL despite a second second year season last year. The Cubs manager, Craig Counsell, easily concedes, however, that he had not planned that Palencia closes when the team went to spring training.
Daniel Palencia Return Boues
“I think what we saw in the spring is that Daniel will be an important part of this team,” said Counsell. “I think we expected development and that we thought we were going to get development, and he delivered this. Part of the experience was a part.
“His experience was not great last year for him. He did not launch much. He encountered problems and let his emotions affect him. Perhaps nature from top to bottom of the option, which is understandable. This year, he said that this next land was present and made him simple for him.”
The mental strength that helped Palencia keep her hopes of baseball alive as an amateur may have helped him bounce after the cubs disentangled him to the Cubs of the AAA Iowa class last season. Palencia was 0-1 with an MPM of 6.14 in more than 10 outings and 14 2/3 innings in the majors last year while walking 12 (7.4 steps for nine sleeves).
At Iowa, he had 2-1 with an MPM of 4.85 in 39 rounds in 22 outings. He walked 22 and withdrew 68 years. Palencia’s control has been much better this season. Despite a 0-2 file this season, he has an impressive MPM of 1.86 with eight stops in 29 rounds in 27 outings. He always remembers all these first snobs and the Detroit scout.
“I felt bad, of course,” he says. “I knew I had more there. Everything I needed was an opportunity. All this is part of life. All these things taught me and made me who I am today. ”
