Gabriel Moreno’s Heroes, Helpers, Home and Blue Jays Debut
DETROIT—Miguel Cabrera reached for a handful of dirt in the Detroit batter’s box. After shaking the dust in his hand he tossed it in front of him, sending a grimey cloud into the face of the young backstop beside him.
Welcome to the big leagues, Gabriel Moreno.
Hours after Moreno and Cabrera met behind home plate for a pre-game introduction and photo, the Tigers' veteran leaned back to the rookie, apologizing for the dusty cloud and slapping him on the back in congratulations. Moreno returned the favor a pitch later, perfectly framing an outside pitch to steal a strikeout against the legendary hitter.
"I've always loved Miggy, he's a legend in Venezuela," Moreno said before his MLB debut. "When I was younger I liked to hit and Miggy is the best hitter that we have back in Venezuela."
The interaction between the Venezuelan legend and Blue Jay rookie was one of the many subtle celebrations that punctuated Gabriel Moreno's first big league game. Moreno was surrounded by his new Blue Jays teammates, but also shared the day with the heroes and helpers that assisted his climb to Major League Baseball.
"Very emotional," Moreno said after the game. "I will remember this moment for the rest of my life."
When Blue Jays scout Francisco Plasencia first saw the skinny shortstop from Barquisimeto who couldn't run very well, it was the bat that stood out—ignore all the other flaws and distractions, because Moreno could hit.
The more he got to know Moreno—before the Blue Jays signed him as a catcher for $25,000—Plasencia became more certain the humble hitter was destined for the big leagues, he just had a feeling. Six years after the signing, Moreno proved Plasencia right, becoming the first young player the scout signed to reach the highest level.
"I feel like I got called up to the big leagues," Plasencia said before the game. "And I'm excited for him, for all the work he's done over the years. I'm really, really proud."
The hitting ability that first caught Plasencia's eye never went away. It's what earned Moreno up Toronto's minors and to the top of industry prospect rankings, and it finally flashed in The Show, too. In the final gasps of Saturday's game, Moreno slapped his first career hit, a sure-thing liner back up the middle in the ninth inning. The 22-year-old blasted around the bases on a George Springer single two batters later, scoring his first run and returning to the dugout to props and a souvenir from his first base knock.
"I wanted to get it out of the way," Moreno said. "I really wanted it, thank God I got it out of the way."
The pride of Plasencia was shared by Blue Jays bullpen catcher Luis Hurtado, who's known Moreno since he joined the organization and was his manager in the Florida Coast League in 2018. While Hurtado didn't know back then if Moreno would push his way up prospect rankings and into the big leagues, he always saw something special in the catcher, something different, he said.
Hurtado felt like a proud father when he found out the young catcher would be joining him in the big leagues this weekend, he said, but also a proud countryman. Fighting tears, Hurtado explained the barriers Venezuelans like him, Moreno, Plasencia, and many others have to overcome. The shared struggles for Venezuelan ballplayers unites them, Hurtado said, and they all know they represent their country in the big leagues.
“I love my country, I was born and raised there, I’m always going to be proud of where I come from," Hurtado said. "And that’s everyone who makes it to the big leagues, every Venezuelan player is proud of their country.”
In professional baseball, many Venezuelan players cannot bring their parents to watch their debut, or get them to a game at all. Moreno's parents were unable to watch their son play in Detroit, due visa and travel issues, but the young catcher appreciated having two figures who have been so influential in his rise, in Plasencia and Hurtado, at his debut.
"Very grateful, very happy to have both of them here," Moreno said. "They're part of my career. Of course [Plasencia] was the scout that signed me and Hurtado has been there since the beginning. All my going through the minors, and development, he's been there for me so I'm very very grateful to have both here with me."
Moreno walked alone onto the Comerica Park grass in the bottom of the first frame on Saturday. Toronto starter Kevin Gausman hesitated for a moment in the dugout, leaving Moreno by himself to enjoy his first big league breath, shake home plate umpire Nic Lentz’s hand, and set up behind the plate. Squatting behind home, Moreno joined a group of around 450 all-time Venezuelan MLB players, but few represent the group better than Cabrera.
When Plasencia got the call to travel to Detroit for Moreno's debut, he was excited for the young prospect, but almost as pumped to see Cabrera in person. Plasencia, Hurtado, and Moreno all called Cabrera a legend, and when the Tigers slugger asked for a photo with Moreno before the game and gave him some pre-debut advice, Toronto's young catcher called it "unbelievable".
Venezuelan stars like Cabrera, Luis Aparicio, and Omar Vizquel began the increasing trend of MLB players from the country, and top prospects like Moreno represent the next wave. With just one hit to his name, Moreno is 3038 hits behind Cabrera's career total, but the Blue Jays' rookie is already starting to make his own impact.
"[His debut] opens doors for players from Venezuela on our team and other teams," Plasencia said.
Mitch Bannon is a baseball reporter for Sports Illustrated covering the Toronto Blue Jays and their minor league affiliates.Twitter: @MitchBannon