If you know anything about Dominican baseball, when you reach the ripe old age of 21 you are ancient if you have not signed. Prospects in the Dominican market are scouted at 13-15 to be “July 2nd” signings at 16. Whether you like it or not (and I am not a fan for various reasons), that is currently how the international prospect game works. In the US, you are just finishing up high school at 18 and in the Dominican you are washed up. That is what makes the story of Luis “Luigi” Lara so interesting.

Eerily, I am watching “The Natural” on MLB network in my hotel in Bani as I write this. Manager Pop Fisher (Wilford Brimley) skeptically says to Roy Hobbs (Robert Redford) when he shows up in street clothes in the dugout to play for the last place Knights, “Fella, you don’t start playing ball at your age, you retire!”

On my first trip to the Dominican in 2015, I saw something that gave me goosebumps. I was at the Luis Maria Herrera Stadium in downtown Bani, Peravia. I promptly informed my business partner that I just saw a unicorn. After all of the green “July 2nd” prospects took BP, the last hitter was a broad-shouldered, switch hitter with power to all fields on both sides of the plate. A true man among boys. It was very obvious, but no one seemed to take notice. Does anyone see what I am seeing? How many switch hitters with real power from both sides do you ever see in life? The list is short – Mickey Mantle, Chipper Jones, Eddie Murray. One in a generation? My partner said, “that is Luis Lara from La Tabla, he is considered to be too old to be a prospect.” Being new to the Dominican system, I told him that he had to be kidding. Have you ever seen anything like this? The crack of the bat was deafening – that glorious sound that resonates and fills a stadium. Then he switched sides of the plate and continued his punishment of the baseball. It was impressive to say the least.

Those who know me can tell you, I don’t usually leave well enough alone. Some would describe me as “bull-headed” but I prefer “persistent.” I wanted to learn more about Lara and why at 20 he was unsigned. My partner and I showed up unannounced at his house a few days later in “La Tabla,” a very desolate area outside of Bani just off a baseball field where little kids were playing with rocks and sticks under a tree that provided a little precious shade. We asked them where ‘Luigi” lived and they pointed us in the right direction. We met his grandmother who graciously offered us a seat and some coffee while she talked to us about Luis.

Luis arrived shortly thereafter and we continued the discussion. He told me that as a young, skinny 15-year-old he wasn’t ready and failed at his Dominican Prospect League tryout. From there he was passed from trainer to trainer until he ended up in a place called Villa Sombrero just outside of Bani. Once you have been passed around, you are considered to be damaged goods. Something is wrong. There is practically nothing left for the player from a rapidly diminishing signing bonus and a growing percentage for the current and former trainers. He told me he loved playing but that he was about ready to quit and traverse the shark-infested waters to make it to the US to work.

Robb Anderson, Luis Lara and Argenis Percel.
(Photo credit – Robb Anderson)

We never came to an agreement with his numerous contract holders to represent him, but I felt there was something we could do. At the time, we had just brought our Mexican pitcher, Pedro Uriostegui to the Dominican to train in Bani. Part of the reason to bring him to the Dominican was to expand his baseball horizons, play in a different country, and face good batters. Luis was definitely a seasoned hitter who was tearing up the “liga campesina.” They made a great symbiotic match. They worked together so that Luis could face good pitching and Pedro could face a seasoned hitter.

In the process, we organized a showcase called “Project Ready” to exhibit the over 17-year-old talent that we saw in the different academies in Bani. Luis was the first player who agreed to be shown even though he was not really our signee. We had a great turnout and received representatives from a variety of MLB organizations. Afterwards, I talked to the scouts to gauge interest, but they were all in agreement about Luis – too old – we have seen him before – it won’t work.

Knowing how things work in the Dominican, you can understand why players “mochar años” or clip years by lying about their age or use someone else’s identity. In the Dominican, it is about as easy as getting your driver’s license renewed. Signing a lucrative contract as a prospect at 16 or 17 years old can get you off the island — the difference between maybe a $500,000 and a $5,000 signing bonus. It will change a family’s standard of living for a long time in a country like the Dominican.

Luis asked us afterwards whether it was something he should consider. He didn’t want to do it, but felt the pressure to consider it at his age. My partner and I told him that we understood his situation but that he was talented and shouldn’t lie. He should perhaps take the best offer that would allow him to be seen and let his talent do the talking. See what happens after that. He took that path and signed with the Diamondbacks for a small amount, of which he probably received even less. But … he is playing, being seen, and that is all he wanted.

This summer Luis entered the Dominican Summer League, played third base, and feasted on young pitching prospects. He was very impressive. Luis led the team in many hitting categories, batting over .300 from both sides of the plate with a .397 OBP, .482 SLG, and a .879 OPS in 67 games. He showed speed on the base path, plate discipline, and power leading the team in home runs, triples, RBIs and walks. He also stole nine bases and added 14 doubles. His 51 RBIs were good enough for second in the DSL and his six home runs were tied for third. Apart from his bat, he also exhibited a slick glove at third base and a cannon arm.

Just before I arrived, Luis received the news that he was being sent to the US to potentially play in the prestigious Arizona Fall League. It would be a big jump. Luis would be able to test himself against some of the best prospects in the minor leagues. Will he make it? I don’t know. I hope so, but that is up to him and the baseball gods. If you are lucky enough to be in the Phoenix area this fall, take a moment to root for a player with a big smile, a big bat, and a great story.

He might just be … The Natural.