- Joined
- May 8, 2002
- Posts
- 405,271
- Reaction score
- 43
With professional baseball starting across the country on both the minor league and major league levels, here is a look at four former high school standouts from El Paso high schools and where they could be playing this season.
The Americas High School graduate was drafted out of high school in 2019 in the fifth round of the MLB Draft by the Baltimore Orioles.
Hernaiz, who can play third base, shortstop, or second base, was traded to the Oakland Athletics organization in 2023. He reached the big leagues last season with Oakland and had 23 hits and 12 RBI in 48 games.
In 1,517 at-bats in the minor leagues, he has 34 home runs and 212 RBI. Hernaiz is expected to start this season with the Triple-A affiliate of the Athletics, the Las Vegas Aviators.
The Coronado High School graduate and former University of Texas standout infielder was drafted in the second round by the Arizona Diamondbacks in the 2022 MLB Draft. In three seasons in the minors, he's hit 55 home runs and 218 hits, reaching as high as Double-A Amarillo. He missed much of spring training with an oblique injury, and where he will be assigned for the upcoming season is still uncertain.
The Socorro High graduate, who can play in the outfield or infield, is currently with the Washington Nationals organization. After a successful college career, first at Howard Junior College and later at UT-Rio Grande Valley, he signed as a free agent with the Nationals in 2023.
In two seasons with the Nationals organization, he has nine home runs and 100 RBI. He has not been officially assigned a team, but a landing spot with the Wilmington Blue Rocks of Advanced Class A is possible.
Natera, who played high school baseball at El Paso's Lydia Patterson Institute and then at New Mexico State, is in the Los Angeles Angels organization.
The 6-foot-4, left-handed pitcher from Ciudad Juárez was drafted by the Angels in the 17th round of the 2023 MLB Draft out of NMSU.
In two seasons in the minor leagues, he has an impressive 142 strikeouts in 105.2 innings pitched. Natera has been in the organization's minor league camp since March 8 but has not been assigned a team. Landing spots could include the Advanced Class A Tri-City Dust Devils or the Double A Rocket City Trash Pandas.
More: Baseball news Americas graduate Darell Hernaiz earns spot on MLB opening day roster
Felix F. Chavez can be reached at [email protected]; @Fchavezeptimes on X.
This article originally appeared on El Paso Times: MLB Opening Day: Former El Paso high school players ready for season
Continue reading...
Darell Hernaiz
The Americas High School graduate was drafted out of high school in 2019 in the fifth round of the MLB Draft by the Baltimore Orioles.
Hernaiz, who can play third base, shortstop, or second base, was traded to the Oakland Athletics organization in 2023. He reached the big leagues last season with Oakland and had 23 hits and 12 RBI in 48 games.
In 1,517 at-bats in the minor leagues, he has 34 home runs and 212 RBI. Hernaiz is expected to start this season with the Triple-A affiliate of the Athletics, the Las Vegas Aviators.
You must be registered for see images attach
Ivan Melendez
The Coronado High School graduate and former University of Texas standout infielder was drafted in the second round by the Arizona Diamondbacks in the 2022 MLB Draft. In three seasons in the minors, he's hit 55 home runs and 218 hits, reaching as high as Double-A Amarillo. He missed much of spring training with an oblique injury, and where he will be assigned for the upcoming season is still uncertain.
You must be registered for see images attach
Brandon Pimentel
The Socorro High graduate, who can play in the outfield or infield, is currently with the Washington Nationals organization. After a successful college career, first at Howard Junior College and later at UT-Rio Grande Valley, he signed as a free agent with the Nationals in 2023.
In two seasons with the Nationals organization, he has nine home runs and 100 RBI. He has not been officially assigned a team, but a landing spot with the Wilmington Blue Rocks of Advanced Class A is possible.
Samuel Natera
Natera, who played high school baseball at El Paso's Lydia Patterson Institute and then at New Mexico State, is in the Los Angeles Angels organization.
The 6-foot-4, left-handed pitcher from Ciudad Juárez was drafted by the Angels in the 17th round of the 2023 MLB Draft out of NMSU.
In two seasons in the minor leagues, he has an impressive 142 strikeouts in 105.2 innings pitched. Natera has been in the organization's minor league camp since March 8 but has not been assigned a team. Landing spots could include the Advanced Class A Tri-City Dust Devils or the Double A Rocket City Trash Pandas.
More: Baseball news Americas graduate Darell Hernaiz earns spot on MLB opening day roster
Felix F. Chavez can be reached at [email protected]; @Fchavezeptimes on X.
This article originally appeared on El Paso Times: MLB Opening Day: Former El Paso high school players ready for season
Continue reading...
