No baseball, but Baez honored
Dexter junior named Gatorade Player of the Year
How do you select a Massachusetts Gatorade Baseball Player of the Year when there is no baseball season? Well, it likely takes a little detective work.
And when you do some investigating, the evidence — 450-foot homers, a mid90s fastball, blazing speed — adds up to Dexter Southfield junior Joshua Baez.
It is a bittersweet award for Baez, who was humbled to be recognized among so many outstanding players across the state but disappointed that what was to be his initial season with Dexter Southfield never came to fruition due to COVID-19.
“It’s my first time not playing baseball during the spring, so it was a big change for me because I love baseball,” said Baez. “I was so excited to play. I was preparing all winter for it and getting chemistry with my teammates.”
His coach said Baez deserves the honor. “He is a legitimate five-tool guy. Most guys have two or three of the tools,” said Dexter Southfield coach Dan Donato. “I think the Gatorade people did their research.”
Of course, it doesn’t take too much digging. After all, Baez is verbally committed to play for reigning national champion Vanderbilt. But it’s been a bit of a nomadic baseball journey to this point for Baez, one that hit a bit of a bottleneck with the pandemic and may yet take another detour before it reaches Nashville.
The Dorchester resident moved to the United States from the Dominican Republic when he was in the sixth grade. He played his freshman season for Cristo Rey before landing at Snowden last spring, where he helped the Cougars repeat as Boston City League champions, taking home MVP honors in the BCL final after striking out 10 batters in six innings in a 10-1 win over New Mission.
But Baez was looking to broaden his horizons, both athletically and academically. Family friend Ryan Hernandez, who played at Dexter Southfield and is now the starting first baseman at the University of Houston, recommended the Brookline prep school after his positive experience, and Baez followed his path.
“He’s basically like a cousin to me,” said Baez of Hernandez. “Coming to Dexter after Ryan is a great honor. I love it. It’s such a supportive school. It was a big adjustment but great preparation for college since I’m going to
Vanderbilt.”
Donato says that Baez, who had a 3.5 grade point average at Snowden, has immediately invested in the Dexter Southfield community in his first year.
“He is a world-class kid — incredibly respectful, tough as nails, and not afraid of the work,” said Donato, who grew up in Hyde Park. “The academics I’m sure were a little bit of an eye-opener, but he has done it the right way. He is a kid you root for.”
There is little doubt that Baez won’t have much trouble adjusting on the diamond. The 6-foot-3, 220pounder’s calling card is the prodigious power he generates from his quick righthanded stroke, which produces jaw-dropping batting practice displays.
“We had two practices before the pandemic hit and you could see really quickly that he was elite,” said Donato. “You could put a Red Sox uniform on him right now and if he took BP his power would be in the upper echelon. His power is as good as anyone in the country. He doesn’t get cheated.”
But he has also been timed in the 6.1-6.3 second range in the 60-yard dash, according to Donato — comparable to some of the fastest players in the majors — speed he utilizes not only on the basepaths but patrolling center field.
And while his baseball future isn’t likely on the mound — Baez joked that Vanderbilt can get pretty much any pitcher in the country — he recently accomplished a personal goal of hitting 95 on the gun in a bullpen session.
“All of my hard work on and off the field, I want to be able to be my best at every aspect of the game,” said Baez.
Baez has not let the pandemic affect that work ethic, continuing to lift weights from home and hitting off a tee. And he hopes to get back on the field soon as his summer schedule, which includes playing for an Area Code Games team again, remains a go as of now.
Baez also may have another decision to make on his baseball road as Donato believes he has the potential to be an early-round pick in the 2021 MLB draft and the talent to be an impact pro.
“I’m just living in the moment, trying to work hard and planning to go to Vanderbilt,” said Baez. “I can’t really know what is in the future.”