Four local little leaguers selected to play in South Korea
IMPERIAL — Four local players will be taking their baseball talents farther than they’ve ever imaged as they were selected to participate in upcoming Incheon International Baseball Tournament in South Korea from July 21 to July 28.
Thirteen-year-olds Anthony Valladolid Jr., Andrew Rivera Jr., Sergio Omar Gastelum-Gutierrez and Emmanuel Trujillo will be playing for Mexico’s 13-and-Under national team in the tournament.
The four local players were the only players from the United States to be selected to Mexico’s 15-man roster, as the rest of the players come from different cities throughout Mexico.
The Mexican Federation of Baseball will cover each of the player’s hotel, food and tournament fees, while each player is required to pay for his own flight to Korea. While there, players will also get the opportunity to sight-see and tour some museums.
National teams from the United States, Dominican Republic, Japan, Hong Kong, Taiwan, China and Puerto Rico will also be participating in the tournament.
Imperial Valley Baseball Network president and Cleveland Indians pitching coordinator Ruben Niebla said Valladolid, Rivera, Gastelum and Trujillo are the first local players to ever be selected to play for the Mexico national team.
“I think overall it’s a good thing for our community that players from our area get this opportunity,” Niebla said. “Hopefully, this won’t be the last four kids that get this opportunity. Hopefully, this is a little bit of a motivator for others to continue playing, to continue working hard and to continue putting themselves in the right path for these opportunities.”
Niebla has had a long history of helping local players get scouted and recruited. The IVBN president was contacted by one of the Incheon tournament directors for suggestions of any players who might be able to fill the four available spots left on the Mexico roster.
Niebla worked with the parents of the four young players to submit highlight videos, and, after viewing them, Mexico coaches selected Valladolid, Rivera, Gastelum and Trujillo to be on the team.
“To be able to expose our local kids to our tournaments is a really great feeling,” Niebla stated. “Hopefully, those four men represent well and continue to open doors for others.”
Valladolid and Rivera both reside in Imperial and were former teammates on the Arizona Top Prospects travel baseball team.
“I was shocked,” Valladolid said of being one of four local players to be selected for team Mexico.
“I was surprised I made it. Out of anyone in the Valley, I was very happy I was chosen to play.”
While playing in the tournament, Valladolid, who currently plays for ATP 13-U and Sunbeam AllStars, will be playing with a special person in mind, as his father, Anthony Valladolid, unexpectedly passed away in January at the age of 41.
Valladolid’s father had yet to hear that his son made the Mexico team, which had been a long-time goal for the 13-year-old.
“I think he would’ve been proud of me, and I bet after he knew I made the team, every single day in the summer he would wake me up early just to work on my hitting and pitching,” Valladolid Jr. said.
When deciding which jersey number he would wear for team Mexico, the Valladolid hoped to select number 44 in honor of his father, who wore the number during his time playing baseball at Imperial Valley College as well as during his time as a head baseball umpire for local Little League games.
To his dismay, a Mexican teammate had already selected the number, which led Valladolid to select the jersey number of another well-known member of the local baseball community.
“I asked for number 54 because there’s this guy named Sergio Romo; he was my dad’s favorite player,” Valladolid said. “He umpired him during high school in Brawley. I thought if I couldn’t get my dad’s number, I’d get his favorite player’s number.”
Experienced in playing as a centerfielder, pitcher, catcher, third and first baseman, Valladolid hopes to be placed in an infield position for team Mexico.
Also looking to play an infield position for his new team is Rivera, who currently plays as a pitcher and third baseman for the Imperial Valley Elite baseball team
Receiving the news of making the Mexico roster was something of a shock for Rivera.
“I thought it was fake, I really couldn’t believe it,” Rivera said. “Then when my father confirmed it, I ran around the house and started screaming really loud.”
Rivera said finding sponsorships and raising money to help pay for his flight to Korea has been a challenge, although in doing so he’s learned the value of hard work.
“I realized it’s hard work because you have to go out there and work for it by raising money,” he said. “I’m still excited. I just realized how much work I have to put in if I want to go.”
Despite the tournament being televised in Korea, Rivera believes he will feel no added pressure while playing.
“I think it’ll be just like a regular, old baseball game,” he said. “I’ll just play like I’m at home, but also remember to be respectful because there’s other people watching. When I’m on the field, I’ll take it as just a normal baseball game. But once I get off the field, that’s when I’ll realize I’m in South Korea and have fun.”
Rivera’s father, Andrew Sr., is a coach for Elite and has witnessed his son and the three other local players chosen to play for Mexico develop throughout the years.
“I just want to get there already and see them play,” Rivera Sr. said. “I just love the game of baseball, especially when I know these kids could provide a high-caliber style of baseball.”
Gastelum and Trujillo both live and attend school in Mexicali, although make to the trip to El Centro almost daily to play with Elite.
Out of the four local players, Gastelum is the only one with prior experience playing on a national team, as he played last year on the Mexico 12-U team, which finished third overall in the international U-12 Baseball World Cup.
“I think it’s another good chance to continue with my baseball career,” Gastelum said on playing once again for Mexico. “I can now get better average numbers, and scouts from the U.S. could see me.”
Gastelum, who has been playing the sport since he was 2 years old, is most comfortable at playing the shortstop position, but is open to playing any position on the Mexico team during the tournament.
“It’s going to be a new experience,” Gastelum said. “I’m nearly going to the other part of the world. I’m not going to regret it. It’s going to be a nice experience. I’m going with my mom, so it’s nice she’ll also get to see South Korea.”
Trujillo said he’s excited to make the trip to Korea to see the different kind of style and discipline the players there have.
As he’s had the opportunity to play for and represent Baja California as a state, Trujillo said playing for the national Mexico team has definitely been the biggest opportunity he’s gotten throughout his nine years of playing baseball.
“I was really happy about the invitation,” Trujillo said. “I’ll definitely have my family in my heart, and I’ll be wearing the shirt of Mexico proudly.”
Trujillo plays shortstop, second base, third base and pitcher for Elite and hopes to play second base for team Mexico.