Ibanez has big-league pedigree, knack for adapting
FIU baseball recruit Raul “RJ” Ibanez Jr., born in Shawnee Mission, Kansas, is only 18, but he has already moved to several metropolitan areas — Los Angeles, Seattle, Philadelphia, New York and Miami.
That nomadic-type lifestyle is a product of the career of his father, Raul Ibanez, a former Miami Sunset High and Miami Dade College star who played for five franchises in a standout 19year career in the majors and is now a special advisor for the Los Angeles Dodgers.
Ibanez Jr., who moved to Miami for the ninth grade, seems to finally have found a home, especially considering he will stay in this city for college. He played for Palmer Trinity as a freshman and for Westminster Christian the past three seasons, and he has made every adjustment with ease.
“Moving around has helped me become more outgoing, adapting to situations,” he said. “It’s helped me with my people skills.”
On the diamond, he has been just as adaptive. He is right-handed hitter — a difference from his father who batted lefty. However, “RJ” has been working on switch-hitting for several years, although he has done very little from the left side in actual games.
At Palmer, Ibanez said he went 2-for-3 from the left side. At Westminster Christian, Ibanez said he went 2-for-4 from the left side, but that was in the fall.
“His swing looks good from the left side,” said Emil Castellanos, Westminster Christian’s coach. “We were excited to see it in certain games this year, but our season was cut short [because of the coronavirus pandemic].”
Defensively, Ibanez was signed by FIU as a center fielder. But Ibanez also has experience at catcher, and that could be a position for him longterm if he gets a chance in the pros.
“I absolutely love the switch-hitting and catching options he presents,” FIU coach Mervyl Melendez said. “He’s one of the best defensive center fielders I’ve seen at his age. Catching gives him more versatility.”
Ibanez’s best skill right now is that he is a contact hitter, and he projects as a possible leadoff or twohole batter. In four years of prep ball, he hit .343 with a .454 on-base percentage and 19 steals in 20 attempts. He walked 55 times and struck out on just 32 occasions.
At 6-0, 170 pounds, Ibanez needs to get stronger. Assuming that happens as he matures physically, it could make a big difference in his power numbers.
Ibanez ended his prep career with 12 doubles, two triples and one homer, which happened as a freshman.
“Once RJ puts on about 20 pounds, those doubles will become homers,” said Castellanos, who went to two regional finals with Ibanez on his team. “He was already hitting balls out in batting practice. But the best thing about him is that he works counts and makes contact.”
Ibanez, who said he speaks “broken Spanish,” plans to study sports psychology at FIU.
He said he has a fascination with “the human mind,” and he used a sports psychologist for a couple of years after he saw the success his father had while doing the same.
Ibanez Sr., an MLB AllStar in 2009, had more than 2,000 hits and 300 homers in his big-league career. He played until age 42, and his longevity allowed his son the chance to watch him up close in the latter stages of his career.
“One of my favorite memories came in 2013,” RJ said. “My dad was with the Seattle Mariners, and because it was a spring training game, I was allowed to sit in the dugout.
“On his second at-bat, my dad hit a homer, and I gave him a high-five. That was pretty exciting.”