All in the family: Mets plan to sign Ramos’ brother
PORT ST. LUCIE – Two years ago, Natanael Ramos sat in a chair at his older brother’s locker in the Tampa Bay Rays clubhouse. Wilson Ramos had stepped away to work out in the training room. Suddenly, a swarm of reporters formed a crowd around Natanael with the misconception that he was Wilson, the Rays All-Star catcher.
The Venezuelan brothers, though six years apart in age, look nearly identical both in facial features and physical stature.
“He was scared,” Wilson said, recalling the comical incident in 2017. “He was like, ‘No, no that’s not me. You’re looking for Wilson.’ That was a funny moment.”
Misunderstandings like that may happen more often as Wilson and Natanael are set to populate the same clubhouse at Port St. Lucie this spring. The Mets are in the process of signing Natanael to a minor-league deal with an invitation to big-league camp. The deal is not yet official, but Natanael is already standing around his big brother’s locker room at Mets camp.
“We’ve been living together all our life,” Wilson said. “As soon as I started playing baseball he was following in my footsteps. He would always tell me, ‘I wanna be like you, I wanna be like you.’ He’s really good. I just want to see him playing every day because I know the talent he has.”
The Mets signed Wilson to a 2year, $19 million contract in December. Natanael, 25, has been in the Mets organization since 2011. He elected for free agency in November 2017 – the last time he played for a team. Natanael reached Low-A Columbia his last season, hitting .227 in 12 games with the Columbia Fireflies.
The youngest Ramos brother slashed .220/.284/.274 with 33 RBIs, 29 walks, 17 doubles and a home run in 144 minor-league games.
“He didn’t get the opportunity to play every day,” Wilson said. “I know the talent he has. It’s good to see him getting another opportunity. So I’m very excited for him. Let’s see what happens when he starts spring training.”
Natanael has played a majority of his six-year minor league career behind the plate, catching 119 games over six levels in the Mets farm system. He has experience at first and second base, but Wilson sees Natanael excelling as a backstop.
“He’s always working hard behind the plate. He’s very smart,” Wilson said. “He knows how to call pitches. Good blocking, good receiving. That’s the position. He loves it. Then he followed me. We’re always talking. He asks me a lot of questions. He’s learning a lot.”
Wilson and Natanael talk every day and are very close to one another. Wilson said he’s proud of his youngest brother for working hard and is excited about the opportunity to continue being his role model and teacher at Mets camp.
“I just try to teach him what he has to do,” Wilson said. “We always talk. Nothing better than communication. He’s also really smart. He’s a good teammate.”
Wilson said Natanael will be comfortable at camp because he already knows a great deal of personnel and players through his six years with the Mets organization.
“As soon as I came (to the Mets), a lot of coaches asked me for him,” Wilson said. “They said he’s a really good kid, he’s a really good player and he’s a good person. That’s good when the teammates and the coaches think that about him. That made me feel good because I know what kind of person he is.”
Wilson and Natanael have a third brother, David, who was a minorleague pitcher in the Washington Nationals organization from 2012-17. Wilson, 31, is the oldest, David, 27, is the middle child and Natanael, 25, is the youngest. The trio first played together in the Venezuelan Professional Baseball League in 2015. Wilson was at first base, David was pitching and Natanael was catching for the Tigres de Aragua.