A-FAMILY TIE
Draft prospect always has uncle Alex in his corner
Joe Dunand Jr. never wondered about his future. He never had to weigh different career paths. For as long as he can remember, it was always baseball. After all, he wanted to emulate his uncle. Of course, this wasn’t just any ordinary uncle who had a few shining moments on the diamond. It was Alex Rodriguez. “It’s been a dream of mine since I was a baby [to play professional baseball],” the 21-yearold N.C. State infielder said in a phone interview prior to this week’s MLB Draft, which begins with the first two rounds on Monday night. “Growing up in the clubhouses, hanging around my uncle, being around [major league players], seeing what those guys did for a living, there’s nothing better than playing baseball.
“Those moments influenced my dreams.”
He’s closing in on one of those dreams: Getting drafted. After a stellar high school career at Gulliver Prep in Miami — which included setting a national high school record of hitting eight home runs in eight straight at-bats — Dunand landed a scholarship at N.C. State. He had a strong career there, blasting 18 home runs this year and helping the Wolfpack reach the NCAA Tournament.
“It feels like just yesterday he was down in Tampa or at Yankee Stadium, and I was throwing him batting practice when he was 10, 11, 12 years old,” Rodriguez said in a phone interview. “And here he is now right on the steps of hopefully what is a long career for him.”
The 6-foot-2, 205-pound prospect insists he wouldn’t be where he is without his famous uncle. He would often spend time with A-Rod during the summer, going on road trips, and would visit spring training. He would take batting practice and field ground balls with his uncle and the other Yankees.
He’s always been able to get advice from Rodriguez, whom he affectionately called “Tio Alex” — uncle Alex in Spanish — growing up. The best wisdom A-Rod has given him
is emphasizing the importance of eating healthy and maintaining his focus and routine in difficult times.
“Alex has been a guiding light for Joe,” said his father, Joe Dunand Sr., who is A-Rod’s half brother. “Alex has been very frank. When he hasn’t looked good, he tells him, ‘You have to work on this.’ Or when he has looked good, he tells him.
“He really sees the talent [in Joe]. He tells him all the time, ‘Joe, you can play this game 12-15 years.’ ”
Scouts see his promise. He is ranked No. 130 by Baseball America, and one AL crosschecker who is familiar with him, believes he can go as high as the third round.
“He has a chance to have plus power,” the scout said. “Fifteen-to-20-homerun type [of player]. He has plenty of raw power.”
But Rodriguez doesn’t think that’s his nephew’s greatest attribute.
“The best part about him is his makeup. It’s off the charts,” A-Rod said. “He’s not going to be overwhelmed by the stage, because he’s grown up on the stage.”
When Dunand watched Rodriguez in his days in the big leagues, he always envisioned himself in the same position one day, not only getting drafted and reaching the majors, but carve out a career for himself.
“We take those steps to get to this step,” Dunand said. “It starts all over when you get drafted.”
Then, another dream begins.