Overcoming obstacles nothing new for Flores
King City High alum Marc Flores plans on returning to the Mexican League after playing in Venezuela.
KINGCITY>> Behind the plate was former A’s and Angels catcher Carlos Perez. On the mound was hurler Henderson Alvarez, who tossed a no-hitter during his time as a Florida Marlin.
Marc Flores found himself in a lineup surrounded by teammates in the Venezuelan Winter League who had sniffed Major League Baseball, as well as prospects headed in that direction.
And the 28-year-old King City High graduate fit right in upon his late arrival, opening eyes with his 400-plus-foot moonshot homers that sailed into orbit.
“I put up good numbers,” Flores said. “I was a couple of hits from hitting .300. I was getting on base by walking. I was hitting the ball hard.”
So imagine coming to the sta
dium a week before the postseason and not seeing your name on the lineup card or on the roster.
Despite being among the
team’s home run leaders since his arrival, Flores was informed he was being released by Magallanes, replaced by a 40-yearold veteran who had one at-bat all season.
“It totally blindsided me,” said Flores, a former Mission Trail Athletic League all-leaguer in basketball, baseball and football at King City.
Knowing a right-handed pitcher was throwing that day and he was the only left-handed bat on the roster, Flores knew something wasn’t right.
“I went into the manager’s office and said, ‘Why am I not in the lineup, am I being released?’ “Flores said. “He said, ‘I don’t know. Let me call the general manager.’ I said, ‘No. I’ll call.’ “
A 6-foot-5 first baseman, Flores was told the team felt like it needed an outfielder for the playoffs. As an import player, the one-time Hartnell College all-state slugger was the odd man out.
“I asked, ‘Have you seen my numbers?’ “Flores said. “My teammates were in shock. I’ve been fighting an uphill battle since I was drafted by the White Sox. It’s just another obstacle to overcome.”
Flores’ numbers did make the move puzzling. In just 64 at-bats, he was hitting .275 with five homers and 12 runs batted in, sporting a .421 onbase
percentage and a .974 OPS.
“Those are numbers that normally don’t warrant a release,” Flores said. “Considering I hadn’t had an at-bat in nearly a year upon getting here, I was pleased with my numbers.”
The pandemic canceled Flores’ season in the Mexican League, where he hit 32 homers and drove in 104 runs in 105 games for Aquascalientes in 2019 while hitting .318.
Flores looked at the Venezuelan Winter League as a
shot to get his name on the radar for other professional organizations in Japan and Korea in the spring.
“There are a lot of former big leaguers here,” Flores said. “There’s a lot of prospects looking for at-bats before going back to spring training. Playing in Venezuela is something I always wanted to do.”
Flores played in just 22 games for Magallanes, mainly as a designated hitter. The year off didn’t seem to hurt his power, hitting a homer in every 12th at-bat.
“I had been taking 200 cuts a day in a batting cage my dad and I built at home,” Flores said. “We did a lot of soft toss. I walked around a lot in the hills where we live outside King City to keep fit.”
Flores anticipates returning in April to Mexico to play for Aguascalientes, where he put together a season for the ages in 2019, compiling a .487 on-base percentage to go along with 88 walks.
The 32 homers and 104 runs batted in are two of the top five marks in franchise history.
“It was a coming-out year,” Flores said. “I often go back and look at the videos to study my swing. I use it as motivation. It reminds me mentally of what I’m capable of doing.”
Prior to 2019, Flores had never hit more than 17 homers in a season. But he added 25 pounds of muscle to a chiseled 250-pound frame two years ago, increasing his power, while cutting down on his strikeouts.
“I had hit the ball well the season before,” Flores said. “Things just fell into place in 2019. I had set a goal. I kept telling myself I can hit 30 homers. Honestly, I’m proud of the homers.”
Flores has been told that the Mexican League will reduce its season to 66 games and likely start up in May.
The level of play in the Mexican League has been compared to Triple-A baseball in the U.S., with several former major leaguers in the league.
And while Flores knows there are bigger paydays should he opt for Japan or Korea, in the back of his mind remains that dream as a kid to land on a major league roster.
“You hear stories all the time of guys getting their shot at a later age,” Flores said. “If I have another good year, hopefully a scout will take note. I believe I can help a lot of teams.”
And Flores is just coming into his prime as a player. Each year he has gotten better since arriving in the Mexican League in 2018. The .318 average was also a careerhigh in 2019.
“I just know the game better,” Flores said. “I understand what I need to do to prepare in the offseason. I am sort of my own coach at my age. I know how to get ready for the job.”
At times playing baseball has felt like an uphill battle for Flores. After being drafted by the White Sox in the 30th round in 2014, he played in just 32 games before being released.
After three years playing independent league baseball in the U.S., Flores went to Mexico, where he has hit 49 homers and driven in 162 runs in 217 games, batting .308.
“When you’re a lower pick, you have limited opportunities to succeed,” Flores said. “You’re skating on thin ice each practice. When money is invested in higher picks, you’re not going to get the same look. It doesn’t mean you can’t play. I’ve been proving people wrong my entire life.”