Around the Diamond: Pazos' Path to Pitt
10/18/2016 12:00:00 AM | Baseball
Manny Pazos' journey to the United States was all about luck, but his success here has been credited to nothing but hard work.
His mother won el bombo, essentially the Cuban lottery. However, the winning ticket doesn't provide a grand sum of money. Instead, it's a ticket out of the communist country that sits approximately 90 miles south of the tip of the Florida Keys.
Allowed to emigrate to the U.S. and bring her immediate family, Manny and his siblings, they were off to Miami. Manny was just four years old.
Winning this emigration lottery was a rare treat, as the United States often received over a half a million applications, roughly five percent of the small nation's population. They generally allowed around 20,000 Cubans per year, but the quota of Cubans who actually reached U.S. soil was much less.
Cuba has a strong pedigree of producing quality Major League Baseball players, including active ones such as Jose Abreu from the Chicago White Sox, the New York Mets' Yoenis Cespedes, Aroldis Chapman of the Cubs, and the late Jose Fernandez. These players often hone their skills and marinate in their home country before the MLB comes calling, along with people pledging they can help with their fleeing of the country. The bombo was Pazos' ticket out at age four, the same age when he began to play baseball and kick-start his plight to Pitt. While the ticket was full of luck, his journey to the University of Pittsburgh wasn't. That consisted of hard work. Hard work and a strong sense of passion from Pazos, a passion that he exudes every day on the diamond.
"My passion," said Pazos, on what he can bring to the table next year, if drafted. "I'm really passionate about this game. I've played it since I was four years old and it's really the only thing I know. It's one thing I can say, I'm really passionate at this game and I can really bring that into next year."
That passion to improve has poised him to take over the role of starting catcher this year after Alex Kowalcyzk was drafted in the 12th round by the Texas Rangers. He had a productive spring and is trying to increase his offense, as Pazos has always been a defensive asset behind home plate.
In 25 games last season, 20 of which he started, Pazos hit .154 with three runs batted in. He also drew 13 walks in 78 plate appearances.
One of those RBIs came in an ACC contest in Miami, the senior's hometown, against the nationally-ranked Hurricanes, in front of his family.
"That was awesome. It's been a lifelong dream of mine to play Division I baseball against the University of Miami, which I pretty much was thinking about going after my senior year, but I ended up coming here. Playing against them was pretty cool.
The catcher position allows a lot of opportunities to play, with the physical demands a player of its position endures on the knees, as well as pitcher-catcher relationships taken into account.
Pazos has already gained a lot of experience, as an opportunity to play early on in his collegiate career directed him to Pitt.
The Miami native played 44 games his freshman season, starting 38. He hit .143 with 12 RBIs and two doubles, scoring 12 runs. His sophomore season he played 37 games, starting in 32. The catcher hit .218 with 11 RBIs, five doubles and two triples.
He's seen plenty of time behind the plate and has had a productive spring season at bat and has also relished the role as mentor to sophomore catcher Alex Griffith, as they prepare for the season ahead.
"I think I've showed my seniority, in the way that I've set an example for a lot of young guys," said Pazos, alluding to this spring. "Showing them that that if you put the work in, you can reach your ultimate goal."
Pazos path to the University of Pittsburgh was different than any other player on the Pitt baseball diamond, but that doesn't mean his goal for this season is any different.
"Winning. Getting into the ACC Tournament for the first year in our history. That's would probably be our biggest accomplishment, my biggest goal here."
#H2P | Twitter | Instagram
His mother won el bombo, essentially the Cuban lottery. However, the winning ticket doesn't provide a grand sum of money. Instead, it's a ticket out of the communist country that sits approximately 90 miles south of the tip of the Florida Keys.
Allowed to emigrate to the U.S. and bring her immediate family, Manny and his siblings, they were off to Miami. Manny was just four years old.
Winning this emigration lottery was a rare treat, as the United States often received over a half a million applications, roughly five percent of the small nation's population. They generally allowed around 20,000 Cubans per year, but the quota of Cubans who actually reached U.S. soil was much less.
Cuba has a strong pedigree of producing quality Major League Baseball players, including active ones such as Jose Abreu from the Chicago White Sox, the New York Mets' Yoenis Cespedes, Aroldis Chapman of the Cubs, and the late Jose Fernandez. These players often hone their skills and marinate in their home country before the MLB comes calling, along with people pledging they can help with their fleeing of the country. The bombo was Pazos' ticket out at age four, the same age when he began to play baseball and kick-start his plight to Pitt. While the ticket was full of luck, his journey to the University of Pittsburgh wasn't. That consisted of hard work. Hard work and a strong sense of passion from Pazos, a passion that he exudes every day on the diamond.
"My passion," said Pazos, on what he can bring to the table next year, if drafted. "I'm really passionate about this game. I've played it since I was four years old and it's really the only thing I know. It's one thing I can say, I'm really passionate at this game and I can really bring that into next year."
That passion to improve has poised him to take over the role of starting catcher this year after Alex Kowalcyzk was drafted in the 12th round by the Texas Rangers. He had a productive spring and is trying to increase his offense, as Pazos has always been a defensive asset behind home plate.
In 25 games last season, 20 of which he started, Pazos hit .154 with three runs batted in. He also drew 13 walks in 78 plate appearances.
One of those RBIs came in an ACC contest in Miami, the senior's hometown, against the nationally-ranked Hurricanes, in front of his family.
"That was awesome. It's been a lifelong dream of mine to play Division I baseball against the University of Miami, which I pretty much was thinking about going after my senior year, but I ended up coming here. Playing against them was pretty cool.
The catcher position allows a lot of opportunities to play, with the physical demands a player of its position endures on the knees, as well as pitcher-catcher relationships taken into account.
Pazos has already gained a lot of experience, as an opportunity to play early on in his collegiate career directed him to Pitt.
The Miami native played 44 games his freshman season, starting 38. He hit .143 with 12 RBIs and two doubles, scoring 12 runs. His sophomore season he played 37 games, starting in 32. The catcher hit .218 with 11 RBIs, five doubles and two triples.
He's seen plenty of time behind the plate and has had a productive spring season at bat and has also relished the role as mentor to sophomore catcher Alex Griffith, as they prepare for the season ahead.
"I think I've showed my seniority, in the way that I've set an example for a lot of young guys," said Pazos, alluding to this spring. "Showing them that that if you put the work in, you can reach your ultimate goal."
Pazos path to the University of Pittsburgh was different than any other player on the Pitt baseball diamond, but that doesn't mean his goal for this season is any different.
"Winning. Getting into the ACC Tournament for the first year in our history. That's would probably be our biggest accomplishment, my biggest goal here."
#H2P | Twitter | Instagram
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