Miguel Amaya, a promising recruit of the Chicago Cubs, shares an intriguing account of his journey from his first encounter with a baseball field at the tender age of four to his current status as an up-and-coming major league prospect.
Now on the brink of celebrating his 20th birthday, Miguel Amaya recalled the vivid memories of his first time at a baseball field when he was a just 4 years old.
“The coach said I was fat and that the fat guy has to play catcher,” Amaya said Thursday on one of the back fields at the Cubs’ spring training complex. “Since that day, I loved catcher.”
Miguel Amaya started catching at four years old because his tee-ball coach said "ok, let's have the fat kid catch" 😭 pic.twitter.com/UHV8gTTzMV
— Talkin’ Baseball (@TalkinBaseball_) March 17, 2024
Amaya, a native of La Villa de los Santos, Panama, inked his first professional contract with the Cubs back in 2015.
Standing tall at 6-foot-1 and tipping the scales at a muscular 185 pounds, Amaya has triumphantly transformed from a chubby youngster into a strong athletic figure.
Unlike many of his counterparts, his sheer determination to become better is evident through his astonishing transformation.
Miguel’s knack for going the extra mile did not go unnoticed by the Cubs’ administrative staff. Alex Suarez, Director of International Pro Scouting and Player Development for the Cubs, adores Amaya for his intangible qualities.
As Amaya reported to the Cubs’ academy in the Dominican Republic in 2016, he was adamant about embracing the English language.
He insisted on being spoken to in English by the coaches.
“I think he has certain intangibles that you look for behind the plate,” “He’s a great teammate and he’s taught himself English. He’s pushed himself to be able to communicate with the English-speaking and Spanish-speaking players,” Suarez shared.
“When it’s all said and done, the tools behind the plate and at the plate have proven that he belongs in pro ball and he’s somebody who we should definitely keep our eyes on.”
Despite the initial hardships, Miguel’s persistent efforts started paying off.
The young talent performed impressively at Class A South Bend in the previous season. He boasted an average of .256, with 12 home runs and 52 RBIs in 116 games.
The pertinent question remains: What does Miguel need to do to break into the big leagues?
“I’ve been working more on my hitting,” Amaya said. “I’ve been catching since I was 4 years old and I don’t know everything about catching, but that’s my job. I know a lot about catching. Hitting is really hard. I’ve been working on that and learning a lot to hit the ball in the strike zone. I think I just need to play more games to get to the big leagues, to be mature.”
“The catcher is the brain of the team,” he said. “He’s the brain of the game. We’re the only player who is in front of everything. We’re always watching everything. We have to be heads up — we have to pass the signs to the whole team. If runners are taking a big lead, we have to throw to the bases. We have to do everything.”
According to Suarez he has observed maturity in Miguel:
“He’s the type of guy who has played beyond his years and showed the poise we’re looking for behind the plate,” Suarez said. “They have to be even-keeled and handle a staff, and having that type of poise to become that calming presence behind the plate is something that attracted us to Amaya right from the beginning.”
