SAN JUAN, Puerto Rico -- Giancarlo Stanton had one rule for the 150 kids who gathered to attend MLB’s Play Ball clinic at Estadio Hiram Bithorn on Sunday afternoon.
“I only came here to have fun,” Stanton said. “So we’re going to have fun. That’s mandatory.”
The participants were more than happy to oblige.
Over the next 90 minutes, the youth baseball players took the field alongside Stanton. He helped lead kids through a circuit of activities on the field, including baserunning, hitting off a tee, slugging, throwing and catching. Dozens were lucky to receive hands-on instruction from Stanton, who signed countless autographs, hats and T-shirts while rotating between the five stations.
“These are moments that these kids are never going to forget,” said Edwin Rodríguez, the assistant director of the MLB Development Program in Puerto Rico. “In these formative years, when someone like Giancarlo Stanton shows up and talks to them and shakes their hand, it’s really important for them, not only for their sports careers but also for their lives.
“It’s really important that they see that he’s human and not just someone who’s only on television. When they hear Stanton speak -- and he’s a very intelligent person -- he’ll know the right things to say. He knows what they’re going through right now. I think that maybe even two or three words from Stanton will resonate with these kids for the rest of their lives.”
Stanton first traveled to Puerto Rico in 2010, when the Marlins played a three-game series against the Mets at Estadio Hiram Bithorn. He enjoyed returning to the island this offseason, mainly because the trip allowed him to reconnect with some of his family history. Stanton’s maternal great-grandmother was born in Ponce, where the Yankees slugger visited Estadio Paquito Montaner and spoke to more local kids on Thursday.
“It’s part of my bloodline,” Stanton said. “It’s part of my history. I thought it was really important to be able to bring [a Play Ball clinic] here and just enjoy the beautiful country and explore everything I can in between.”
Major League Baseball has worked to strengthen its ties to Puerto Rico in recent years. In 2013, MLB launched a year-round Elite Development Program on the island, which runs across four different regions -- Bayamón, Caguas, Salinas and Mayagüez -- and offers free weekly practices emphasizing skill development in players ages 12-18. MLB also helped create the Puerto Rico Baseball Academy and High School in 2003, creating pathways for standout players like Carlos Correa, Christian Vásquez and Victor Caratini to be drafted and enter pro ball.
David James, MLB’s vice president of baseball and softball development, said he hopes Play Ball clinics like the one hosted by Stanton will help remove financial barriers and inspire kids to stick with the sport. Each child who attended the event on Sunday received a free Play Ball t-shirt and a Franklin plastic bat and ball set.
“There’s probably 200 of these Play Ball events that are taking place all across the country here in Puerto Rico,” James said. “It’s making sure that more kids have access to bat-and-ball sports and not having to go out of pocket.
“There’s a lot of kids here. They’re excited. Giancarlo being here that’s a big deal. … We just want them to come out and have fun.”