Dodgers sign young Mexican pitcher from Guanajuato

Bryan Lara, 16, from Salamanca city in Guanajuato state, Mexico is the newest member of the Dodgers organization. 

“The road has not been easy,” Lara said. “It’s been a hard battle, but in the end, it’s all a product of the work, the sacrifices that one has to make to reach our dreams. The first thing I thought when I decided to be a baseball player was that one day I get to go to the United States and that has now come true, now it’s going step by step to keep accomplishing my goals and of course, I dream of one day debuting in the big leagues.” 

Lara said he is a Shohei Ohtani fan and is excited to be a Dodger. His fastball speed is of up to 92 miles per hour, as first reported by L.A. Taco. 

Juvenal Soto, Dodgers scout agent, said Lara is a prospect to be an opener in the future, thanks to his speed and physical abilities. Soto said Lara will make three to four trips to the Dominican Republic.

Mauricio Martínez, president of the Mexican baseball academy Bravos where Lara trained, said “In our club, we are in love with the phrase that you can’t because they told us that at one point, that Bravos would not be successful in the city because it’s a soccer town and now that we have matured, and Bryan is the first from Guanajuato to be signed, we are full of pride. This marks a before and after of the organization.” 

Bravos and Top Velocity Academy of Boca Raton, Florida signed another Mexican pitcher, Luis Gámez, also 16, to the Dodgers. The Boca Raton organization also signed Juan Cazarez to the Seattle Mariners. Cazares also played for the Bravos de Leon.