By Tara Lynn
NEW YORK – Willy Adames didn’t appear as if he had too much left to prove in the minor leagues. Tampa Bay, however, assigned him to minor league camp in early March, signaling that the club didn’t think he was quite ready to make the leap from Triple-A Durham.
Adames, whom the Rays acquired from Detroit in the 2014 David Price deal, remains one of the top prospects not only in Tampa’s system but also in all of baseball. According to MLB.com, he is No. 22. If he was disappointed that he opened the season in Durham, he hasn’t let it show, putting together a slash line of .315/.419/.507 and 15 RBIs through the end of April.
The native of the Dominican Republic also hit for the first cycle in the Durham Bulls’ Triple-A franchise history on April 23 against the Buffalo Bisons.
That Adames didn’t fuss when he was sent down isn’t surprising. Whether he hits for the cycle or has a bad day, his demeanor doesn’t change. It’s part of a demeanor and work ethic from which he derives the belief that anything is possible.
“Si yo pude, tu tambien puedes,” Adames said. Translated, it means, “If I can, you also can.”
In either language, Adames humility is evident. Consider that he writes the same caption under all of his pictures on social media, particularly Instagram. He writes, “NoBookBag” and “ThanksGod” under every picture.
“That’s something they say in the Dominican,” he said. “They say “no bulto.” When you see people in the Dominican they say bultero, that’s because they like to show off or post fancy stuff. So when I say “No Book Bag,” it’s the opposite of that. It’s like a humble saying, not everything needs to be showed off,”Adames said.
“No matter what type of adversity I may face, I will always stay positive and my personality will never change.”
Adames is active on all social media platforms where he shares inspiring pictures and messages for his fans to view. Close to 12,000 followers, the Dominican native writes captions and posts both in English and Spanish.
“I’ve followed Willy for years on Instagram. All of his posts he dedicated to baseball and I’ve watched him turn into a successful but humble baseball player. He truly is a great example for his peers and fans, “said Josh Shapiro from major social media account, Baseball Lifestyle.
Since the draft in 2014, Adames has been living in the United States because of his constant traveling and baseball. His goal is to visit as many places as he can and grasp something unique about each one. He also has become fluent in two languages and is eager to learn more from different teammates all over the world. His favorite music is listening to Tipico bands. Adames enjoys his free time with family and friends. A huge part of his success happens when his good luck charm, his mom, watches him play.
The Rays are expected to bring Adames to majors, perhaps as soon as next month.
“I’m excited, it is going to be a dream come true and an amazing moment. I can’t wait to get the call and to show the people what I can do on and off the field. I’m going to continue to stay humble, I love this game,” Adames said.
