People tend to say that being a parent is the hardest job anyone could ever do, but according to Baltimore Orioles shortstop prospect Erick Salcedo, being a father is the most rewarding job he’s ever had.Â
On September 23, 2017 Elisabeth Salcedo was born forever changing Salcedo’s life.
“It’s a great experience having a little girl,” said Salcedo. “It makes me stronger and ready to go. To get to the big leagues for her.”
Salcedo batted .260/.320/.341 last season for the Bowie Baysox (Orioles AA affiliate) with five home runs and 47 runs batted in. The 2017 season became his second straight hitting over .250, in which he hit a solid .270 average for the Frederick Keys (Orioles Single A affiliate).
While these numbers don’t explode of the paper, Salcedo is definitely starting to make his case as a future Orioles infielder.
With Manny Machado leaving at the end of the season and dimmed down contract talks with second baseman Jonathan Schoop, the infield might become wide open for someone like Salcedo, especially with a very scarce number of infield prospects within the organization.
This past off-season Salcedo also played 25 games in Venezuela’s winter league hitting .295/.357/.318. But he decided to spend most of his off-season doing something more important.
“I spent most of my time with my wife and my little girl,” said Salcedo. “She’s growing so fast so spending time with her was great. It’s amazing having time with [Elisabeth]. But she’s at home now. You know, so I [play ball] for her and my wife too.”
Salcedo could potentially become a great success story for the Orioles. Having spend eight seasons in minor league ball and three in foreign ball, Salcedo is looking to make the most of every opportunity presented to him. And as most Orioles fans know, Bowie is the place to be if you’re one of their prospects.
This is a man to root for, Baltimore. He may not have the buzz around him in the media like Austin Hays or Chance Sicsco does, but we could soon be seeing Salcedo bounce around the Orioles infield soon enough. When he gets the call up then Orioles fan will be greeted by a man with integrity and respect for everyone who approaches him.
His down-to-earth personality and a hint of swagger will instantly make him a fan favorite when he puts on that Orioles uniform for good.
(PHOTO CREDIT: JOY R. ABSALON)
