Clearwater’s Mr. Worldwide

The journey to professional baseball is always interesting, full of twists and turns, and never the same from player to player. One commonality is how difficult it is for players to make it through high school, college, or any international ranks to get drafted or signed by a major league organization. Long hours in the cage or the bullpen, road trips to camps, and many hours in the gym perfecting one’s body and craft to prepare them for arguably the hardest sport to excel in. Millions of children across the world share that same dream of becoming a professional athlete, but only a select few can achieve it. Fewer still can keep up the sport while crossing hemispheres three times. Gabriel Rincones Jr. spent his childhood in Venezuela, Scotland, and the United States before going to college and getting drafted by the Phillies in 2022. It was not an easy journey, but certainly, one he is proud of.

Gabriel was exposed to baseball at an early age in Venezuela, where he and his family lived until he was six years old. Baseball is engrained in the culture of Venezuela, and in Gabriel’s blood as well, since his father and namesake, Gabriel Rincones Sr. is a former professional baseball player as well. Rincones Sr. Was signed as an international free agent and pitched one season in Rookie Ball for the Seattle Mariners in 1997. Eager to follow in his father’s footsteps, Rincones Jr. was quickly enrolled in little leagues in Venezuela where he played until he was six years old, and his family moved to Scotland.

Not only was the language barrier a challenge to learn, but Scotland does not have a passion for baseball like Venezuela does. “In Venezuela, it is what you see. Everybody is hyped and always ready to go” said Gabriel of playing baseball in Venezuela. “Growing up in Scotland even though I had six years without playing, no exposure to baseball with many kids my age didn’t even know what baseball was growing up...it just stuck with me the entire time I was in Scotland.” He played in Sunday leagues and in more casual settings while in Scotland, getting on a diamond as much as he could, but it wasn’t until he was a teenager that he was able to fully rededicate himself to the game and start playing high school ball in Florida. The Rincones family switched continents for the second time and moved to Florida so Gabriel could pursue baseball in the United States.

However, it was not an easy transition for Gabriel to change countries again and jump right back into baseball after some time removed from the game. He hit around.280 his senior year and only had one offer coming out of high school, which he took and began his collegiate career in junior college at St. Petersburg. Despite living far away from his family, who had returned to Scotland, Rincones Jr. emerged as a star at St. Pete, averaging over .400 in his two seasons in junior college and was named the top Florida Junior College player after his final season. In addition to the accolades, he was selected in the 19th round of the 2021 MLB Draft by the San Diego Padres. Despite the offer from San Diego to turn pro, Rincones Jr. wasn’t satisfied, and chose instead to transfer to Division I Florida Atlantic University.

Rincones Jr. wrestled with the decision to stay in school and put off his dream of becoming pro so he could get a better offer coming into a major league organization. Despite pausing a surefire opportunity to go pro, something he hoped would happen coming out of High School Gabriel is steadfast on FAU being the best move for him. “If I didn’t go to FAU, I definitely wouldn’t be in the same mind space. Everything is just so good now.” He dominated the competition at FAU, increasing his home run total to 19, after hitting six for St. Petersburg in the season prior, with a .348 batting average and 69 RBI. He was named to the First-Team All-Conference USA and awarded the CUSA Newcomer of the Year award for his spectacular season.

When he was drafted again in 2022, Rincones Jr. lept at the chance to turn pro and signed with the Phillies after he was selected in the third round in the draft with the 93rd overall pick. In just one season, Rincones Jr. went from being picked in the second-to-last round to inside the top 100 picks. In what he says is “definitely not a coincidence,” Rincones went back to the Bay Area to train with the Phillies close to where he played his junior college ball. “I remember seeing some of the Threshers guys walk to the field while I was driving back from practice at St. Pete,” Rincones Jr. said of his time at St. Petersburg. "I would watch them and being like ‘alright, those guys are there now but I’m going to get there eventually.’ It’s crazy for everything to come full circle.” So much of the early portion of Gabriel’s baseball career had taken place in this area, from junior college to recruitment camps, he knew that this was where he would begin his major league journey.

Coming off an injury after the 2022 Draft, Rincones Jr. entered 2023 incredibly motivated to make an impression with the Phillies. He began the season at number seven on MLB.com’s Phillies Top 30 Prospect List and earned playing time in all but one game in the Threshers’ first two series in 2023. He credits his confidence, along with the support of his parents, in overcoming adversity to sign his first contract and begin his professional baseball career. “I go up to the plate with the mentality that I’m the best guy on the field, and this pitcher has nothing on me” Gabriel states. “If your confidence is through the roof going into any level jump, you’re going to adjust and compete and excel eventually.” He has already shown flashes of how good he can be, stealing his first five bases without getting caught and reaching base in over half of the games he played through the Threshers first nine contests of 2023. His confidence and skills have him as a mainstay in the Threshers’ lineup at the beginning of the season, and give him a high ceiling as he continues to improve his game in his quest to reach the majors.