Hemmanuel Rosario Díaz had a chance at the bat, and he did not let it go to waste. The 16-year-old signed a professional free-agent contract at an inordinately young age, and he is already in the United States, after having chosen the New York Yankees.

This baseball catcher and native from Juncos overcame all the obstacles in his way to make his dream come true.

‘(I am) super excited, because this doesn’t happen to just anyone. When you work for something and succeed, it’s the best thing that could happen to you,’ Rosario Díaz said yesterday in a phone interview.

And he can definitely talk about the efforts he has made to finally sign as a professional. Rosario Díaz had to face challenges, such as not being invited to the Excellence Tournament, a sports competition that helps showcase players’ abilities before scouts from the Major Leagues and US colleges. However, he was able to demonstrate his talent at a training before these games, which are held over several days.

‘I was not chosen to play at the Excellence Tournament. I felt bad because it was a great opportunity (for exposition), but they called me for the workout. I looked good in the workout, and that’s when the phone calls started coming in,’ Rosario Díaz recalled, adding that the had hoped to hear his name in the amateur draft for next year.

The Houston Astros and Baltimore Orioles also showed interest in signing him, but he chose to join the legendary Yankees.

The baseball player started school at 3 years old. Rosario Díaz admitted he was enrolled early in school, and his parents preferred he continue studying from such a young age.

This year, he had the opportunity to attend school for two more years before trying to get selected in the draft again. The Yankees were interested in him, but their preference was to sign him in 2018.

‘NickOrtiz (scout for the Yankees) hadthe idea to sign me and let me do the sameI would have done in Puerto Rico, but better. The plan was to workfor a year andget better to start playing’, the Puerto Ricanyouth acknowledged. He is currently part of theYankeesrookie league in Tampa, Florida.

According to his outlinedplan, Rosario Diaz-who graduatedform the Puerto Rico Baseball Academy and High School(PRBAHS)- will be developing his skills to later jointhe rookie league roster. He also mentionedthat this plan could change.