Nomar Mazara continues ascent with great game-extending catch
Texas Rangers rookie Nomar Mazara was considered a superstar-in-the-making as far back as 2011, when he received a $5 million bonus to sign as a 16-year-old out the Dominican Republic.
Nothing has changed since then. Mazara, who will turn 21 on April 26, has lived up to that hype every step of the way, especially since joining the Rangers on April 10.
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In his first two weeks, Mazara has yet to look overmatched or overwhelmed against baseball’s best, despite being MLB’s youngest player. And honestly, it’s mind-boggling just thinking of him in those terms considering his 6-foot-4, 215-pound frame. He’s a big kid who can hit and move and do just about anything on a baseball field, and those immense skills were on full display on Saturday.
Of course, Mazara is mostly getting attention for his hitting. That’s what happens when a rookie starts his career batting .357/.396/.476. But it was his defense that stole the show at U.S. Cellular Field, as jumped high to rob Todd Frazier of a game-winning hit.
The great catch came in the ninth inning with the Rangers and White Sox tied. Frazier, who one inning earlier evened the score with a solo homer, attempted to finish it with another deep drive to right-center field. That’s where Mazara was stationed, and that’s where he used every bit of that 6-foot-4 frame to reach up and talk away at least a walk-off double.
His glove was right at the top of the wall near the yellow line, so it easily could have been a walk-off three-run homer.
“Yeah, I think it would have been out,” Mazara said after the game, but that’s what the outfielders always say.
Whether it was a double or a homer is a minor detail compared to the result. Mazara had temporarily saved the game, giving his Rangers another shot in extra innings.
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Unfortunately for them, they would ultimately fall 4-3 in 11 innings, but they had yet another reason to be thrilled about their budding star.
Now, in the weeks ahead, they’ll have to figure out where he fits best. Eventually, Shin-Soo Chin and Josh Hamilton wlll return from injuries, causing a logjam in the outfield. Mazara is the most exciting option. Perhaps he’ll continue to be the most productive too, but the opportunities he gets will have to be earned by making plays like the one we saw on Saturday.
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Mark Townsend is a writer for Big League Stew on Yahoo Sports. Have a tip? Email him at [email protected] or follow him on Twitter! Follow @Townie813
