The Detroit Tigers are banking on prospect Isaac Paredes, who was acquired from the Chicago Cubs in 2017 in the Justin Wilson/Alex Avila deal, being a big part of their future, but his professional career hasn’t gotten off to the best of starts.
He tested positive for COVID-19 and hasn’t been able to join his teammates until this week for Summer Training Camp at Comerica Park. But in his own words, he’s staying positive and putting in the work to come back all the more stronger.
“It motivates me much,” Paredes said Saturday through Tigers interpreter Carlos Guillen. “I just got to work day-by-day and be wherever they want me to be, just wait for an opportunity to fulfill my dreams to become a major leaguer.”
He’ll soon depart for Toledo to take part in batting practice and simulated games with the Mud Hens.
“It’s pretty hard,” Paredes said. “We have a lot of players with a lot of quality. They’re very good. And there are too many players with a lot of experience in the majors, so it’s pretty hard. But, you know, you will never know. Hopefully, I will have a chance.”
However, skipper Ron Gardenhire isn’t in a rush to throw them into the fire too soon.
“As we move forward toward the season, they’re going to have plenty of time, and we can make them take their time, hopefully, and get themselves in baseball shape,” he said. “That’s where we have to go. That’s the way it is.”
– – Quotes via Evan Petzold of The Detroit Free Press Link – –
