Rockies to call up journeyman for MLB debut after 10 seasons in minors
Aug 12, 2022, 12:32 PM
The best story of the Colorado Rockies season may be upon us, as the team is expected to call up outfielder Wynton Bernard, according to Danielle Allentuck of the Gazette.
Bernard, 31, has spent the last two seasons with the Triple-A Albuquerque Isotopes. The San Diego native is having a career year in the minors, slashing .325/.374/.588 with 17 home runs, 74 RBI and 26 stolen bases.
A former Niagara Purple Eagle, Bernard was drafted in the 35th round by the Padres in the 2012 MLB Draft. Current Rockies manager gave Bernard a crack with a big league Spring Training invite in 2013. He was later cut and won Midwest League MVP in Detroit’s system. He’s gone on to play ball in Venezuela, Australia, Mexico and the independent as he tried to keep the dream alive.
That dream has always been so close, spending the last seven seasons in the high minors, but he never got the call. His persistence is about to pay off just before his 32nd birthday.
As of Friday morning, there have been 20,185 people to play a game in the 146-year history of big league ball.
The Rockies had a similar story when they called up Stephen Cardullo a few years back. The first baseman actually contributed to the playoff-bound 2017 team. This season Colorado is entirely out of it, so why not play out one person’s dream? The team is expected to announce the call-up and the corresponding roster moves Friday afternoon.
If Bernard proves anything over the coming days, it’s that you should always chase your dreams.
