GLENDALE, Ariz. — Eddy Alvarez won an Olympic silver medal in short-track speedskating at the 2014 Sochi Games and a world-junior gold in 2009.
But getting a call from the White Sox with an invitation to start a professional baseball career topped both of those thrills.
“I broke down,’’ said Alvarez, a 5-9 switch-hitting shortstop. “I cried — I did.
“In all honesty, I felt happier getting that call than standing on that podium for that [Olympic] medal.’’
Eddy Alvarez doubles in a Cactus League game last Sunday. Alvarez hit an inside the park homer in the Sox’ 10-2 win over the Angels Saturday. (Photo credit: Ron Vesely)
The son of Cuban immigrants whose brother Nick played seven years in the minor leagues, Alvarez grew up in Miami playing baseball and roller skating, performing jumping tricks on weekends at South Beach.
He poured himself into skating but never lost his desire to play pro baseball. After winning a relay gold in 2009, he played shortstop at Salt Lake Community College in 2011 and made all-conference. He returned to skating, won the silver with the U.S. 5000-meter relay team, then got that call from the Sox.
Alvarez picked up a bat for the first time in more than three years, reported for extended spring training and was assigned to rookie ball in 2014. He has steadily climbed the farm-system ranks with rather surprising speed, finding himself but a step away from realizing his major-league dream.
In all likelihood, Alvarez will open the 2017 season at Class AAA Charlotte, where he was promoted for 12 games last year after a strong second half lifted his slash line to .263/.339/.367 with six home runs and a team-high 62 RBI at Class AA Birmingham.
“He’s a very athletic kid who can do a lot of things on the baseball field,’’ said third-base coach Nick Capra, the Sox’ director of player development the last five years. “He can play shortstop, second, and we can throw him in the outfield if we need to. He’s good on the bases [53 stolen bases in Class A in 2015]. He’s a baseball rat.’’
Alvarez is not in major-league camp, but he has appeared in three Cactus League games. In his first at-bat against the Rockies last Sunday, the Sox’ dugout came alive with chants of “Eddy!’’ — a tip of the cap to his likability and popularity. Alvarez doubled.
In his second at-bat against the Angels’ Justin Miller on Saturday, Alvarez hit an opposite-field inside-the-park homer, finishing with a headfirst slide.
This guy has flair and more “celebrity” swag than most minor-leaguers. But Alvarez is well-liked around camp because he resists VIP status. As he stood near the Sox’ clubhouse giving an interview, almost every coach and player who passed by acknowledged him.
“He’s loose around the clubhouse; he seems like he’s been around the game a long time,” Birmingham teammate Nicky Delmonico said.
At 27, Alvarez knows he’s on the clock.
“I’m going to push till I can’t anymore,’’ he said. “I love baseball.’’
Overcoming double knee surgery as a skater and competing at a world-class level have toughened and honed him for this.
“The advantage I have over other minor-leaguers is I understand what it took to reach the highest levels in a sport,’’ Alvarez said. “In big situations, bases loaded two outs, it doesn’t matter, I’m capable of controlling my heart rate, controlling the situation because I understand what failure is. That’s my slight edge.’’
He also knows there’s another at-bat and another game the next day if he fails.
“You have to play for today, but in skating, you may have four years for your opportunity,’’ he said.
Alvarez’s opportunity is now. Perhaps not as an every-day player but as a utility guy. But he has a shot, and that’s all he ever dreamed of.
“It’s more than a nice story,’’ Capra said. “He’s a competitor with a high baseball IQ. We’ve got small sample sizes of him coming up here, but you can see he’s a baseball player.’’
Follow me on Twitter @CST_soxvan.
Email: dvanschouwen@suntimes.com
