Nicaragua's Duque Hebbert: From the World Baseball Classic mound to a minor league contract
On Monday, 13 March, Nicaragua lost to the Dominican Republic, 6-1, and fell to 0-3 in Group D of the World Baseball Classic. Nicaragua's run would finish with a fourth defeat, but still is regarded as historic.
Monday, 13 March was still be a night to remember for 21-year-old pitcher Duque Hebbert.
The right-hander took the mound in the ninth and struck out in a row three Major League Baseball (MLB) superstars. 2022 Home Run Derby champion Juan Soto went down on three pitches, the last of which was a changeup. Olympic bronze medallist Julio Rodriguez swang and missed an off-speed pitch outside the strike zone on a 2-2 count. After giving up a double to Manny Machado, who got to his slider on a 0-2 count, Hebbert got swinging Rafael Devers on another changeup he pitched on a full count.
"I enjoyed the moment," said Hebbert to the Nicaraguan press postgame. "I thank God and thank my family. I'm very proud of what I did. I mainly used changeups and sinkers because our scouting reports instructed me that way."
Hebbert's performance didn't go unnoticed. After the game, Luis Molina, MLB's Detroit Tigers scout in Panama and Nicaragua, made contact. The 21-year-old agreed to terms on a minor league deal. He will sign his contract after passing a physical.
Hebbert lived his rookie season in the Nicaragua Professional Winter League (LNBP). He appeared in 21 games for Tren del Norte and posted a 4.71 earned run average (ERA) over 28.2 innings, striking out 24 and walking 17.