GLENDALE, Ariz. – The first time that Leo Balcazar played in a big league Spring Training game, he was still just 17 years old. Set to make his stateside debut in the Rookie-level Arizona Complex League later that summer, the Venezuelan shortstop was drawn to another player also getting Cactus League reps for the first time in 2022.

Elly De La Cruz.

“I really loved it,” said Balcazar of the experience. “To see how he’s playing right now in the big leagues, one of the best players in the world, I want to be like him. I want to play with him [in the Majors].”

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Having steadily matriculated through the Reds’ system since then, the latest stop on Balcazar’s path to playing alongside the All-Star has been the Arizona Fall League. He became the first player

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