Posted at 7:00 a.m.
On December 8, Charles Leblanc was in California when he noticed some intriguing activity on his Instagram account.
“I saw that a Marlins fan page and reporter had started following me,” he said, who was then a member of the Texas Rangers organization.
“I thought it was really weird and told the batting coach I was with at the time that something was up. He told me it was Rule 5, he went online and, sure enough, I had just been caught by the Marlins. Honestly, I didn’t even know it was Rule 5 day! »
Without going into details, the “rule 5 draft”, held every December, allows teams to select certain athletes from other organizations who are not in their 40-player roster, with the latter being protected . It serves in particular to prevent players from being forgotten. In short, to give them a chance to assert themselves elsewhere.
PHOTO FROM MAJOR BASEBALL SITE
Charles LeBlanc
It was a bit out of nowhere, I didn’t expect to change organization. But it’s always fun to know that an organization wants you, that they have plans for you.
Charles LeBlanc
And you talked about those plans?
“No, unfortunately, explains the Laval resident, selected in fourth place in this special draft. It’s the reality of professional baseball, teams aren’t really transparent about their expectations. So, you have to make a good first impression and perform as well as possible. »
If Charles Leblanc does not know the Miami Marlins’ plans for him in the medium or long term, he did not know them in the very short term either. This interview took place Monday evening, at 24 hours of the opening match of the Jumbo Shrimp – yes, the Giant Shrimp… – of Jacksonville, AAA school club of the Florida formation. And he didn’t know if he would be in the starting lineup.
“No, it’s going to be a surprise when I get to the park,” he said. I hope to play, it’s always fun, the opening matches. It makes the butterflies stand out a bit in front of his fans. »
Eventually it did. Leblanc started the game at third base – he can also occupy first and second bases – and ninth in the batting role.
The day before, he was talking about leaving a good first impression. In his second appearance at the plate, Tuesday night, he homered to the opposite field. On the next, a double to the left. Then, in his last, at the end of the ninth inning, he drew a base on walks while his team was down by one point.
The following night, his solo homer late in the sixth inning gave the Jumbo Shrimp a 6-5 lead.
Who says better ?
A difficult summer
Charles Leblanc, a University of Pittsburgh product, was drafted in the fourth round by the Texas Rangers in 2016.
He rose through the ranks one by one, until he joined the Round Rock Express last year, at the AAA level. Where he had a gun start. Solid on defense, he saw his plate average reach the stratospheric mark of .400 at the start of June.
“I’m just one call away from playing in the major leagues,” he told our columnist Alexandre Pratt a few days later. And then, he fell into a trough. A long and deep trough.
The superstitious will say that he brought himself bad luck. Anyway, it hit for less than .200 in June, July and August. In July, a starving .123.
It’s baseball, there are ups and downs. But for sure it was a little deeper bottom than what I’m used to.
Charles LeBlanc
The 6’3″ player explains that he had changed his approach in the cage and his momentum before the season. In order to generate more power, which teams expect from their big players.
In May, luck smiled on him. But when she started to fail him, those adjustments backfired. Because he was not yet comfortable enough with this new approach to climb the slope quickly.
It took time. But in September and October, he had found the balance between the old and the new Charles Leblanc. Between the one who aimed a lot at the opposite field and the one who sought more power. He finished the campaign with an average of .229, 17 homers and 57 RBI in 96 games.
But, above all, with the conviction of “having learned how to get back to basics and find the right path”.
Of course, the major leagues remain the goal. ” As soon as possible. »
“But in the past, I’ve been so disappointed,” he admits. I’m one of the best players on the team at the time, I’ve been on fire for a month and a half, I tell myself that I’m sure I’m going to level up and there’s no no move is made. I just don’t want to, mentally, give myself a time goal. »
Scalded cat…
Otto Lopez injured
Dominican-born Quebecer Otto López was cut by the Toronto Blue Jays last week, but he did not start the AAA season with the Buffalo Bisons. The Montrealer is nursing an injury and the Jays have chosen to keep him in the club’s environment, in Dunedin, Florida, his agent, Jethro Supré, let us know on Monday. Otto López is on Toronto’s roster of 40 players.