A Young Brookie Robinson Look A Like
By Rodger M. Wood
Alex Ulloa has a ways to go yet to be just as good, but when I saw the 18 year old Frederick Keys' 3B dive outstretched for a hot shot hit just inside the bag last night, he brought back a memory to me instantaneously of old Orioles 3B and HOFer Brooks Robinson lunging for the same kind of shot in the 1970 World Series
One of just a few June high school graduates competing in the new Major League Draft League, Ulloa explained why he chose to compete against the mostly older college and junior college ballplayers this summer.
"I'm just playing baseball trying to improve my stock just like everyone else. I have to keep playing baseball and keep doing to continue to grow as a baseball player."
Alex Ulloa Makes Throw To 1B
Ranked the 196th in May 3rd edition of Baseball America's top 400 prospects in 2021 and committed to Oklahoma State, Alex will be faced with a choice between college and Major League Baseball after the July amateur draft .
He says that difficult choice may be the best of all worlds for him. "When the time comes I will make that decision. It can go both ways, but either way I have really good options at both Oklahoma State or with Major League Baseball.
Alex Ulloa Stays Low to the Ground
While struggling a bit getting acclimated to the life of a "professional" baseball player at Frederick and playing against the more experienced ball players, Alex is still showing some signs of breaking loose on the diamond. Last Saturday at Mahoning Valley, he had his best game of the season, going 3 for 5 with two doubles, a triple, and driving in 2 RBI.
He's playing a tough hot corner, staying close to the ground, and fielding rocket shots and routine grounders with a veterans finesse at the position. A good 3B will have black and blue marks all over his body and Ulloa is getting his share of them every game he plays.
Alex Ulloa Swings a Good Bat
Frederick is 0-7-1 for the season, but each game is starting to hit the ball harder and get better pitching. Win - Loss is important but development and individual performance measures are taken more seriously in the MLB Draft League. Every action is measured empirically but one.
As Mark Twain said once, It's not the size of the dog in the fight, it's the size of fight in the dog that counts." Playing 3B takes lots of heart, and Alex will combine his high score on that measure with his glove and bat stats. If Mark Twain could see Alex play 3B, he would too have a vision of Brooks Robinson back at hot corner for the Oriolles..