CORPUS CHRISTI, Texas — Corpus Christi Hooks pitcher Railin Perez grew up playing baseball in the streets of Santiago, Dominican Republic — and he has not stopped since.
"We used to play like in the street since we were kids like two, three, four years old," Perez said.
Baseball is more than a pastime in the Dominican Republic. For Perez, it is a way of life rooted in national pride.
"It's way big. It's like the most important sport back in DR… It's the national sport. Yes, it's the national sport!" Perez said.
The Dominican Republic has produced some of the most celebrated players in Major League Baseball history, something Perez takes pride in.
"We are like one of the biggest place that has most players in the Major League. We have a lot of talent back in DR," Perez said.
My mom was born and raised in the Dominican Republic, and growing up, she would send me there to spend summers with her family. I remember seeing kids playing baseball everywhere. The culture runs deep — and so does the food. A staple plate, mangú and los tres golpes, came up when Perez and I talked about what fuels all that talent.
"Another thing is… we have very good food back in DR. Really good seasons. You think the food helps? Los tres golpes? The three hitters is what's helping? Yes, it helps us throw harder," Perez said.
But behind the laughter, Perez carries a serious and focused dream.
"My dream? To make it to the big league, spend like 10-15 years in the big league and become a Hall of Famer," Perez said.
That dream took its first concrete step in 2018.
"I signed with the Red Sox back in 2018. I started to play with them, so that was a good experience playing in Dominican Republic," Perez said.
From there, he knew it was time to push further.
"It's time to play pro ball. Watching around good players back in DR," Perez said.
Now in Corpus Christi, Perez says this season has been one of his best.
"I feel good. I feel this is one of my best years here. That's why we came to the U.S. to work on our abilities," Perez said.
Faith is also a driving force for Perez. The Dominican flag is the only flag in the world that features a Bible, and Perez — wearing a "Jesus Won" shirt during our conversation — says his belief keeps him going.
"I thank God for the opportunity to be here," Perez said.
When the Hooks season ends, Perez plans to return to the Dominican Republic to play winter ball. For him, the game never stops.
"So baseball is all year long? It never stops?"
"Yup. It never stops," Perez said.
No matter how far baseball takes him, Perez says he will never forget where he came from.
This story was reported on-air by a journalist and has been converted to this platform with the assistance of AI. Our editorial team verifies all reporting on all platforms for fairness and accuracy.
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