A baseball player who grew up playing on pitches in Fife is on the road to US stardom after signing for one of the biggest teams in the world - the Philadelphia Phillies.
Gabriel Rincones Jr, who plays with a glove emblazoned with a saltire, was drafted by the Major League Baseball (MLB) team earlier this week. The 21-year-old, who grew up in Glenrothes, is tipped to pick up a signing bonus of $659,800, according to Major League Baseball sources.
It's a major step up from the small-time games he played in Fife as a child. Gabriel was six when his family moved from Venezuela to Glenrothes, when his dad Gabriel Rincones Sr found work as an offshore safety adviser in the oil industry. The youngster stayed in Scotland until he was 12 before moving abroad while trying to pursue a career in baseball.
Dad Gabriel Sr, and mum Rossy still live in Glenrothes and have staged baseball meets in the Kingdom. Speaking of moving to Scotland, Gabriel Jr said: "I thought it was going to be a vacation, but it turned into a very long vacation."
“I didn’t play baseball (in Scotland) but I picked up swimming, judo, I got to call myself a Scot. Obviously I get to talk with an American accent now, but that’s not how I originally learned to speak English. Now it’s just to fit in here.”
Rincones, was originally born in Florida and played in a "loosely organised league" in Scotland. The sportsman watched YouTube videos of baseball greats like Alex Rodriguez and Barry Bonds at a young age. But with few professional opportunities to play in Scotland, he moved to Venezuela to live with an auntie and improve his game.
He then moved to Florida and carried on establishing himself as a force to be reckoned with on the field - returning to this side of the Atlantic to play for Great Britain's national baseball side in the 2021 European championships. The team reached the quarter finals, but Rincones Jr's signing for the Phillies puts him in the best-known - and most lucrative - baseball franchise in the world.
While he hasn't seen his parents in three years, he's been able to relay the news back to them in Glenrothes - though they missed his call as they were playing softball. “They called me back and they were over-the-moon happy,” Rincones Jr. said.
His signing has been hailed by former coaches in Scotland and the UK as a huge opportunity for both the player and his team.
Drew Spencer, head coach of the Great Britain national baseball team, said on Twitter: "Don't think I've ever met a kid who was more determined to succeed than @GabeRincones. Enjoy this blessing, young man. The hard work starts now!"
And grassroots organisation Baseball Scotland said: "Hey @Phillies, look after our boy...Gabriel is the superstar you are looking for." His proud as punch dad told Fife Today: “We are just so excited and proud of him.”
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