Philly Leader

Kyle Schwarber, a seasoned player with the Philadelphia Phillies, recalls his early days in Major League Baseball when he received an unexpected congratulatory text from Joey Votto of the Cincinnati Reds. This spring, Schwarber found himself on the other side of a similar interaction, reaching out to Phillies prospect Gabriel Rincones Jr., who is ranked No. 10 in the organization by MLB Pipeline.

Rincones was taken aback when he received a message from Schwarber while talking to his mother. "Hold on, mom," Rincones said during their conversation. "I’m responding to Kyle Schwarber. I don’t want to say something stupid." His mother was skeptical until she realized it was true.

Schwarber nicknamed Rincones "Uncle Rico" after watching him hit during batting practice, referencing a character from "Napoleon Dynamite" known for boasting about his throwing abilities. Schwarber commented on Rincones' powerful swings: “The first time I saw him take BP, I was like, 'This guy is taking freaking massive hacks and hitting the [stuff] over the mountains.'”

Rincones has had an unusual journey to this point in his career. Born in Florida and having lived in Venezuela and Scotland before returning to Florida, he has spent years away from his parents pursuing baseball. He shared his story as “mysteriously wonderful” when drafted by the Phillies with the 93rd overall pick in 2022.

Currently participating in Grapefruit League games, Rincones has shown promise with a .250 batting average, three home runs, seven RBIs, and a 1.181 OPS this spring. Despite needing more experience against left-handed pitchers and starting the season in the Minor Leagues, Rincones has made a positive impression at camp.

“I’d be stupid to not soak up as much as I can from [hitting coach Kevin Long] and Schwarber,” Rincones stated about learning from experienced players. He emphasized working on stability in his swing by “using the ground,” likening it to finding a stable position before throwing a punch.

As he continues to develop his skills, Rincones appreciates interactions with established players like Ranger Suárez and Aaron Nola: “I couldn’t make this up,” he expressed gratitude for being acknowledged by them.

For now, Uncle Rico will keep honing his craft under the guidance of mentors like Schwarber who remarked: “The power is real.”