Through the heartbreak, an underdog became a big-leaguer originally appeared on NBC Sports Philadelphia
CHICAGO — A few hours before hitting cleanup in Wrigley Field on Wednesday, Felix Reyes reached under his red practice jersey and pulled out the pendant he wears around his neck, a constant reminder of his No. 1 supporter.
“Every at-bat, every game, he’s always here,” the 25-year-old Phillies rookie said.
The pendant features a small photo of Reyes and his dad, also named Felix. The photo was taken in February 2024, back home in the Dominican Republic, just a few months before Felix Sr., was struck by a car and killed at age 62 in the family’s hometown of Bani.
When young Felix was called up to the majors from Triple A last week, folks throughout the Phillies’ player development system and Latin American scouting and development departments quietly rejoiced.
“He’s an unbelievable kid, an unbelievable human, the kind you’d like to see your daughter bring home,” said Sal Agostinelli, the organization’s longtime international scouting boss who now serves as a special adviser in that department.
“Everybody loves him. He’s humble. Polite. He’s dedicated to his family. He’s worked his butt off to get where he is.
“We’re like a big family here. Felix has gone through a lot. That’s why we’re all so happy for him. It couldn’t happen to a better guy.”
Though physically imposing at 6-4, 256 pounds, Reyes is a baseball underdog. Like most young players from the Dominican Republic, he hoped to be signed at age 16, but was repeatedly passed over because he didn’t run well, didn’t have a true defensive position. Luis Garcia, a Phillies scout in the DR, always liked Reyes’ bat, however. He kept tabs on the kid as he moved around the diamond, even trying pitching at one point in an effort to catch a team’s eye.
Garcia eventually convinced another DR-based Phillies scout, Carlos Salas, to take a look. He, too, saw potential in the bat. They took some video and sent it to Agostinelli. For the bargain rate of $10,000, the Phillies took a chance and signed Reyes. He was already 19, a late signee by international standards. Maybe the late signee would be a late bloomer.
As Reyes was being passed over by other teams in the DR, he thought of quitting baseball.
His father would not let him.
“My dad introduced me to the game when I was a kid,” Reyes said with Phillies’ Spanish language interpreter Diego D’Aniello lending a hand. “He always took me to the field. I always say that after God, he’s the reason I’m with the Phillies organization right now because at one point I wanted to be done with the game. He’s the one who talked to me all the time and insisted I keep playing.”
Reyes’ journey through pro ball has been a slow climb. He signed during the pandemic and spent three years in the low minors bouncing between corner infield and outfield positions, trying to capitalize on his signature tool, his bat. He made it full-time to High A Jersey Shore in 2024 and had an outstanding showing in winter ball in Columbia following that season. Still, at the start of the 2025 season, there wasn’t a roster spot for Reyes in the minors, so he had to stay in extended spring training. Some privately say the team was considering releasing him. Others say the Phillies simply wanted him to get more at-bats before being assigned to Double A Reading.
Either way, Reyes finally got to Reading a few weeks into the season and when he did, he took off, solidifying himself on the organization’s radar screen in 95 games there.
Reyes led the Eastern League in batting average (.335), doubles (34), slugging (.572) and OPS (.937). He hit 15 homers and was league MVP.
Edwar Gonzalez, in his first season as the big club’s assistant hitting coach, watched Reyes’ development in his previous role as minor-league hitting coordinator. Gonzalez saw an improved hitter and student of the game in 2025.
“The previous winter in Columbia, that’s when he started turning the page,” Gonzalez said. “He had an amazing season there. He learned what pitchers were trying to do to him and he took that into our season. His attention to detail improved. He bought into his routine, started taking more advantage of resources and little by little got better. He bought into game-planning. He studied pitchers. Those qualities had previously been questionable. But in 2025, he was a different player. He showed great maturity.”
That happens when life hits you hard.
And Gonzalez knows how hard life hit Reyes.
Reyes had just finished a game with the Jersey Shore club on May 28, 2024. He retreated to the clubhouse and was blindsided by dozens of voice mails and texts on his phone. Earlier that day, his father, an electrical technician, had been struck by a car and killed while walking on a street back home. His younger sister, Yasmil, was injured in the accident, but survived thanks to her quick-thinking father, who was able to get her far enough out of the way to avoid full impact.
Gonzalez called Reyes that night.
“We connect with these players and we care about them,” Gonzalez said. “As soon as he heard my voice, he started crying and screaming on the phone.”
After the accident, Reyes returned to the DR and spent two weeks with his mom, Juanamaria, and five siblings, two who still live at home. While at home, Reyes experienced a wide range of emotions, from heartbreak to resolve. He realized how much his family needed him. The best way to be there for them was to continue to follow the dream he shared with his dad.
“My faith in God has helped me a lot,” he said. “It’s been one of the keys to keep me going. I’ve been through a lot of difficult times. It has helped me be stronger and move on for me and my family.
“I believe my dad is grateful to me for the way I’ve taken care of our family after everything that has happened. In the same way, I’ll always be grateful to him and never forget all he did.”
Gonzalez is amazed by the strength Reyes has shown.
“Something like what he went through can crush a person,” he said. “But he does the opposite. He keeps fighting. He doesn’t stop throwing punches. We were talking when he moved up. I told him, ‘You’re here because you’re doing great things.’
“It’s one of the most amazing stories I’ve seen in my career.”
Reyes’ journey to the majors included a storybook moment, a home run in his first big-league at-bat last week. The Phillies are struggling mightily and are searching for offense. There are still flaws in Reyes’ game, such as plate discipline, but he’s shown the ability to improve and if he continues to do that, the opportunities will continue to come.
Baseball is a performance-based business. Reyes understands that. He understands a lot of things now. And he knows the man on the pendant he wears around his neck is with him every step of the way.
“This was our dream,” Felix Reyes said. “I think he’s proud.”
