Pitcher Michael Ynoa getting his shot with the Royals

Once labeled as the best Latin American prospect since Mariners right-hander Felix Hernandez, pitcher Michael Ynoa signed what was then a record $4.25 million bonus with the Oakland Athletics as a teenager in 2008.

“That’s a dream for any player, to play baseball in big leagues, too,” Ynoa said. “It was a surprising day for me. I was dreaming of that all day, and thank God I became a major-leaguer.”

After more than a decade, however, his patience is still being tested. Despite making a solid case for a bullpen spot during spring training, Ynoa opened the season in Class AAA Omaha.

For all his talents, Ynoa has proven to be anything but a sure thing. He underwent Tommy John surgery in 2010 and didn’t make his big-league debut until 2016 with the Chicago White Sox. He pitched in 45 games for the White Sox over two seasons, compiling a 4.42 ERA with 53 strikeouts across 59 innings before he was released.

Ynoa spent the 2018 season in the Dominican Republic getting healthy and preparing his body for a potential return to the majors. After a solid season of winter ball there, where he appeared in 17 games and yielded two earned runs while striking out 24 in 18 1/3 innings and recorded five saves, the Royals signed him to a minor-league contract in November.

“Thanks to God for giving me the opportunity,” he said. “I’m really thankful for the opportunity they gave me to be a part of the team.”

Ynoa had a productive spring, appearing in relief in seven games. He allowed one earned run over 11 2/3 innings. He was assigned to the Storm Chasers, who opened their season Thursday.

Ynoa has baseball in his blood. His father played and his mother competed in softball and volleyball. And he was regarded as one of the top prospects in baseball before life tossed him a hard-breaking curve while he was in the Arizona League.

He underwent Tommy John surgery in 2010 and missed the remainder of that season and all of 2011.

“It was a difficult part for me,” he said. “But, we worked hard. I never got a problem with that. I just tried to be focused, strong, praying to God and thanks to my family that they were helping me a lot. It was difficult because most of the guys never come back. I was strong mentally, and we’re here working every day.”

Ynoa learned to adopt a strong mindset going through the Tommy John recovery, and he has been approaching this season with the same attitude, “working harder and trying to be focused on what I’m doing because this past year was too difficult for me. I am 100 percent. Now, I’m working hard, and I thank God I’m 100 percent.”

Ynoa’s goals for this season go beyond staying healthy.

“Try to get all my pitches better, and make a good pitch in good counts and not missing,” Ynoa said.

He has polished more than his pitches through baseball.

Growing up in the Dominican Republic, Ynoa spoke nothing but Spanish until he started learning English when he was 13. When he came to the United States, it was a culture shock. Although Ynoa knew some English, it was completely different to speak it in a class setting rather than a cultural setting.

“It was a little difficult because everyone here speaks English, in the Dominican, too,” he said. “But, we don’t practice English there. It was a little easier for me because I started (learning) English there.”

Ynoa grew up a fanatic of Dominican baseball legends Manny Ramirez and Pedro Martinez. Ramirez and Martinez offered Ynoa some advice to help the young sensation from their home country.

“They told me to play normal baseball. Baseball here in Dominican and Venezuela is the same baseball,” Ynoa said. “I’m just trying to be focused for that and play baseball like everyone does.”

Ynoa had the opportunity to learn from Ramirez as a young player during his time with the Athletics.

“Everyone has the dream to pitch or play with a professional baseball player like Manny Ramirez,” he said. “I was playing with him in spring training when I was with Oakland. That’s a wonderful thing to be a part of. That’s all you’re dreaming when you’re a child.”

Evaristo Montoya is a senior majoring in sports journalism at Arizona State University. This story is a part of a partnership between The Kansas City Star and Arizona State University’s Walter Cronkite School of Journalism and Mass Communication.