Emison Soto played baseball, loved Venezuela, saw high-A
Amid turmoil in his home country in 2003, Atlantic City Surf catcher Emison Soto talked up Venezuela's virtues to The Press of Atlantic City.
"Venezuela is a beautiful country, and we never want to leave our country," Soto told The Press. "I never did, and I won't do it. I love my country."
When Soto did leave, it was for baseball. He spent four seasons in the Red Sox system, making high-A. He later played in Mexico, Taiwan, independent ball, along with at home in Venezuela.
Soto's Red Sox career began in 1990, signed by Boston as a free agent out of his native country.
Ahead of signing, he helped his Venezuela squad to a win with a home run in the 1989 Big League World Series tournament over host team Broward All-Stars, The South Florida Sun-Sentinel wrote.
"He threw me a fastball a little high in the strike zone," Soto told The Sun-Sentinel through an interpreter of is home run.
Soto started with the Red Sox in the rookie Gulf Coast League. He hit .254 in 39 games. He moved to short-season Elmira in 1991 and saw 33 games, hitting .225.
He played at high-A Winter Haven in 1992, then high-A Fort Lauderdale in 1993 to end his Red Sox career.
Soto then returned to Venezuela to play in the Winter League. He also played in Mexico. In 1997, he signed with Mercuries in Taiwan and saw 59 games.
He played at independent Atlantic City in 1999, 2001 and 2003. He's last recorded as playing in 2004 in Mexico with Cancun.
- South Florida Sun-Sentinel, Aug. 18, 1989: Venezuela eliminates Broward
- Press of Atlantic City, June 22, 2003: Soto's arm, bat belong to the Surf, but his heart remains in Venezuela
Made the Majors:1,481-31.8%
Never Made Majors:3,180-68.2%-X