Glenwood’s Amaury Telemaco Jr. signed by Los Angeles Dodgers

On Monday, Glenwood pitcher Amaury Telemaco Jr. got closer to following in his father’s footsteps.

Telemaco, the son of former Major League Baseball pitcher Amaury Telemaco, signed a minor league baseball contract with the Los Angeles Dodgers. Telemaco played his senior year at Glenwood after moving to the United States from the Dominican Republic.

Telemaco pitched in seven games and threw 13.1 for the Gators, posting a 1-1 record with 25 strikeouts and a 4.73 ERA. Telemaco was part of a Glenwood team that won its second consecutive AISA Class 3A state title and the 22nd in program history.

“He definitely has professional stuff,” Glenwood head coach Tim Fanning said. “When he first came (to Glenwood), you saw the way his arm worked, and it’s live. He has things you can’t teach. He has size and he has the arm strength. When he dedicates himself to professional baseball and gets in the kind of shape they want him in, that should translate to even more velocity.”

Fanning said Telemaco is a fastball and curveball pitcher and described his curveball as a “big-boy breaking ball,” explaining it has depth in its drop.

Fanning said the Dodgers had discussions about drafting Telemaco late in the MLB Draft before opting to sign him as a free agent. Fanning said Telemaco is in Arizona right now and is expected to stay there, which means he will likely play for the Arizona League Dodgers, the organization’s Rookie Level minor league affiliate.

Telemaco’s pedigree is certainly a plus for the Dodgers organization. His father pitched for nine MLB seasons in stints with the Chicago Cubs, Arizona Diamondbacks and Philadelphia Phillies. He posted a 23-35 record over that span, registering 364 strikeouts and a 4.94 career ERA.

Telemaco Sr. is currently the Pittsburgh Pirates’ Latin American pitching coordinator.

Telemaco came to Glenwood after his father moved the family to Sarasota, Fla., which is close to the Pirates’ spring training and minor league complex in Bradenton. Fanning commended Telemaco for the way he settled in in a new place and became part of the team in his lone season as a Gator.

“I’m just really happy that he was willing to step out of his comfort zone and come to Glenwood,” Fanning said. “I know it wasn’t easy. For that to work out in a way to where he’s getting to play professional baseball, I’m just really happy for him.”

Fanning said Telemaco has the potential to be a Major League Baseball player but added so do many other players in Telemaco’s position. Now, it all comes down to what Telemaco makes of the moment.

“Everything’s right in front of him, and that’s why we’re so happy and proud for him,” Fanning said. “That’s always been his goal, and that’s all he’s ever known or grown up around. Him coming to Glenwood, it was his dream that it would help him get to the next level. It has, so we’re just really excited for him.”

This story was originally published June 20, 2017 at 3:56 PM with the headline "Glenwood’s Amaury Telemaco Jr. signed by Los Angeles Dodgers."