Guardians OF Richie Palacios: Time At Towson Showed Value Of Hard Work

Cleveland Guardians outfielder Richie Palacios had home-field advantage when his team visited Baltimore June 3-5.

The former Towson star served as the Guardians’ designated hitter June 5. The weekend marked the first time Palacios played in the big leagues in his college town.

Palacios was excited to play in Baltimore heading into the weekend.

“Close friends, close teammates and coaches, they all played a part in this. Everyone that I played with or played for, they all helped me get to where I am and helped support me,” Palacios said on Glenn Clark Radio June 2. “… I’m just happy to be able to come back and experience that with them.”

Prior being drafted by the Guardians in 2018, Palacios had starred with the Tigers. He played at Towson from 2016-2018, hitting .323/.430/.498 with 19 homers during those three seasons. As a freshman in 2016, he earned CAA Rookie of the Year honors. As a junior in 2018, he hit .301/.457/.515 with 52 walks, 56 runs and 25 stolen bases.

Richie Palacios
Towson Baseball: Richie Palacios (Photo Credit: Courtesy of Towson Athletics)

Palacios played in 168 minor league games prior to making his major league debut earlier this year against the Los Angeles Angels. Palacios has always strived to be a great baseball player and someone his team could rely on, not just by putting in the necessary effort but through a willingness to take the extra steps in his career.

The 5-foot-10, 180-pound outfielder is hitting .294/.333/.353 with 15 hits in 54 plate appearances for the Guardians entering play June 9. After proving himself at Towson, Palacios has worked hard to not only play in the major leagues but excel.

“I remember plenty of times where I was doing above and beyond on off days and things that I felt I needed to do in order to become the player that I wanted,” Palacios said. “Being able to look back on that and see that all those things that I did and all the people that have helped me through that, it definitely paid off.”

Palacios’ journey from Towson to the Guardians has only strengthened his dedication to the sport. His time at Towson proved that he did not have to attend the biggest school to be recognized for baseball.

“[Towson] taught me when you put your hard work in and if you produce,” Palacios said, “it truly doesn’t matter where you are or what school you’re at, because they will still find you.”

One thing Palacios emphasized when deciding where to attend school was to not focus on the name. He would tell kids today that coaches and scouts only see them if they actually play in the games instead of sitting on the bench for a bigger school.

“Go somewhere where you’re going to play and you know that you’re going to be able to get in the lineup and be able to play,” Palacios said, “because if you want to play pro, that’s the only way they can see you.”

Palacios was born in Brooklyn, N.Y., and grew up with an uncle who played in the big leagues. Rey Palacios taught his nephew life skills and how to apply them in the baseball community. Richie’s brother, Josh, is also in the big leagues with the Toronto Blue Jays.

“Keeping your eyes on that one goal you have and working toward that consistently without looking up,” Palacios said of what his uncle taught him. “Keep your head down and work hard, those are things I still practice today.”

Palacios’ friends, family members and past teammates have helped Palacios keep his head high and maintain his love of the sport. Former Terp and current Royals pitcher Jose Cuas shared a moment after making his major league debut against the Guardians. Palacios was college teammates with Jose’s brother, Alex, who helped Jose convert from infielder to pitcher.

“Jose worked tirelessly to figure out exactly what the mold is and how to become a great pitcher,” Palacios said. “It’s amazing to see all the work and hours they put in. … It truly paid off in the game out here.”

For more from Palacios, listen to the full interview here:

Photo Credit: Courtesy of the Cleveland Guardians