Boys of summer

WESLACO - More than 125 baseball players from throughout the Rio Grande Valley and Texas took their shot at the big leagues during the Houston Astros camp held Wednesday morning at Weslaco East.

Last year, the Houston Astros camp was held at Harlingen Field, and less than 40 baseball players attended the camp.

Marcos Tovar Jr., one of the organizers for the camp and talent scout for the Astros in the Valley, said he didn't expect so many players this year after last year's small turnout.

"I was very happy with the turnout, (there are) a lot of kids who we've not seen before," he said. "Many of them came from colleges and around the state."

Tovar said the point of the camp is gauge the level of baseball talent in the area, possibly finding a baseball diamond in the rough.

"The reason we do this is to see what these kids can do and also let us know what kind of talent they have," he said. "That's why we're here. We get to see what they're able to do. We have seen a few good players out on the field, and we're always making sure we tab all this information down."

The turnout could also be attributed to Tovar's persistence when it came to promoting the event. Tovar said he plastered fliers regarding the camp from Brownsville to Zapata, and from Corpus Christi to San Antonio.

Since 2001, Tovar said the team has signed four players into the MLB through the Houston Astros Camp.

Rusty Pendergrass, a scout for South Texas and Mexico, helped out with the players in an effort to improve their skills while helping with batting, catching, and many other techniques.

"Over the past nine years, we have only signed four players," said Pendergrass. "We are coming to see what they've got out here. I always hear that there are many great players out here."

Pendergrass said scouts look for specific skills when evaluating potential signings.

"Out here, we look a lot for arm strength," he said. "We like to see how they work, check for their delivery, and how they run. This lets us determine if a player is possible to get an injury throughout the sport."

"It's exciting," said Roey Cardenas, a former Weslaco East baseball player and recent graduate. "You really see a lot of good guys out here. It's really great to compete with them. I like the fact that you're able to see the other great athletes here in the Valley," he said.

Jaime Castaneda, a Mercedes baseball player who attended the camp, said it offered a good opportunity for him to gauge his skills against other Valley athletes.

"It's a privilege where you can see where you are ranked in the Valley," he said. "I'm just trying my best. Whatever happens, it's in God's hands."