How Aroon Escobar’s Venezuelan Heritage Helped Make Him A Top 100 Prospect
Image credit: Aroon Escobar (Photo by Mike Carlson/Getty Photos)
As you enter Chuspa, Venezuela and glance to the right, you’ll catch sight of the Estadio José Papayo Cardona, proudly standing as a landmark on the edge of town. But for the people of this small coastal city of just under 4,000, it’s more than a baseball diamond—it’s a mine for hope that sits under the Caribbean sun.
It’s a place where the village kids flock after school, squeezing in their chores before running off to play. Where the fishermen retreat after long hours at sea, having spent the day providing for their families. It’s a place where the whole community gathers to cheer on the baseball talent that quietly thrives in this small corner of the world.
For Phillies prospect Aroon Escobar, it’s a place he knows all too well. Chuspa is where his fire was lit. That’s the spirit he carries with him now. Life revolves around fishing, family and resilience—a backdrop that built the foundation for Escobar’s drive and grit.
But baseball is a way out.
Chuspa may be small on the Venezuelan map—and the world’s, for that matter—but in Escobar’s story, it looms large. And as a rising superstar in the prospect world who recently cracked the Baseball America Top 100 Prospects list, he knows how valuable this opportunity is.
“As much pride I have in representing Venezuela, I feel even prouder to represent my hometown of Chuspa,” Escobar told Baseball America in Spanish. “When people think of Aroon Escobar, I want them to also know about Chuspa, Venezuela, the village that did so much to raise me.”
Given Venezuela’s rich history of producing elite baseball talent, Escobar has no shortage of role models to draw inspiration from.
From future Hall of Famer Miguel Cabrera and perennial All-Star José Altuve to even his own distant cousin in the electric Ronald Acuña Jr., the path to the majors is lined with Venezuelan legends who’ve lit the way.
But for Escobar, the real inspiration doesn’t come from big league stadiums or highlight reels. It comes from those with whom he played back home—cousins, uncles and neighbors.
He draws inspiration from his father, Nelson, who gave up his dreams of playing professional baseball to work as a fisherman to provide for his family. He’s also seen firsthand how that dream is a reality, as his uncle Kelvim Escobar played 12 seasons with the Blue Jays and Angels.
“Family is the most important thing in my life,” Escobar said. “Their support system means everything to me. My mom, dad, grandparents, cousins and uncles are all very important to me. When I play baseball, it isn’t for me, it’s for them.”
So when the Phillies signed Escobar as an infielder for $450,000 in 2022, it wasn’t just a contract. It was the realization of a dream generations in the making.
But that was only the beginning. Now, three years in, Escobar isn’t just living the dream—he’s becoming one of the biggest surprises in baseball.
Escobar is experiencing a true breakout season, slashing .319/.416/.521 with 10 home runs and 31 RBIs with Low-A Clearwater. The 20-year-old has a .938 OPS and is showing a keen eye at the plate with 24 walks. It’s propelled him into BA Top 100 at No. 94 and into the top five of the Phillies’ system.
That wasn’t always the case. Escobar struggled during his first two seasons with the Phillies in the Dominican Summer League in 2022 and 2023, posting a combine line of .223/.366/.688. His debut year was derailed by a lingering back injury. In his second, it was his confidence that started to wear down.
It was unfamiliar territory for Escobar. He tried everything: tweaking his mechanics, staying late after practices and reminding himself of the family that helped him get here.
But nothing seemed to click. To find a spark, Escobar had to look beyond the diamond.
So what helped him turn things around?
He turned to someone who never wore a baseball uniform—NBA legend Kobe Bryant.
“Baseball has a way to humble you,” Escobar said. “I started reading a book Kobe Bryant wrote and started watching some of his speeches. It motivated me to work harder and really listen to the messages Kobe had to share.”
Escobar carries more than just a bat and glove into every game—he carries Chuspa with him. The long afternoons on the sandlot. The roar of neighbors in the stands. The quiet sacrifices of a father who traded his dream for his son’s.
He may be slugging it near the crisp beach in Clearwater, but in his heart, he’s still the kid from the edge of the Caribbean, working on ground balls as the sun sets over the Estadio José Papayo Cardona.
And if his story is any indication, Chuspa’s diamond mine of hope still has plenty more to give.
