Tucson's Nick Gonzales still striving for big leagues after foot injury slowed him in '22

Unlike its major American sports counterparts such as the NFL and NBA, MLB utilizes a farm system for its draft prospects — and yes, that includes top-10 picks.

Tucson native and Pittsburgh Pirate infielder Nick Gonzales, who was drafted seventh overall in 2020, is currently participating in his third spring training in Bradenton, Florida, but has yet to make his big-league debut.

Last season, the Cienega High School product and former New Mexico State star hit seven home runs and had a .263 batting average but was sidelined with plantar fasciitis in his right foot; he also broke his pinky finger during his rookie year.

Adversity isn’t anything new for Gonzales. He was scarcely recruited out of high school before accepting a walk-on position at New Mexico State. Then he rose from walk-on to national college baseball star to first-round draft pick. While the destination is Gonzales top priority, he’s enjoying the journey even if it comes with a few bumps in the road.

“I’m just focused on being better every single day and being better tomorrow,” he said. “That’s all I’m really worrying about. The big leagues is the goal, and I would love to play there. I mean, it’s my dream. But we just have to keep working, similar to when I was in college or even when I was in high school. I never worried about the next few months, I only worried about what’s coming tomorrow and how I can prepare for tomorrow.”

Gonzales joined “Spears and Ali” on ESPN Tucson to discuss the pro baseball-playing life, overcoming injuries and what it’ll take to finally make his big-league debut.

Entering your third season, what has the pro baseball journey been like for you?

A: “It’s been awesome. It’s been a dream come true, and there’s been a lot of ups and downs with injuries and playing and everything like that. But it’s been great. We’ve made a lot of progress and we’ve made a lot of adjustments to the game. But yeah, it’s been a dream come true to play this game for a living, and I couldn’t have asked for anything more.”

What does the future hold for the Pirates?

A: “We have a lot of up-and-coming talent that (is) in the big leagues, so we have a lot of great players and we’re moving in the right direction for sure. Everyone seems to have the right goal in mind, whether that’s coaches or players or higher-ups, it’s everyone. We want to win, and we want to win now.”

How mentally taxing was it to overcome your foot injury?

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A: “Yeah, it was definitely tough. You just want to be out there with the guys, and from a development standpoint, last year would’ve been a really good year to get a lot of at-bats in, get a full season and develop. So, not having that was tough, but you gotta put your head down, keep working and make up for that time however you can.”

What do you make of MLB’s initiative to improve amenities and clubhouse conditions for minor-league baseball teams?

A: “Everything is moving in the right direction with that. Just in the last two years that I played, it gets better every year, so we’re excited about what the future may bring. But the players are definitely happy.”

In your opinion, what’s the biggest difference between a minor-league player and mainstay in MLB?

A: “For me, it’s just consistency and being a good player every single day — and being able to stay healthy and take care of your body. It’s a very long season, you play a lot of games, and if you can stay consistent, level-headed during the seven or eight months when we’re playing ball, then you can be really successful.

“The biggest difference between the minors and the majors is people are very, very talented, and the talent in the minors isn’t worse, but (MLB players) are just more consistent, bring their A-game and are 100% every single day. That’s what the minor leagues is about: Finding a way to be 100% and being the best player you can be every single every day.”

Since you were drafted by the Pirates, who’s been a mentor to you?

A: “So far there have been a lot of guys that I’ve played with, but I would say all of the guys on our big-league staff that I’ve gotten a chance to play with. Big-league spring training, I look forward to those every single year, because I get to be around the best players in the world and learn from them. This year, being able to play beside Andrew McCutchen, who we recently signed back to the Pirates, he was one of my favorite players growing up — probably my favorite player for a while when I was in high school. I get to learn from that guy and pick his brain a little bit.”

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