Article: Get To Know 'Em: Zaino Henriquez

[Jeremy Nygaard]

Two years ago, as we all looked forward to the start of the 2013 MLB season, some of us – or at least, those who had MLB Network – were captivated by the World Baseball Classic. After the USA failed to make the championship round, some people just stopped paying attention or found a reason to follow a different team.

 

The Cinderella of that tournament happened to be the Netherlands, who fell just two games short of claiming the championship. There was something that stuck out with that team: athletic shortstops. As a prospect follower, I’d been aware of the likes of Jurickson Profar, Xander Bogaerts and Andrelton Simmons. There they all were suiting up for the Dutch team.All of them, as well as Jonathan Schoop, were on that 2013 WBC team, which featured Bert Blyleven as a pitching coach. It led me to wonder: Why the heck aren’t the Twins signing guys from the Curacao, an island in the Caribbean that helps form the Kingdom of the Netherlands? The Twins have had Shairon Martis, a relief pitcher, and Curt Smith on their rosters in recent seasons, but never have they signed a player directly from Curacao.

 

Until now.

 

That changed on August 28, 2014 when the Twins, led by scout Lester Victoria, signed 16-year-old Zaino Henriquez a 5’ 11”, 165 lbs shortstop from Curacao during the international signing period.

 

While Henriquez wasn’t one of the more decorated names in the class, he’s been playing baseball for quite some time and has even played in two tournaments in the United States. In fact, while participating in the Senior League World Series in Bangor, Maine, Henriquez had a walk-off hit over an American team just two weeks prior to signing. The Latin America team that Henriquez played for lost to that same American team, from Texas, just two days later to finish second in the tournament.

 

In the six games Henriquez played in Maine, he went 6-for-16 with seven RBIs and three runs scored. He drew five walks (and had an impressive .545 OBP). He stole three bases. He also committed three errors in 27 total chances. As if his stats aren’t impressive enough, Twins fans, he also wore #7.

 

After a game against a Connecticut team, their manager told the Bangor Daily News that Henriquez “made a lot of plays…in the hole and up the middle. He’s really good.”

 

Henriquez has a message for Twins fans: “My childhood dream was always to sign as a professional baseball player. I always worked hard to reach this goal. My mind was set from day one to sign. Because of this, I always showed respect to my coaches and be disciplined. All the coaches can ascertain my character as a team player and hard worker. I sacrificed free time to be on the field to better prepare myself. Now that I have this golden opportunity in hand, I will work even harder because the dream just started. My mission is to someday play in the major leagues and represent my island on the highest stage of baseball: To be the next Andruw Jones or Andrelton Simmons."

 

We wish you the best on your mission.

 

Click here to view the article

[Seth Stohs]

The next Andrelton Simmons or Andruw Jones would be a good thing!!

[Jeremy Nygaard]

If anyone has any questions for Zaino, leave them here. He told me he'd answer them.

[diehardtwinsfan]

I hadn't heard anything about this signing until today.  I'm really curious how he compares to some of the names that I recognize from this article.   Where's he expected to play this summer?  GCL?  I'm always curious about adjusting to life as a 16/17 year old playing professional ball.  Do his parents move here?  How does that work finishing high school? 

[ashbury]

 

If anyone has any questions for Zaino, leave them here. He told me he'd answer them.

If he reaches the majors, does he think he'll be known more for his bat, or his glove?

[Jeremy Nygaard]

 

 I'm always curious about adjusting to life as a 16/17 year old playing professional ball.  Do his parents move here?  How does that work finishing high school? 

 

He says he honestly has no idea where he'll play. He found his name on the GCL roster, but only Minier has skipped the DSL in the last handful of seasons.

 

His parents have no plan to move to the US.

[Jeremy Nygaard]

 

If he reaches the majors, does he think he'll be known more for his bat, or his glove?

 

From Zaino: If i reach the majors it can be both cause I have a solid glove and I am a good contact hitter.

[diehardtwinsfan]

So will he be finishing HS here in the states?  How does that work?  Do the Twins have a deal with a local HS in Fort Meyers to accelerate his learning while keeping him on the field?  I've wondered about this type of stuff for a while.  I remember reading here that part of the reason Thorpe stayed in the GCL was b/c he was still in HS.  Just curious.

[Shane Wahl]

Nice article! This is an interesting read.

[uberfan]

Very interesting. Curacao has had many teams in the LLWS. Was he on any of those teams?

[maxisagod]

 

So will he be finishing HS here in the states?  How does that work?  Do the Twins have a deal with a local HS in Fort Meyers to accelerate his learning while keeping him on the field?  I've wondered about this type of stuff for a while.  I remember reading here that part of the reason Thorpe stayed in the GCL was b/c he was still in HS.  Just curious.

Kepler is the case that's usually mentioned. With more and more online schools popping up I wonder if that's going to be the preferred route, just read last night that Lindsey Vonn, because she trained in Colorado all winter, went to the University of Missouri High School to finish school while working on being a seasonal sport star. 

[Jeremy Nygaard]

Message from Zaino:

 

I will do my best to describe our educational system

curacao has the same educational system as the Netherlands.

Therefore i finished 10th grade as you know it in the united states.

and there are 3 different levels of schooling in curacao/Netherlands

1 being the lower level finished in 10 grade so only 4 years of high school

2 being the slightly more advanced finished in the 11 grade 5 years of high school

3 being the advanced level right at the door of entering university finished 12 grade 6 years total of high school

 

i made the decision to go pro so i won't be going to school in the near future

i will put all my effort to better my game and to reach major.

 

i think i have all the tools i need to reach my goal

and that is my god given talent and the 4 languages i speak this of course will help me breach all communication barriers with manager/coaches/teammates and fans

 

in the future i don't exclude a degree in economics it might come handy down the road if you know what i mean and probably online of course

 

hope i have cover this part

 

as for the question about LLWS

the answer is no i did not have the privilege to be on a LLWS tournament

my island is divided in 3 districts namely: liga pariba / liga pabow and liga willemstad

i have always played for the underdogs liga willemstad and as a team we never stand a chance. in 2013 my family moved to the pariba district and that's how i ended up representing curacao in panama (latin america championship) and world series 2014 at bangor maine with liga pariba

[jokin]

 

Message from Zaino:

I will do my best to describe our educational system
curacao has the same educational system as the Netherlands.
Therefore i finished 10th grade as you know it in the united states.
and there are 3 different levels of schooling in curacao/Netherlands
1 being the lower level finished in 10 grade so only 4 years of high school
2 being the slightly more advanced finished in the 11 grade 5 years of high school
3 being the advanced level right at the door of entering university finished 12 grade 6 years total of high school



i think i have all the tools i need to reach my goal
and that is my god given talent and the 4 languages i speak this of course will help me breach all communication barriers with manager/coaches/teammates and fans

in the future i don't exclude a degree in economics it might come handy down the road if you know what i mean and probably online of course

 

 

 

... All the coaches can ascertain my character as a team player and hard worker...                                                         

 

 

 

Folks from the little Dutch kingdom have known for 100s of years that in order to do business with all of its much bigger neighboring countries, it's requisite to have the ability to effectively communicate in multiple foreign languages.  after reading this "prospects'" autobiographical account of himself,my guess would be that the Netherlands have extended that custom to their former colonies.  A 16 year old kid, and budding economist, who can use the word  "ascertain"  correctly in a foreign language, is indeed, very impressive, but alas, this was also the "tell' in this fine tale that brought me back down to earth....

 

since, of course...

 

you published this on April Fools Day, and since we're the long-suffering followers of the MN Twins, we don't deserve the next Curacaoian wunderkind, so this is obviously all an elaborate, yet elegant practical joke.  Well played, Jeremy.

Edited April 2, 2015 by jokin

[PeanutsFromHeaven]

 

A 16 year old kid, and budding economist, who can use the word  "ascertain"  correctly in a foreign language, is indeed, very impressive, but alas, this was also the "tell' in this fine tale that brought me back down to earth....

 

since, of course...

 

you published this on April Fools Day, and since we're the long-suffering followers of the MN Twins, we don't deserve the next Curacaoian wunderkind, so this is obviously all an elaborate, yet elegant practical joke.  Well played, Jeremy.

Wait...I'm confused, so hopeful and excited about the possibility, so angry about getting pranked...

 

But since this is up on Facebook either He really exists or Jeremy is the world's most horrible person ever (catfishing an entire fan base?!?) 

 

What should I feel!!!?!?

[Jeremy Nygaard]

If this were an elaborate hoax, you can call me Manti Te'o. But it's not. Zaino is real!

[James]

 

If this were an elaborate hoax, you can call me Manti Te'o. But it's not. Zaino is real!

I believe in Zaino!

 

Let's hope that phrase catches on.

[ashbury]

I believe in Zaino!

 

Let's hope that phrase catches on.

http://images.neozone.org/2011/06/I-want-to-believe-300x194.jpg

[Jeremy Nygaard]

In case you're curious, here is a little more background:

 

Papiamentu is Zaino's first language. But in school, the teachers teach in Dutch. Growing up in Latin American, Zaino needs to know Spanish. And of course, he takes English classes in school.

 

How impressive is that? 

 

Could you imagine speaking one language at home, going to school and using another language, while learning another one... and then using a different language at the grocery store? Holy wow.

 

Before he told me that, I thought, "Wow, pretty good at English for it being his second language.."  But it's his fourth(!).

[maxisagod]

 

He says he honestly has no idea where he'll play. He found his name on the GCL roster, but only Minier has skipped the DSL in the last handful of seasons.

 

His parents have no plan to move to the US.

 

This does bring up a interesting question in general.... The Twins wouldn't send a a player from the States, a Puerto Rican,  a Canadian, German, Dutch, South African, or an Auzzie to the DSL. But they almost automatically send Colombians, Dominicans, Venezuelan, and Panamanians. So why is it automatically assumed A player from the Curaçao would go to the DSL like a Venezuelan instead to the GCL like someone from the Netherlands? Ruar Verkerk is also Dutch but we don't consider him skipping the DSL. Just thinking out loud. 

[Jeremy Nygaard]

There is some rule that prevents non-Caribbean/Latinos from playing in the DSL.

[Seth Stohs]

In case you're curious, here is a little more background:

 

Papiamentu is Zaino's first language. But in school, the teachers teach in Dutch. Growing up in Latin American, Zaino needs to know Spanish. And of course, he takes English classes in school.

 

How impressive is that? 

 

Could you imagine speaking one language at home, going to school and using another language, while learning another one... and then using a different language at the grocery store? Holy wow.

 

Before he told me that, I thought, "Wow, pretty good at English for it being his second language.."  But it's his fourth(!).

Remarkable! I'm always amazed when players from Latin America do interviews in English. I know I wouldn't do well if I was interviewed there in Spanish.

[Jeremy Nygaard]

Zaino let me know that his initial assignment will be in the DSL. He was really hoping he'd be in the GCL with their facilities and vows to work hard to get there. Should be a fun follow this summer.