Daniel Palencia Overcomes Early Rejections to Shine in Major Leagues

HOUSTON – Daniel Palencia, a pitcher known for his impressive fastball, encountered numerous rejections from Major League Baseball teams as an amateur free agent. One particular experience left a lasting impact on him. When he was just 16, a scout predicted he would never throw harder than 90 mph. Palencia, however, was already consistently reaching that mark.

Born in San Carlos, Venezuela, Palencia didn’t give up on his dream, trying out for teams long after most Latin American players would have stopped. His determination was fueled by support from his parents, Maria del Carmen Silva and Damaso Palencia, and trainer Jimmy Romero. At 20, the Oakland Athletics gave him a chance in 2020, although he was considered old by industry standards.

After navigating through the COVID pandemic, Palencia began his professional career in 2021 and rapidly advanced to the majors. “It was a bit difficult,” he said. “At 20 years old, the majority of scouts don’t want to see you. I think that was part of what I needed to be aware of to keep advancing. Nothing held me back,” he added.

Palencia’s time with the A’s was brief, as he was traded to the Chicago Cubs on July 26, 2021. Nearly two years later, on July 4, 2023, he made his MLB debut and has since become a key player for the Cubs, even closing games this season. Cubs manager Craig Counsell acknowledged that he didn’t initially foresee Palencia as a closing pitcher. “What we saw in spring was Daniel is going to be an important part of this team,” Counsell said. “He’s delivered that.”

Palencia faced challenges last year, struggling with a 6.14 ERA over 10 major league outings. After being sent down to the Class AAA Iowa Cubs, he improved significantly with a 4.85 ERA over 39 innings. His control issues were a concern, though this year he has shown remarkable improvement.

Currently, Palencia holds a 1.86 ERA with eight saves in 29 innings over 27 outings, despite an 0-2 record. Reflecting on his early setbacks, he stated, “I felt bad, obviously. I knew I had more there. All I needed was an opportunity. It’s all part of life.”