The Fifth Grade Phenom

The Bronx-based Valdez family hustles to keep up with their son’s mad dash from Little League legend to Major League dreamer.

Photos by Emon Hassan

All eyes focus on Josue Valdez’s thirty-two-inch aluminum bat. The Riverbank Youth Baseball League MVP and Player of the Year completes his practice cuts and digs in to the batter’s box. He crouches slightly, cocks his hands behind his right ear and wags his bat in anticipation. Teammates on each base clap and shout his name as he stares down the pitcher 45 feet away.

The rattling of chain-link fences and the raucous Riverbank Raptors nearly drown out a man on the loudspeaker calling out “No walks!” I learn from a teammate’s father that the rule prevents other teams from walking Josue, intentionally or not. It applies to a handful of hitters in the league who used to get the Barry Bonds treatment.

The slugger’s parents, Jose Valdez and Yahaira Mota-Valdez, inch closer to the fence for a better view of their “baby,” a stocky ten-year-old who could pass for 12. Their cheers might be the loudest of all as the nervous pitcher winds and delivers a fastball.