When Andres Ramirez, 12, first stepped foot in Cincinnati in 2019, he was far from home. Born and raised in Venezuela, Ramirez’s life revolved around baseball, a sport that is both a passion and a way of life for many in his home country. However, as he faced the challenges of moving to a new country, learning a new language, and adjusting to a completely different culture, baseball would become more than just a sport to Ramirez. It would be his way of making new connections.
Ramirez recalls his first week in Cincinnati with a mix of excitement and awe. “My first week here was nice. I saw snow for the first time, and I went to an Indiana Pacers game,” he said. But as much as he appreciated the novelty of these experiences, Ramirez struggled to adjust. Moving to a new country meant not only a change in geography but also in lifestyle. “The hardest part was adapting to a new life,” he shared. “The school system was much harder than what I was used to in Venezuela. I also had to adjust to new habits and customs, and it was difficult to keep up with the pressure of being a student-athlete.”
Baseball had always been at the center of Andres’s life back home. Starting when he was just four years old, he spent every day playing the game he loved. In Venezuela, baseball wasn’t just a pastime; it was a priority. “In Venezuela, baseball was everything. I would wake up at 5 a.m. for practice, and I’d go until noon or 1 p.m. School came second. I only went to school once a month just to turn in homework,” Ramirez said. He even had the honor of representing Venezuela in the Little League World Series several times, a dream for any young player.
When Andres first arrived in Cincinnati, baseball had to take a backseat as he focused on adjusting to a new life and school Ramirez. “I couldn’t even focus on school for a year,” he admitted. But with time, he found his rhythm again, earning All-Star spots in 2023 and 2024 and making back-to-back World Series appearances. His Venezuelan roots continue to shape his passion and perspective on the game, and his bond with other Latino players has provided a sense of family and belonging. Through it all, his dream remains clear: to play baseball in college and eventually go pro.