Top baseball prospect Vladimir Guerrero Jr. is excited to start his first season as a pro, but looks towards training camp to help his conditioning. The six-foot-two 19 year-old weighs in at 250 pounds and hopes to slim that down, as do the Blue Jays.
There isn’t a rookie with more hype behind them than Vladimir Guerrero Jr. of the Toronto Blue Jays. The Blue Jay have had their eyes on Guerrero Jr. for years, having him in the organization since 2016. Now, he’s finally old enough to be a pro, and he’s baseball’s top prospect.
It certainly doesn’t hurt that his father is the legendary Vladimir Guerrero, who he is obviously named after. His father was elected to the Cooperstown Baseball Hall of Fame last year, showing up on nearly 93% of voting ballots. Heritage aside, Guerrero Jr. is a talent in his own right, which is why the Blue Jays picked him up early on.
The team recently updated information for Guerrero Jr., listing his height and weight. The 19 year old is 6’2, and weighs 250 pounds. Guerrero Jr. says 250 pounds has been his average weight over the last few years. He does, however, understand concerns from the Blue Jays about that figure, and hopes to cut it down during training camp.
For the young athlete, that means a healthier diet. In the past year, he’s cut out most fast food and eats healthier as a whole. He also understands the emotional aspect to hunger, and how to not be swayed towards unhealthier options.
Past slimming
This isn’t the first time the Blue Jays have prodded Guerrero Jr. about his weight. He was asked to drop 20 pounds for the team when he was just 16. He didn’t have an issue with this, having help from his grandmother. His grandmother cooked all his meals, making sure they were made with minimal fat and had plenty of vegetables. Guerrero Jr. was able to drop the weight as requested, which gives hope that he can do it again.
To make matters better, his grandmother arrived last week to stay with him throughout training camp. She will help serve as emotional support and will continue to cook healthy meals for Guerrero Jr. so he can be in prime shape for the season. He is blessed to have a support system like his grandmother, who isn’t a stranger to the act. Altagracia Alvino (his grandmother) is no stranger to cooking for baseball players, having done so for her son (Vladimir Guerrero Sr.) and his teammates many times.
With his grandmother by his side, Guerrero Jr. is well equipped to slim down by the time opening day comes around. He is dedicated to working as hard as possible and staying humble. He knows to ignore any hype surrounding him, choosing rather to focus on improving his own game. The future of the Blue Jays is looking bright with a young Guerrero Jr. on the roster!
