Famed Los Angeles Dodgers scout Mike Brito was named the winner of Baseball America’s 2021 Tony Gwynn Award for his lifetime of contributions to the game.
Brito, 87, has been the Dodgers’ top scout in Mexico for over four decades. He is responsible for signing the likes of Fernando Valenzuela, Julio Urias, Yasiel Puig and Joakim Soria, among other talented players to come out of the country.
Brito’s impact goes beyond just the Dodgers organization as he helped legitimize Mexico as a major talent pool. Before persuading L.A. to sign Valenzuela in 1979, fewer than 40 players born in Mexico had ever played in MLB.
Brito reflected on his career and considers himself fortunate for being able to change so many lives, via Kyle Glaser of Baseball America:
“I’m lucky,” Brito said. “I’m aggressive and I’ve been very lucky. It’s been something good, something you never forget, something I’m always going to keep on my mind.”
Prior to becoming a scout, Brito played professional baseball in Cuba. While with the Cienfuegos Elephants, he was noticed by Washington Senators scout Joe Cambria, who signed Brito to a contract.
Upon being released by the organization, Brito went to Mexico, where he spent time with Juarez, Chihuahua and Aguascalientes. After retiring as a player, Brito began scouting for Mexican League’s Reynosa franchise.
Along the way, Brito reconnected with then-Dodgers general manager Al Campanis, who was Brito’s manager with Cienfuegos in Cuba. One year after convincing Campanis to sign Minor League infielder Robert Castillo, Brito was hired as a scout by the Dodgers in 1978 and has been with the organization ever since.
Tom Myers left Cubs for role with Dodgers
The Dodgers scouting department recently gained an addition as longtime talent evaluator Tom Myers left his role with the Chicago Cubs for a similar one in L.A.
Myers had served as an area scout supervisor for the Cubs in Southern California since October 2011. His responsibilities included assisting the organization with identifying and evaluating talent in the MLB Draft each year.
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