In addition to Katie Uhleander we have uncovered another Olympic athlete with a baseaball connection. Today we look at Speed Skater Eduardo Alvarez.
The 24 year old Eduardo (Eddy) Alavarez hails from Miami. How does a young man from the Sun Belt get involved in Speed Skating? In-Line Skating of course. In addition to being an Olympian Eduardo was also a baseball prospect for a time, but had to give up the game as involvement in two sports starting giving his knees troubles.
Eddy is entered in several speed skating events, several of which he has completed, but not medaled. Near as I can tell Alvarez still has a chance at the podium in the 500m race which commences Tuesday and runs through Friday
Eduardo's older brother Nick was also a baseball player, The elder Alvarez was once a prospect in the Dodgers organization.
2002 Topps #681 Nick Alvarez (image swiped from Baseball Card Database)
Nick Alvarez was drafted by the Dodgers in the 26th round of the 2000 draft, he stuck with the Dodgers through 2006 rising as high as AAA Las Vegas. He was an outfielder first baseman, who posted decent hitting numbers, possibly without enough power to make the transition to the major league level.
Best of luck to Eddy Alvarez in the remainder of the 2014 Olympiad. According to Sam Dykstra at Minor League Baseball.com this may be Alvarez's only Olympics, apparently Eddy has an interest in following in his brothers footsteps as he still has baseball aspirations.
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