Ozzie Virgil Sr, first Dominican MLB player, dies at 92

Ozzie Virgil Sr., the man who first carried the Dominican Republic into Major League Baseball, has passed away at 92. His name might not echo through the years the way some do, but his impact on the game - and on the players who followed him - runs deep. Born Osvaldo Virgil in Monte Cristi, Dominican Republic, he moved to the Bronx as a child, where baseball eventually became more than just a pastime.

After high school in New York and a stint in the Marines from 1950 to 1952, Virgil embarked on a baseball career that spanned 17 years, nine of which were in the majors. He made his debut on September 23, 1956, playing third base for the New York Giants in a game against the Phillies. That moment was more than just the beginning of a new player’s journey - it was a crack in the door for future Dominican and Latin American ballplayers.

Juan Soto said it best last year: “He was the first Dominican coming to the big leagues and opened the doors for a lot of Dominicans - and not only Dominicans, for all Latin players.” It’s true. Before players like Pedro Martínez, David Ortiz, and Soto himself, there was Ozzie, setting the stage, facing the unknowns and the pressures of being the first.

In those early days, Virgil wasn’t a superstar. His numbers - a .231 batting average with 14 home runs over 324 games - don’t tell the full story. He played wherever he was needed: third base, shortstop, catcher, you name it. The positions he covered made him a reliable presence, and his versatility helped him stick around on rosters when times were tough. But it was his quiet perseverance that made the real difference.

After hanging up his cleats as a player, Virgil transitioned into coaching, spending nearly two decades in the dugout from 1968 to 1988. He found his way back to the Giants and also worked with the Expos, Padres, and Mariners. He served as third base coach under Hall of Fame manager Dick Williams, cementing his place in baseball beyond the playing field.

His legacy didn’t end with him. Virgil’s son, Ozzie Jr., followed in his father’s footsteps and carved out his own solid career, playing for the Phillies, Braves, and Blue Jays. He even made two All-Star appearances in 1985 and 1987, a rare father-son connection in baseball history.

Ozzie Sr.’s influence stretched further than his own family, though. As the first Dominican-born player in Major League Baseball, he carried the weight of his country’s hopes and dreams on his shoulders. That pressure could have crushed some, but Virgil shouldered it with quiet grace. And in doing so, he lit the path for the wave of Latin American talent that would soon flood the league.

There are moments in baseball that live in memory not because of the numbers or the records, but because they signify a change, a turning of the page. Virgil’s first game in 1956 was one of those moments. He might not have been the loudest name in the box scores, but to generations of Dominican and Latin players, he was a pioneer.

Ozzie Virgil Sr.’s passing is a reminder of where it all began for so many, of how one man’s journey paved the way for others to follow, even if the road wasn’t always easy. And that, more than anything, might just be his greatest legacy.