Gaby Sanchez fitting in well in big leagues

It took five minor-league seasons for Gaby Sanchez’s major-league window to finally open. But the way the Marlins’ first baseman has been hitting during his rookie campaign, that window doesn’t appear to be closing anytime soon.

“It’s definitely been a blast is all I can say,” said Sanchez, who leads all rookies in total bases (221), doubles (33) and runs batted in (70).

“I’m just having so much fun being up here. It’s definitely a lot of fun playing in the big leagues because that’s what I’ve wanted to do ever since I was very young. This is where I wanted to be and to get up here and to be playing everyday is very awesome.”

Sanchez, who has been a force wherever he’s hitting in the Marlins’ lineup, always knew he’d eventually reach the majors. It was just a matter of when.

Drafted by the Marlins in the fourth round of the 2005 draft out of the University of Miami, Sanchez mashed at every level of the minors, slugging 62 homers and sporting an .877 OPS.

“I always knew that if I continued to train hard and work hard that I could make it,” Sanchez said. “It was a grind every single year knowing that I was moving up, which was always a good thing. I was always doing well.

“So I knew there would come a point in time when I would fulfill what I wanted to do and that was to make it to the big leagues. It was a grind in the minor leagues, but it was a good grind.”

Based on how flawless his transition has been to facing major-league pitching, it doesn’t appear Sanchez will ever have to grind it out in the minors again.

“He’s naturally a great hitter,” said Dan Uggla, the Marlins’ All-Star second baseman. “But he’s been learning the game really fast at this level.”

Sanchez, 26, said the key to his success has been staying within himself and doing the same things that got him here.

“I feel like the biggest adjustment is not to change,” Sanchez said. “What got me here is what I’m going to continue to do, and not try to deviate from that. That’s been the biggest thing, staying with my same approach and work ethic and not try to change anything. Just continue to trust what got me here and hopefully it will keep me here.”

Sanchez has taken the same approach with his swing.

“I’ve always been pretty much the same,” Sanchez said. “My swing hasn’t really changed much in the five years since I’ve been in the minor leagues. It’s always been pretty consistent with the same thing and I’ve tried not to change it because it always worked really well for me. So I try not to do anything different.”

Marlins manager Edwin Rodriguez, who previously coached Sanchez at Triple-A New Orleans in 2009, had plenty of praise for his so-called “rookie.”

“Forget about being a rookie, he means a lot to this team and this lineup,” Rodriguez said. “His numbers and the ways he’s been playing first base and the way he’s been getting clutch hits for us, he’s a huge part of this lineup.”

And Sanchez is hoping to keep it that way.

“I think it’s just about staying with what got me here,” Sanchez said. “The work ethic and continue to work hard and know that I can better myself every single year, every single day. I’m just trying to go out there and train as hard as I can and I should be okay.”



(nj.com)