Carlos Gonzales
On the Lip
January 1, 2029
The Long Beach Independent LONG BEACH-Lip: adj. 'The tip of the breaking part of the wave.' One could say that that is exactly where Carlos Gonzales is today, as we bring you this profile of the 24 year old who is poised to become a star in the BBA. In a league where the likes of Alfredo Martinez, Lucas McNeill and Arthur Norris are stars before they can legally drink, a 24 year old who has just had his first cup of coffee in the big leagues may seem like a disappointment. However, age is just a number, and if you asked the management of the Long Beach Surfers (we did), they would say that this young man is rounding into form at just the right time.
The clean-shaven lefty stands an even six feet, weighing in at 190 pounds. Born July 26, 2004 in the Puerto Rican city of Trujillo Alto he seemed destined to play baseball. From a young age coaches remarked at how easily everything seemed to be for Carlos. A swing so easy that it hid the enormous power that would develop as he grew into his frame. He is the son of farmers, as were most of his peers growing up in the suburb of San Juan, the capital of Puerto Rico. The vast plains with scattered rolling hills allowed ample room for young men to play beisbol in fallow fields. There's no doubt that the expansive playing fields of his youth contributed to his arm in right field that scouts rave about as the best of the best.
We met with Carlos in his new apartment in the Belmont Shore area in east Long Beach. He spent the past couple months back home, resting, rejuvenating with family and old friends. "It's time for work now. Mr. Lane has told me that Right Field is mine this season, and I know he has high expectations for me. Normally I might spend some more time back home, but this year is different. The weather here, and the girls, can't imagine a better place to get my offseason workouts in." Carlos is too humble to admit it, but he's one of the smarter players in the league as well. May rookies might just be couch surfing or going in together to rent a house, but not Carlos; rumor has it that he's purchased this entire apartment complex. He's not one for flashy cars or big TVs...he's taking care of his family back in Puerto Rico, and taking care of himself as well. He's truly a leader, on and off the field.
The workouts seem to be paying off already, as the OSA recently bumped his power rating to 9, up from 8. That leaves the overall package at 8/7/9/6/6(7). Drafted out of high school in 2024, he was the fourth overall pick, earning himself a tidy $2.4 million bonus. At the time, scouts rated him 8/8/5 and he debuted (and peaked) at #11 on the top prospect list. As the years progressed, he dropped lower on the list, though more due to new entrants than due to any faults of his own. He displayed above average offensive and defensive ability at every stop before breaking into the MBWBA in 2028. In 74 PA's he slashed .277/.365/.338 and hit his first big league home run.
"My first one? Yes of course I remember. June 2nd against Omaha. First pitch fastball...hit it out to right. Broke a tie, ended up being enough for the win. Great game, great day." The scouts say that Carlos is a 'superstar' type player...you know, the kind you 'build a franchise around' but he doesn't think about that too much, and the Surfers management is trying to surround him with enough talent so that he doesn't feel that kind of pressure. "I don't think about it that way. I have a job to do, and it happens to be a job I love. I just go out every day, play hard, and be an example for my teammates. I was so thrilled to see Esteban[Gil] have so much success last year...I hope I can have half the season he did."
We here at the Independent are thrilled to have the Surfers back in town. Players like Carlos Gonzales certainly make the wait seem worthwhile. So welcome, young man, welcome to Long Beach. Let's show the Brewster how a Surfer plays ball.
