In this series, we will be exploring some of the most promising careers throughout the NFL, NBA, and MLB that never came to fruition. Whether it be an untimely death, off-the-field issues, or simply a lack of work ethic, these players all had the potential to be amongst the greatest players of all time.
Nicknamed “El Fenómeno” in the Dominican Republic, Oscar Taveras drew early comparisons to the likes of Ken Griffey Jr. and Vladimir Guerrero because of his tremendous 5 tool ability and his beautiful balance and upper cut swing at the plate. Taveras was widely seen as the 3rd best prospect in baseball and received an invitation to the 2012 Futures Game, tearing through Low A as a 19 year old with a 1.028 OPS and winning the Minor League batting title across all levels. Going into the 2013 season, he was ranked only behind Byron Buxton in MLB.com’s prospect watch and was close to debuting in his first MLB game before injuries delayed his appearance in the big leagues. Still, he continued to impress with an .819 OPS in his first taste of AAA that season, continuing to put his potential on full display and eventually landing him a spot on the Cardinals’ 40 man lineup on Nov. 20, 2013. In that time, Taveras fell to 3rd on MLB.com’s 2014 pre-season prospect list (now trailing Xander Bogaerts and Buxton) but he was still seen above names like Javier Baez, Kris Bryant, Carlos Correa, and Francisco Lindor.
Taveras was finally called up on May 30, 2014 after an extremely impressive first month in AAA. While he struggled in his first and second stints in the MLB and was more of a bench player during this time, he was still awarded a spot on the Cardinals’ 2014 playoff roster. Taveras captured the hearts of Cardinals fans with his pinch-hit game tying home run in Game 2 of the 2014 NLCS, a moment highlighting his beautiful swing and his ability to perform under the brightest lights. The moment, however, would be a bittersweet one - the homerun was the last of four that Taveras would ever hit in his career. Just ten days after the Cardinals had been eliminated from the playoffs, Taveras and his girlfriend were killed in a car crash in the Dominican Republic, cutting the 22 year olds career short. The tragic news rippled across the league, prompting many condolences from the fans, teams, and most importantly, the players. Game 6 of the World Series was played in memory of Taveras, in which his good friend Yordano Ventura started. Ventura spun seven shutout innings for the Royals in this game, while getting the team to Game 7 of the October Classic, dedicating the performance all to Taveras.
The Cardinals franchise is one of the most prestigious in all of professional sports, having seen the likes of Stan Musial, Ozzie Smith, Bob Gibson, Mark McGwire, and Albert Pujols all come and go. The Cardinals honor these all time greats with a mural on the left field wall, and it is entirely possible that Taveras’ name could have been along those faces had he finished his career. There have been very few 5 tool outfielders to come through the big leagues, and with Yadier Molina, Matt Carpenter, Matt Holliday, and Adam Wainwright all nearing the end of their primes, Taveras would have easily been the face of the next era for the Cardinals franchise. At the very least, Taveras would have been a perennial all-star and at the very best, he could have easily challenged Mike Trout for the current title as best player in baseball. As a player with an exceeding amount of raw baseball talent, love for the game, and confidence within himself, Taveras is the epitome of what could have been.
“My time is coming. I’m only 21 years old” - Oscar Taveras