Ten years ago, you might have spotted young Justin Toledo playing baseball in local parks like Hunting Park, Lighthouse Field, and McVeigh Recreation Park. Today, Justin plays baseball professionally with los Búfalos de San Sebastián in Puerto Rico. His journey has been marked by hard work, perseverance, and overcoming challenges.
Justin’s family is Puerto Rican and he was born and raised in North Philadelphia. Despite the challenges of growing up in Philadelphia, Justin attributes his success to his strong family support system and the choices he made early on. “Growing up in Philadelphia wasn’t the easiest but it ultimately came down to decision making. I chose to play baseball, to sacrifice the childhood I may have wanted but wasn’t what I needed. Baseball kept me out of trouble and from the wrong crowds.” After his older brother tragically passed away from a brain tumor in 2014, Justin’s strong family relationships became even more important. “All of my relatives grew up really close and even closer with the passing of my brother. It’s a true blessing to have a supportive and united family growing up in a tough city.”
Justin graduated in 2019, and despite having two All-Public Infielder awards, a Student Athlete award, and a batting average above .550 his senior year, he faced a series of unexpected roadblocks. He did not receive any college scholarship offers, so he decided to attend Flagler College without a scholarship. By mid-year, his plans changed yet again when Covid-19 turned the world upside down. After returning home to Philadelphia to continue his education at Manor College, he found out shortly after the start of the semester that the baseball season was canceled due to Covid. “I was devastated; I withdrew from college and thought my chances for baseball had come to an end. All this hard work to go unnoticed after high school. The Covid period made me contemplate my next step, whether I should stop baseball or continue.”
Justin made a bold move in January 2021 when he packed his things and headed to Florida by himself to join a team in Clearwater Beach, hoping to catch the attention of college scouts. When things didn’t go as planned, he moved to West Palm later that year to try again. That is when he finally caught a break. After being noticed by a professional sports agent, Justin hired the agent to represent him and got to work preparing to play professionally. “I had to learn so much to get ready for professional baseball; it was like learning the game all over again. With hard work, determination, and God’s grace, I was able to reach heights and meet goals I thought were crushed after Covid.”
Since then, Justin’s journey has transformed from a series of roadblocks to a series of breakthroughs. Since meeting his agent in 2021 he has played in two professional tours in the MLB partner leagues, played against World Series champion Pablo Sandoval, traveled to new places, met extraordinary people, and is now playing professionally in Puerto Rico. Justin reflects on where he is now and how far he has come: “To be able to play for the land my family comes from is my way of making my ancestors proud. It is truly an honor to compete in Puerto Rico. Let me be a testament to never give up on your dreams no matter how many roadblocks you hit, no matter what city you come from, and no matter if things go according to plan or not; it’s harder to quit than to just finish what you started.”
While Justin prepares for the upcoming baseball season in Puerto Rico, he is also thinking about what life may hold after baseball. “I plan on playing professional baseball for a few more years; maybe when I’m 26 or 27 I’ll hang up the cleats. But it’s all up to God when my time is finished on the field. My goal for the future is to get into the tech industry for a career. Then I can finally pursue my passion for videography and sports training and start my side businesses.”
Justin’s journey has already taught him invaluable lessons. “My time at Esperanza Academy prepared me for detours in life. Up until my senior year, everything I had planned for my life was going accordingly. But what happens when it doesn’t go your way? Who do you become? What do you do? How do you see the light at the end of the tunnel? I asked myself these questions and I had to really digest my situation because it wasn’t what I had in mind. But if I didn’t have those detours and thoughts, I wouldn’t be who I am today.” Wherever Justin’s path goes, the resilience, dedication, and optimism that has brought him this far will continue to guide him.
