E10: Growth with David Vidal

David Vidal has been there with us since the early days of Tater. Being  one of the first ballplayers to use our product, not only did he  represent the company - but he has been an integral member of product  development.    He brings us through his career as a ballplayer, maturing through  different experiences. He sheds light on doing the right things, showing  commitment, and the things needed to be done to help his career.   Recently, Vidal has been a mentor for players at all levels, helping  them guide their own careers with his knowledge and experiences.

Ryan Gold and Luis Quiñones hop on an episode during spring training. We dive down into minor league life, routines, and their inspiration to play the game. Ryan is Luis's catcher on the AA Blue Jays Affiliate, the New Hampshire Fisher Cats - together they have been through thick and thin. This is a very special episode as it was done in person during our annual spring training trip. It is fitting to take place over hope plate, as it's the place these two players have a special bond --- known as The Battery.  Special thank you to Tampa Prep and the Carlsons for helping make this happen.  Player Bio:  Ryan Gold Born: 10/10/1997 in La Habra, CA Draft: 2016, Toronto Blue Jays, Round: 27, Overall Pick: 822 High School: Carolina Forest, Myrtle Beach, SC Luis Quinones Status: Active Born: 7/02/1997 in Arecibo, Puerto Rico Draft: 2019, Toronto Blue Jays, Round: 34, Overall Pick: 1017 College: San Jacinto JC, San Jacinto, TX

For the past 4 years, Quentin has been an integral member of the Tater community. From photo-shoots to product testing, Q has been with us through thick and thin. In this episode, he talks about what it takes to move on to the next level - pushing yourself into unfamiliar arenas to test and develop as an athlete.  Player Bio:  Drafted in the 2nd round (64th overall) by the Cleveland Guardians in 2017, Quentin was drafted right out of high school.  Holmes parlayed his top-of-the-scale speed and tag as the fastest player in the 2017 Draft. Through discipline and hard work he continues to be a top prospect for the organization, currently playing outfield for the Lake County Captains.  Visit our site: https://www.taterbaseball.com/ Follow us: https://www.instagram.com/taterbaseball Whats new? https://linktr.ee/taterbaseball

Yan Gomes has been one of the most consistent players representing Tater on the biggest stage. Starting our relationship in 2018, Yan has given us the opportunity to work with him that has transcended beyond just using our product. In this episode, he shares the early stages of his career from playing baseball in Brazil to moving to Florida for high school. While very talented at the time, Yan talks about doing the extra work, and really cultivating his work ethic in his college years to take his game to the next level. He also shares what life is like during the season, making friends with other professional athletes in different sports and finding a balance amidst all the traveling done throughout the year.  For the first time in company history, Yan talks about getting traded to Oakland where both Starling Marte and Vimael Machin were both playing and using the bats (the only other players using Tater in the Big Leagues at the time). He shared how Tater is a brotherhood amongst the players and what the commitment to the brand really means. Player Bio: Yan Gomes is a Brazilian-American professional baseball catcher for the Chicago Cubs of Major League Baseball (MLB). He previously played for the Toronto Blue Jays, Cleveland Indians, Washington Nationals and Oakland Athletics. The Blue Jays drafted Gomes in the tenth round of the 2009 MLB Draft. He made his MLB debut in 2012, becoming the first Brazilian-born player in major league history. He played for the Blue Jays in 2012 and the Indians from 2013 to 2018. He was traded to the Nationals ahead of the 2019 season and won the World Series with Washington over the Houston Astros. 

Manny Cruz was the first player to use our bats and gloves at the professional level. From swinging our bats in college, to helping use develop our glove line - Manny has been with us every step of the way. Together we embarked on the discovery process of pro ball and competing. The shared experiences, struggles, and sacrifices not only has brought us closer together but molded a relationship that will last a lifetime.  Manny shares insight on his upbringing and the motivation of becoming UNDENIABLE. Bringing up moments where he would practice on his front porch and going to the park with his father. Being a New England based ballplayer, it is harder to be seen by scouts - but the work Manny put in and the numbers he put up in college, it has allowed him to achieve his dream of becoming a professional baseball player.  Player Bio: Draft: Drafted by the Cincinnati Reds in the 39th round of the 2013 MLB June Amateur Draft from Wolcott HS (Wolcott, CT) and the Cincinnati Reds in the 23rd round of the 2016 MLB June Amateur Draft from Southern New Hampshire University (Manchester, NH).

Christian Colón, 2015 MLB World Series Champion.  Finding baseball at a young age and deciding to make the pursuit of becoming a professional athlete comes with sacrifices the average person doesn't endure. Christian dives into the moments of reflection where he explains his experience in being so heavily focused on baseball, that it made it difficult to be present or focus on other aspects of life.  Christian gives advice on how to navigate life as an upcoming player giving examples and analogies from his own experiences. He has the gift to be able to relate to players of all levels, giving them perspective on how to get through tough moments on and off the field.  Player Bio: Christian Colón is a Puerto Rican former professional baseball infielder. Played in MLB for the Kansas City Royals, Miami Marlins, and Cincinnati Reds.  Colón was an All-American shortstop. He was then selected with the fourth overall pick of the 2010 MLB Draft by the Kansas City Royals. Serving as a utility player during the 2015 season. He entered Game 5 of the 2015 World Series (his first appearance in the playoffs) in the top of the 12th as a pinch hitter. After not making a plate appearance for four weeks, he hit a single to score Jarrod Dyson for the winning run to clinch the World Series, marking the first time in history that a player in his first at bat in a World Series delivered the Series-winning run.

There are a lot of experiences that have shaped the company, some which have set the precedent. Naysayers and the underlying premise of you'll never make it is what drove Freddie and the crew to push along. Tater from it's infancy was being compared to the largest players in the industry - while the comparison at the time was unfair, it was what ultimately drove the company to be where it stands today.  

The Tater Kong represents what Tater stands for. The trials and  tribulations experienced from starting a baseball brand in a very  competitive industry has not only motivated us as a company but has  allowed us to relate to players of all levels. The Tater Kong has  something to prove - baseball culture is changing and it represents the  new school, the new identity of baseball.      Visit our site: www.taterbaseball.com  Follow us: instagram.com/taterbaseball

Setting trends has never been something new to us. On our journey to be  different and make an impact on the game - we have been inspired by the  moments we have lived through that has shaped everything we do and who we are.

Born in the backyard shed in 2015, the origin story of Tater is as American as can be. From humble beginnings to making an impact at the highest level of baseball, Tater has some of the best players of this era using the product day in and day out.