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FuzzyRussianHat · 09-28-2025, 07:41 AM

Beisbol Sudamerica had an impressive four-man 2036 Hall of Fame class with each earning first ballot honors. LF Michael Escalante was the headliner at 98.1% with OF Benjamim Pinheiro (90.6%) and LF Emmanuel Angel (87.5%) close behind. 1B Nuno Escalante barely made the 66% cut to join them with 67.5%. The best returner was CL Antonio Kercado at 50.6% on his second try. No one else was above 50%.

3B Pedro Gutierrez fell off the ballot after ten tries, getting as close at 55.8% in 2029 but finishing at only 22.6%. In a 19-year career, he won three Silver Sluggers with 2723 games, 2996 hits, 1475 runs, 503 doubles, 114 triples, 393 home runs, 1388 RBI, 501 walks, 588 steals, .310/.345/.507 slash, 126 wRC+, and 85.3 WAR.

Gutierrez ranks 73^rd in WAR among position players and 13^th among third basemen and is 22^nd in hits. He had nice longevity and good tallies, but he was never a league leader with little in accolades. Gutierrez was also on mostly forgettable teams, banishing him to the Hall of Pretty Good.

Michael Escalante – Left/Right Field – Concepcion Chiefs – 98.1% First Ballot

Michael Escalante was a 6’2’’, 200 pound right-handed hitting corner outfielder from Puente Alto, Chile; a city of around 568,000 people within metropolitan Santiago. At his peak, Escalante was a very well-rounded batter against both sides with good-to-great contact, power, and eye. He was terrific at earning extra-base hits with a 162 game average of 34 doubles, 13 triples, and 36 home runs. Escalante was a league leader thrice in walks drawn, but he did have a poor strikeout rate.

Escalante also had rock solid speed and was a highly skilled baserunner. About 2/3 of his starts came in left field where he graded as a great defender, winning two Gold Gloves. Escalante also occasionally started in right field with good metrics there. He was a below average first baseman at the very end of his career and filled in rarely in center field, but his range was nowhere near good enough for that spot.

With his diverse skillset and long run with Concepcion, Escalante emerged as one of the most popular Chilean players of all time. Few guys could outwork him and he was very adaptable, plus he had generally strong durability over a 21-year career. However, Escalante was considered a bit selfish at times and couldn’t be counted on for vocal leadership. He didn’t need to be the captain though to help push the Chiefs to a 15-year run as a regular contender in the Southern Cone League.

Escalante was picked ninth overall by Concepcion in the 2009 BSA Draft. He saw part-time use and struggled a bit as a rookie with -0.1 WAR and .678 OPS in 88 games and 46 starts. Escalante earned a full-time gig the next year and exceled, posting 6.5+ WAR each of the next 15 seasons. During that stretch, he was also good for 30+ homers each year and eight times had an OPS above one. Escalante’s first accolades came with Gold Gloves in 2011 and 2013.

This also started a sustained run for the Chiefs, who hadn’t made the playoffs since 1991. 2011 would start a 15-year stretch of winning seasons with 13 playoff appearances and five division titles. After a first round exit in 2011, the Chiefs narrowly took the top seed in 2012 at 97-65. They defeated Brasilia to win the Southern Cone crown with Escalante earning series MVP. Concepcion would be denied in Copa Sudamerica by Callao.

2012 was easily Escalante’s strongest playoff effort with 23 hits, 10 runs, 5 homer, 11 RBI, .941 OPS, and 0.8 WAR over 17 starts. He also had a nice showing in the Baseball Grand Championship with 18 hits, 12 runs, 6 homers, 16 RBI, .897 OPS, and 0.7 WAR. Escalante was the second in event history to hit for the cycle, doing it against Addis Ababa. Concepcion was one of five teams tied for the best record at 12-7, but ended up officially in fifth place after tiebreakers were sorted out.

The Chiefs won back-to-back division titles in 2013-14, but lost both years in the divisional series. They fell to 82-80 and missed the playoffs in 2015, which would be the weakest season of Escalante’s tenure. He was performing quite well though and was a league leader for the first time in 2013 with 120 runs scored. That year also had his career best 44 doubles.

Concepcion started a new five-year playoff streak in 2016 with a division title, but again had no playoff luck. Then in 2017-18, the Chiefs earned back-to-back Southern Cone titles. They were a wild card who got hot in 2017, but dropped Copa Sudamerica to Ciudad Guayana. Concepcion won the division in 2018 at 98-64 and won the cup with a finals victory over Maturin. Escalante had a solid showing in the 2017 playoffs, but was middling in 2018.

Escalante stepped up big in the 2017 BGC with 20 runs, 19 hits, 3 doubles, 7 homers, 13 RBI, 15 walks, 1.171 OPS, and 1.6 WAR. Concepcion again was 12-7 and tied for the top spot, but tiebreakers placed them second behind Juarez, but ahead of Bamako. Escalante was less impressive in the 2018 run with .757 OPS, 111 wRC+, and 0.6 WAR. The Chiefs finished 12-7 for the third time, this time finishing second place outright behind only 14-5 Jeddah. Concepcion became the first franchise with back-to-back runner-up finishes.

2018 was Escalante’s first Silver Slugger and he’d get four in-a-row. Concepcion would be a wild card and fail to advance beyond the division round in both 2019-20. Escalante was peaking though in his early 30s and had his career best 47 home runs in 2019. In February 2020, the Chiefs gave him a five-year, $84 million extension. This would be his best season and lone MVP win, leading the league with career highs for runs (125) and WAR (10.9).

Concepcion missed the playoffs in 2021 at 86-76, but Escalante was second in MVP voting as he led in walks (82), total bases (394), slugging (.712), and OPS (1.139). This season had his bests for total bases, triple slash (.340/.426/.712), OPS, and wRC+ (205). Escalante won an additional Silver Slugger in 2023, leading that year with his career high 85 walks.

The Chiefs got four straight wild cards from 2022-25, but couldn’t claim the division title over Santiago. Concepcion only made it beyond the divisional round in 2023, ultimately earning their seventh Southern Cone pennant and fourth of Escalante’s career. They’d be denied in Copa Sudamerica as Caracas completed a repeat bid. The Chiefs tied for eighth in the Baseball Grand Championship at 10-9 with Escalante posting .855 OPS and 0.6 WAR.

In 96 playoff starts with Concepcion, Escalante had 106 hits, 58 runs, 13 doubles, 6 triples, 19 homers, 55 RBI, 30 steals, .285/.347/.505 slash, 138 wRC+, and 2.6 WAR. His role in their sustained success led to his #26 uniform getting retired at the end of his career. 2024 was Escalante’s weakest full season by WAR, although 5.9 still meant he was a very good starter even at age 37. However, the Chiefs voided the team option year and Escalante was sent to free agency for the first time.

With the Chiefs, Escalante played 2275 games with 2459 hits, 1491 runs, 492 doubles, 201 triples, 542 home runs, 1405 RBI, 911 walks, 1962 strikeouts, 809 steals, .308/.382/.624 slash, 176 wRC+, and 108.7 WAR. He ended up signing a two-year, $35,600,000 deal with Fortaleza, who were on their own four-year playoff streak. The Foxes had won the pennant in 2021-22 and had an LCS loss in 2024.

Although he was now in Brazil, Escalante continued representing Chile proudly in the World Baseball Championship alongside his cousin and Hall of Fame classmate Nuno. From 2012-30, Escalante played 174 game with 138 hits, 104 runs, 30 doubles, 51 home runs, 111 RBI, .226/.342/.538 slash, and 6.0 WAR. He is the leader among Chileans in the WBC for homers, RBI, doubles, and walks while ranking second in WAR and runs scored.

A sore elbow cost Escalante more than a month in 2025 for Fortaleza, but he still earned his 1500^th run and 2500^th hit while posting 6.1 WAR and .988 OPS over 113 games. The Foxes were a division champ at 96-66 and won the Southern Cone League over defending champ Sao Paulo, but they would be denied Copa Sudamerica by Barranquilla. Escalante had 18 hits, 8 runs, .840 OPS, and 0.3 WAR over 15 playoff starts.

Fortaleza was 10-9 in the Baseball Grand Championship in a tie for ninth with Escalante getting 18 hits, 14 runs, 4 doubles, 8 homers, 16 RBI, .951 OPS, and 0.8 WAR. Escalante is one of a select few to participate in four BGCs, finishing with 94 games, 79 hits, 73 runs, 11 doubles, 30 homers, 65 RBI, 65 walks, 131 strikeouts, .234/.370/.558 slash, and 4.4 WAR. He ranks 21^st in games, 6^th in runs, 24^th in hits, 19^th in homers, 14^th in RBI, 3^rd in walks, 4^th in strikeouts, and 18^th in WAR among position players.

Escalante certainly earned a big game reputation if nothing else than from volume, as his playoff awards were limited. Adding 2025 with Fortaleza, he had 111 games, 124 hits, 66 runs, 16 doubles, 7 triples, 21 homers, 62 RBI, 38 walks, 129 Ks, 37 steals, .288/.347/.503 slash, 136 wRC+, and 2.9 WAR in his BSA playoff career. Escalante ranks 5^th in games, 4^th in runs, 4^th in hits, 6^th in total bases (217), 11^th in homers, 6^th in RBI, and 3^rd in walks. On the bad side, he is 2^nd in strikeouts and has been caught stealing the most at 39.

2025 was Escalante’s final Beisbol Sudamerica playoff run and also ended his first run in the league. He didn’t meet the vesting criteria for the second season of the Fortaleza deal and was back to free agency at age 38. He earned Major League Baseball attention and signed a two-year, $29,200,000 deal with El Paso. The Prairie Dogs were one of the expansion teams from 2012 and were still looking for their first winning season.

El Paso got it in 2026 at 82-80, then earned their first playoff berth with a wild card round exit in 2027 at 94-68. Escalante had an excellent 2026 debut season, but was merely above average in 2027. In two seasons in Texas, he had 289 games, 309 hits, 197 runs, 65 doubles, 18 triples, 50 homers, 172 RBI, 134 walks, .284/.370/.515 slash, 130 wRC+, and 10.0 WAR. Escalante stayed in MLB for his next deal on a two-year, $17,800,000 deal with Winnipeg.

Escalante was used in a part-time role in 2028 for the Wolves with 111 games, 88 starts, .769 OPS, 116 wRC+, and 1.8 WAR. He didn’t meet the vesting criteria and was a free agent once more, now at age 41. Escalante returned to BSA and signed a two-year, $13,600,000 deal with Ciudad Guayana.

In 2029, he had the most strikeouts in the Bolivar League at 197, but was still passable with .761 OPS and 1.5 WAR. Escalante fell hard in 2030 with -1.4 WAR, .608 OPS, 66 wRC, and a 34.4% strikeout rate over 125 games. He retired that winter at age 42.

In Beisbol Sudamerica, Escalante had 2661 games, 2810 hits, 1719 runs, 563 doubles, 236 triples, 593 home runs, 1549 RBI, 1077 walks, 2440 strikeouts, 919 steals, 676 caught stealing, .299/.373/.598 slash, 166 wRC+, and 114.8 WAR. Escalante ranks 34^th in games, 9^th in runs, 35^th in hits, 15^th in total bases (5624), 5^th in doubles, 34^th in triples, 26^th in homers, 30^th in RBI, 28^th in steals, 35^th in caught stealing, 15^th in walks, 15^th in strikeouts, and 18^th in WAR among position players.

For BSA batters with 3000+ plate appearances, Escalante is 72^nd in OBP and 47^th in slugging with his .971 OPS ranking 40^th. For his combined pro career, Escalante had 3061 games, 3207 hits, 1973 runs, 646 doubles, 259 triples, 657 home runs, 1776 RBI, 1257 walks, 2817 Ks, 979 steals, .295/.371/.584 slash, 161 wRC+, and 126.6 WAR. He cracks the world leaderboards ranking 43^rd in runs scored and just misses the top 50 for doubles.

Escalante was almost never considered THE guy during his career, but he was remarkably valuable and consistent over a 20-year run and almost quietly built an inner-circle Hall of Fame career. He was one of the main reasons Concepcion was a regular contender in the 2010s and 2020s. Escalante is also in the conversation for the best batter to ever come out of Chile. At 98.1%, he headlined a strong four-man 2036 HOF class for BSA.

Benjamim Pinheiro – Right/Center Field – Asuncion Archers – 90.6% First Ballot

Benjamim Pinheiro was a 6’0’’, 200 pound left-handed outfielder from Capelinha, Brazil; a southeastern municipality of around 38,000 people. Pinheiro was known for his excellent speed and baserunning skills along with a knack for extra base hits. His 162 game average got you 23 doubles and 18 triples, but he got you a rock solid 31 home runs as well. Pinheiro was far better facing right-handed pitching (.942 OPS, 157 wRC+) compared to lefties (.711 OPS, 96 wRC+).

On the whole, Pinheiro graded as above average at best in terms of contact and eye, but his speed and knack for extra base hits made his opportunities count more than most. He also was subpar at avoiding strikeouts. Pinheiro’s durability was strong in his prime and he held up pretty well over a 21-year career. Few guys garnered more respect in the clubhouse as Pinheiro was a team captain with high marks for leadership, work ethic, and loyalty.

Defensively, Pinheiro made about 2/3 of his starts in right field and most of the rest in center. He graded as an excellent defender in RF and won four Gold Gloves. In CF, Pinheiro gave you reliably above average metrics as well. His unique skillset and leadership made him a very popular player back home in Brazil and in Paraguay, where he spent his prime seasons with Asuncion.

Pinheiro signed a developmental deal with the Archers in May 2006 and spent around four years in their academy. After being generally mediocre for much of their history, Asuncion had posted a dynasty run and become a contender from the late 1990s into the 2000s. Pinheiro only caught the very end of that run, debuting in 2010 at age 20 with .736 OPS and 1.7 WAR over 135 games. Asuncion was a division champ in 2010 who lost in the divisional series. They would have a seven-year playoff drought after that but weren’t atrocious, averaging 78.6 wins per season in that stretch.

He was a full-time starter after that for the next 14 years. Pinheiro’s four Gold Gloves came consecutively from 2011-14 in RF. From 2012-20, he was good for 5.5+ WAR each year and finished above 9 WAR four times. Those four seasons also were above 1.000 OPS. Pinheiro won his first Silver Sluggers from 2015-17 while starting in CF.

2016 was Pinheiro’s best effort, taking second in MVP voting by leading the Southern Cone League in OBP (.412) slugging (.719), OPS (1.131), wRC+ (212), and WAR (11.3). Those were all career bests as was his .350 average, 45 home runs, and 394 total bases. During the 2016 run, Asuncion gave Pinheiro an eight-year, $91,600,000 extension. Pinheiro was third in 2019’s MVP voting with his one Slugger playing RF, leading in triples (30), and steals (93). 2019 also saw him hit for the cycle in May against Santiago. He got one more Slugger in 2023 in CF.

Asuncion had brief team success to end the decade. They were a 93-69 wild card in 2018 and got to the LCS, but fell to Concepcion. The Archers then had the top seed in 2019 at 104-58, but were upset in the division round. They spent the rest of Pinheiro’s tenure hovering at or just above .500 but outside of the playoffs. His small playoff sample size was unremarkable with 19 starts, .596 OPS, 71 wRC=, and 0.1 WAR.

Pinheiro did play on the World Baseball Championship stage for his native Brazil from 2013-24 and from 2028-30. In 156 games, he had 117 hits, 83 runs, 18 doubles, 31 home runs, 63 RBI, .217/.326/.446 slash, and 3.5 WAR. Pinheiro notably had 18 hits, 10 runs, 6 homers, and 13 RBI in Brazil’s 2021 world championship win over Pakistan. The Brazilians also notably took third in 2016.

After impeccable durability in his 20s, Pinheiro ran into some injury issues in his early 30s. Forearm inflammation kept him out a month in 2021. Then in 2024, a broken hamate bone in his wrist kept him out more than two months. That season also saw career lows when healthy with a .676 OPS and 87 wRC+ in 99 games. This was Pinheiro’s last year under contract and Asuncion was worried he was finished and let him leave for free agency at age 35.

With the Archers, Pinheiro had 2247 games, 2317 hits, 1405 runs, 320 doubles, 265 triples, 446 home runs, 1175 RBI, 718 walks, 1807 strikeouts, 1102 steals, .289/.355/.561 slash, 152 wRC+, and 93.8 WAR. He remained very popular with Asuncion fans and his #28 uniform eventually was retired. Pinheiro’s previous successes drew attention from teams across the world and ultimately he went to Major League Baseball on a three-year, $25,200,000 deal with Nashville.

Pinheiro missed most of 2025 dealing with a concussion, but he was healthy for the final stretch. The Knights won the division at 95-67 and took the American Association Championship Series over Seattle with Pinheiro earning series MVP. In 18 playoff starts, Pinheiro had 17 hits, 11 runs, 6 homers, 18 RBI, 2 doubles, 2 triples, and .903 OPS. Nashville would fall in the World Series to Detroit.

The Knights very nearly earned the Baseball Grand Championship, finishing tied for the top spot with Lusaka at 14-5. The Lake Monsters won the head-to-head matchup 6-4 for the tiebreaker. Pinheiro had 14 hits, 11 runs, 2 doubles, 6 homers, 11 RBI, .803 OPS, and 0.5 WAR in the event.

Pinheiro was a respectable starter in the next two years for Nashville. The Knights missed the playoffs in 2026 at 76-86, then bounced back at 100-62 in 2027. They couldn’t get beyond the second round with Pinheiro struggling in the postseason with -0.3 WAR. In his three seasons with the Knights, Pinheiro had 339 games, 346 hits, 220 runs, 46 doubles, 33 triples, 67 homers, 138 RBI, 110 walks, 74 steals, .267/.338/.508 slash, 114 wRC+, and 9.5 WAR.

Now 38-years old, Pinheiro was a free agent again and went home to Brazil on a three-year, $42,900,000 deal with Sao Paulo. In 2028, Pinheiro had a remarkable resurgence for his sixth Silver Slugger, leading the league with 21 triples while adding .922 OPS, 164 wRC+, and 6.8 WAR. The Padres made the LCS for the fourth time in five years, but were defeated by Buenos Aires. Sao Paulo had another LCS loss in 2029, that time upset by Belo Horizonte. Pinheiro had good playoff stats in 22 starts with 25 hits, 16 runs, 5 doubles, 5 homers, 13 RBI, .929 OPS, 174 wRC+, and 0.9 WAR.

Pinheiro couldn’t match his impressive 2028, but still had a solid 4.1 WAR in 2029. In 2030, an oblique strain and fractured foot kept him out nearly half the year. Pinheiro struggled when healthy with -0.1 WAR, .617 OPS, and 71 wRC+ in 105 games. He retired that winter at age 41, finishing his Padres tenure with 417 games, 406 hits, 260 runs, 57 doubles, 44 triples, 60 homers, 172 RBI, 180 staels, .262/.323/.473 slash, 125 wRC+, and 10.7 WAR.

In Beisbol Sudamerica, Pinheiro played 2664 games with 2723 hits, 1665 runs, 377 doubles, 309 triples, 506 home runs, 1347 RBI, 841 walks, 2193 strikeouts, 1282 steals, 731 caught stealing, .284/.350/.547 slash, 148 wRC+, and 104.5 WAR. Pinheiro ranks 32^nd in games, 13^th in runs, 44^th in hits, 24^th in total bases (5236), 10^th in triples, 69^th in homers, 78^th in RBI, 4^th in steals, 20^th in caught stealing, 48^th in walks, 43^rd in strikeouts, and 32^nd in WAR among position players.

Combining his three Nashville seasons, Pinheiro played 3003 games with 3069 hits 1885 runs, 423 doubles, 342 triples, 573 home runs, 1485 RBI, 951 walks, 2512 strikeouts, 1356 steals, 775 caught stealing, .282/.349/.542 slash, 144 wRC+, and 114.0 WAR. On the world leaderboard for all of pro baseball history, Pinheiro ranks 33^rd in stolen bases, 32^nd in caught stealing, and 43^rd in triples.

Pinheiro is another guy who was never considered the absolute best in the league during his run, but was remarkably consistent for a long time. Things like leadership, baserunning, and defense made him far more valuable than many gave him credit for in his prime. On traditional stats alone though, Pinheiro had more than enough to join the impressive four-man 2036 Hall of Fame class with 90.6%.

09-28-2025, 07:41 AM	#2472
FuzzyRussianHat Hall Of Famer Join Date: Dec 2020 Posts: 3,006	2036 BSA Hall of Fame (Part 1) Beisbol Sudamerica had an impressive four-man 2036 Hall of Fame class with each earning first ballot honors. LF Michael Escalante was the headliner at 98.1% with OF Benjamim Pinheiro (90.6%) and LF Emmanuel Angel (87.5%) close behind. 1B Nuno Escalante barely made the 66% cut to join them with 67.5%. The best returner was CL Antonio Kercado at 50.6% on his second try. No one else was above 50%. 3B Pedro Gutierrez fell off the ballot after ten tries, getting as close at 55.8% in 2029 but finishing at only 22.6%. In a 19-year career, he won three Silver Sluggers with 2723 games, 2996 hits, 1475 runs, 503 doubles, 114 triples, 393 home runs, 1388 RBI, 501 walks, 588 steals, .310/.345/.507 slash, 126 wRC+, and 85.3 WAR. Gutierrez ranks 73^rd in WAR among position players and 13^th among third basemen and is 22^nd in hits. He had nice longevity and good tallies, but he was never a league leader with little in accolades. Gutierrez was also on mostly forgettable teams, banishing him to the Hall of Pretty Good. Michael Escalante – Left/Right Field – Concepcion Chiefs – 98.1% First Ballot Michael Escalante was a 6’2’’, 200 pound right-handed hitting corner outfielder from Puente Alto, Chile; a city of around 568,000 people within metropolitan Santiago. At his peak, Escalante was a very well-rounded batter against both sides with good-to-great contact, power, and eye. He was terrific at earning extra-base hits with a 162 game average of 34 doubles, 13 triples, and 36 home runs. Escalante was a league leader thrice in walks drawn, but he did have a poor strikeout rate. Escalante also had rock solid speed and was a highly skilled baserunner. About 2/3 of his starts came in left field where he graded as a great defender, winning two Gold Gloves. Escalante also occasionally started in right field with good metrics there. He was a below average first baseman at the very end of his career and filled in rarely in center field, but his range was nowhere near good enough for that spot. With his diverse skillset and long run with Concepcion, Escalante emerged as one of the most popular Chilean players of all time. Few guys could outwork him and he was very adaptable, plus he had generally strong durability over a 21-year career. However, Escalante was considered a bit selfish at times and couldn’t be counted on for vocal leadership. He didn’t need to be the captain though to help push the Chiefs to a 15-year run as a regular contender in the Southern Cone League. Escalante was picked ninth overall by Concepcion in the 2009 BSA Draft. He saw part-time use and struggled a bit as a rookie with -0.1 WAR and .678 OPS in 88 games and 46 starts. Escalante earned a full-time gig the next year and exceled, posting 6.5+ WAR each of the next 15 seasons. During that stretch, he was also good for 30+ homers each year and eight times had an OPS above one. Escalante’s first accolades came with Gold Gloves in 2011 and 2013. This also started a sustained run for the Chiefs, who hadn’t made the playoffs since 1991. 2011 would start a 15-year stretch of winning seasons with 13 playoff appearances and five division titles. After a first round exit in 2011, the Chiefs narrowly took the top seed in 2012 at 97-65. They defeated Brasilia to win the Southern Cone crown with Escalante earning series MVP. Concepcion would be denied in Copa Sudamerica by Callao. 2012 was easily Escalante’s strongest playoff effort with 23 hits, 10 runs, 5 homer, 11 RBI, .941 OPS, and 0.8 WAR over 17 starts. He also had a nice showing in the Baseball Grand Championship with 18 hits, 12 runs, 6 homers, 16 RBI, .897 OPS, and 0.7 WAR. Escalante was the second in event history to hit for the cycle, doing it against Addis Ababa. Concepcion was one of five teams tied for the best record at 12-7, but ended up officially in fifth place after tiebreakers were sorted out. The Chiefs won back-to-back division titles in 2013-14, but lost both years in the divisional series. They fell to 82-80 and missed the playoffs in 2015, which would be the weakest season of Escalante’s tenure. He was performing quite well though and was a league leader for the first time in 2013 with 120 runs scored. That year also had his career best 44 doubles. Concepcion started a new five-year playoff streak in 2016 with a division title, but again had no playoff luck. Then in 2017-18, the Chiefs earned back-to-back Southern Cone titles. They were a wild card who got hot in 2017, but dropped Copa Sudamerica to Ciudad Guayana. Concepcion won the division in 2018 at 98-64 and won the cup with a finals victory over Maturin. Escalante had a solid showing in the 2017 playoffs, but was middling in 2018. Escalante stepped up big in the 2017 BGC with 20 runs, 19 hits, 3 doubles, 7 homers, 13 RBI, 15 walks, 1.171 OPS, and 1.6 WAR. Concepcion again was 12-7 and tied for the top spot, but tiebreakers placed them second behind Juarez, but ahead of Bamako. Escalante was less impressive in the 2018 run with .757 OPS, 111 wRC+, and 0.6 WAR. The Chiefs finished 12-7 for the third time, this time finishing second place outright behind only 14-5 Jeddah. Concepcion became the first franchise with back-to-back runner-up finishes. 2018 was Escalante’s first Silver Slugger and he’d get four in-a-row. Concepcion would be a wild card and fail to advance beyond the division round in both 2019-20. Escalante was peaking though in his early 30s and had his career best 47 home runs in 2019. In February 2020, the Chiefs gave him a five-year, $84 million extension. This would be his best season and lone MVP win, leading the league with career highs for runs (125) and WAR (10.9). Concepcion missed the playoffs in 2021 at 86-76, but Escalante was second in MVP voting as he led in walks (82), total bases (394), slugging (.712), and OPS (1.139). This season had his bests for total bases, triple slash (.340/.426/.712), OPS, and wRC+ (205). Escalante won an additional Silver Slugger in 2023, leading that year with his career high 85 walks. The Chiefs got four straight wild cards from 2022-25, but couldn’t claim the division title over Santiago. Concepcion only made it beyond the divisional round in 2023, ultimately earning their seventh Southern Cone pennant and fourth of Escalante’s career. They’d be denied in Copa Sudamerica as Caracas completed a repeat bid. The Chiefs tied for eighth in the Baseball Grand Championship at 10-9 with Escalante posting .855 OPS and 0.6 WAR. In 96 playoff starts with Concepcion, Escalante had 106 hits, 58 runs, 13 doubles, 6 triples, 19 homers, 55 RBI, 30 steals, .285/.347/.505 slash, 138 wRC+, and 2.6 WAR. His role in their sustained success led to his #26 uniform getting retired at the end of his career. 2024 was Escalante’s weakest full season by WAR, although 5.9 still meant he was a very good starter even at age 37. However, the Chiefs voided the team option year and Escalante was sent to free agency for the first time. With the Chiefs, Escalante played 2275 games with 2459 hits, 1491 runs, 492 doubles, 201 triples, 542 home runs, 1405 RBI, 911 walks, 1962 strikeouts, 809 steals, .308/.382/.624 slash, 176 wRC+, and 108.7 WAR. He ended up signing a two-year, $35,600,000 deal with Fortaleza, who were on their own four-year playoff streak. The Foxes had won the pennant in 2021-22 and had an LCS loss in 2024. Although he was now in Brazil, Escalante continued representing Chile proudly in the World Baseball Championship alongside his cousin and Hall of Fame classmate Nuno. From 2012-30, Escalante played 174 game with 138 hits, 104 runs, 30 doubles, 51 home runs, 111 RBI, .226/.342/.538 slash, and 6.0 WAR. He is the leader among Chileans in the WBC for homers, RBI, doubles, and walks while ranking second in WAR and runs scored. A sore elbow cost Escalante more than a month in 2025 for Fortaleza, but he still earned his 1500^th run and 2500^th hit while posting 6.1 WAR and .988 OPS over 113 games. The Foxes were a division champ at 96-66 and won the Southern Cone League over defending champ Sao Paulo, but they would be denied Copa Sudamerica by Barranquilla. Escalante had 18 hits, 8 runs, .840 OPS, and 0.3 WAR over 15 playoff starts. Fortaleza was 10-9 in the Baseball Grand Championship in a tie for ninth with Escalante getting 18 hits, 14 runs, 4 doubles, 8 homers, 16 RBI, .951 OPS, and 0.8 WAR. Escalante is one of a select few to participate in four BGCs, finishing with 94 games, 79 hits, 73 runs, 11 doubles, 30 homers, 65 RBI, 65 walks, 131 strikeouts, .234/.370/.558 slash, and 4.4 WAR. He ranks 21^st in games, 6^th in runs, 24^th in hits, 19^th in homers, 14^th in RBI, 3^rd in walks, 4^th in strikeouts, and 18^th in WAR among position players. Escalante certainly earned a big game reputation if nothing else than from volume, as his playoff awards were limited. Adding 2025 with Fortaleza, he had 111 games, 124 hits, 66 runs, 16 doubles, 7 triples, 21 homers, 62 RBI, 38 walks, 129 Ks, 37 steals, .288/.347/.503 slash, 136 wRC+, and 2.9 WAR in his BSA playoff career. Escalante ranks 5^th in games, 4^th in runs, 4^th in hits, 6^th in total bases (217), 11^th in homers, 6^th in RBI, and 3^rd in walks. On the bad side, he is 2^nd in strikeouts and has been caught stealing the most at 39. 2025 was Escalante’s final Beisbol Sudamerica playoff run and also ended his first run in the league. He didn’t meet the vesting criteria for the second season of the Fortaleza deal and was back to free agency at age 38. He earned Major League Baseball attention and signed a two-year, $29,200,000 deal with El Paso. The Prairie Dogs were one of the expansion teams from 2012 and were still looking for their first winning season. El Paso got it in 2026 at 82-80, then earned their first playoff berth with a wild card round exit in 2027 at 94-68. Escalante had an excellent 2026 debut season, but was merely above average in 2027. In two seasons in Texas, he had 289 games, 309 hits, 197 runs, 65 doubles, 18 triples, 50 homers, 172 RBI, 134 walks, .284/.370/.515 slash, 130 wRC+, and 10.0 WAR. Escalante stayed in MLB for his next deal on a two-year, $17,800,000 deal with Winnipeg. Escalante was used in a part-time role in 2028 for the Wolves with 111 games, 88 starts, .769 OPS, 116 wRC+, and 1.8 WAR. He didn’t meet the vesting criteria and was a free agent once more, now at age 41. Escalante returned to BSA and signed a two-year, $13,600,000 deal with Ciudad Guayana. In 2029, he had the most strikeouts in the Bolivar League at 197, but was still passable with .761 OPS and 1.5 WAR. Escalante fell hard in 2030 with -1.4 WAR, .608 OPS, 66 wRC, and a 34.4% strikeout rate over 125 games. He retired that winter at age 42. In Beisbol Sudamerica, Escalante had 2661 games, 2810 hits, 1719 runs, 563 doubles, 236 triples, 593 home runs, 1549 RBI, 1077 walks, 2440 strikeouts, 919 steals, 676 caught stealing, .299/.373/.598 slash, 166 wRC+, and 114.8 WAR. Escalante ranks 34^th in games, 9^th in runs, 35^th in hits, 15^th in total bases (5624), 5^th in doubles, 34^th in triples, 26^th in homers, 30^th in RBI, 28^th in steals, 35^th in caught stealing, 15^th in walks, 15^th in strikeouts, and 18^th in WAR among position players. For BSA batters with 3000+ plate appearances, Escalante is 72^nd in OBP and 47^th in slugging with his .971 OPS ranking 40^th. For his combined pro career, Escalante had 3061 games, 3207 hits, 1973 runs, 646 doubles, 259 triples, 657 home runs, 1776 RBI, 1257 walks, 2817 Ks, 979 steals, .295/.371/.584 slash, 161 wRC+, and 126.6 WAR. He cracks the world leaderboards ranking 43^rd in runs scored and just misses the top 50 for doubles. Escalante was almost never considered THE guy during his career, but he was remarkably valuable and consistent over a 20-year run and almost quietly built an inner-circle Hall of Fame career. He was one of the main reasons Concepcion was a regular contender in the 2010s and 2020s. Escalante is also in the conversation for the best batter to ever come out of Chile. At 98.1%, he headlined a strong four-man 2036 HOF class for BSA. Benjamim Pinheiro – Right/Center Field – Asuncion Archers – 90.6% First Ballot Benjamim Pinheiro was a 6’0’’, 200 pound left-handed outfielder from Capelinha, Brazil; a southeastern municipality of around 38,000 people. Pinheiro was known for his excellent speed and baserunning skills along with a knack for extra base hits. His 162 game average got you 23 doubles and 18 triples, but he got you a rock solid 31 home runs as well. Pinheiro was far better facing right-handed pitching (.942 OPS, 157 wRC+) compared to lefties (.711 OPS, 96 wRC+). On the whole, Pinheiro graded as above average at best in terms of contact and eye, but his speed and knack for extra base hits made his opportunities count more than most. He also was subpar at avoiding strikeouts. Pinheiro’s durability was strong in his prime and he held up pretty well over a 21-year career. Few guys garnered more respect in the clubhouse as Pinheiro was a team captain with high marks for leadership, work ethic, and loyalty. Defensively, Pinheiro made about 2/3 of his starts in right field and most of the rest in center. He graded as an excellent defender in RF and won four Gold Gloves. In CF, Pinheiro gave you reliably above average metrics as well. His unique skillset and leadership made him a very popular player back home in Brazil and in Paraguay, where he spent his prime seasons with Asuncion. Pinheiro signed a developmental deal with the Archers in May 2006 and spent around four years in their academy. After being generally mediocre for much of their history, Asuncion had posted a dynasty run and become a contender from the late 1990s into the 2000s. Pinheiro only caught the very end of that run, debuting in 2010 at age 20 with .736 OPS and 1.7 WAR over 135 games. Asuncion was a division champ in 2010 who lost in the divisional series. They would have a seven-year playoff drought after that but weren’t atrocious, averaging 78.6 wins per season in that stretch. He was a full-time starter after that for the next 14 years. Pinheiro’s four Gold Gloves came consecutively from 2011-14 in RF. From 2012-20, he was good for 5.5+ WAR each year and finished above 9 WAR four times. Those four seasons also were above 1.000 OPS. Pinheiro won his first Silver Sluggers from 2015-17 while starting in CF. 2016 was Pinheiro’s best effort, taking second in MVP voting by leading the Southern Cone League in OBP (.412) slugging (.719), OPS (1.131), wRC+ (212), and WAR (11.3). Those were all career bests as was his .350 average, 45 home runs, and 394 total bases. During the 2016 run, Asuncion gave Pinheiro an eight-year, $91,600,000 extension. Pinheiro was third in 2019’s MVP voting with his one Slugger playing RF, leading in triples (30), and steals (93). 2019 also saw him hit for the cycle in May against Santiago. He got one more Slugger in 2023 in CF. Asuncion had brief team success to end the decade. They were a 93-69 wild card in 2018 and got to the LCS, but fell to Concepcion. The Archers then had the top seed in 2019 at 104-58, but were upset in the division round. They spent the rest of Pinheiro’s tenure hovering at or just above .500 but outside of the playoffs. His small playoff sample size was unremarkable with 19 starts, .596 OPS, 71 wRC=, and 0.1 WAR. Pinheiro did play on the World Baseball Championship stage for his native Brazil from 2013-24 and from 2028-30. In 156 games, he had 117 hits, 83 runs, 18 doubles, 31 home runs, 63 RBI, .217/.326/.446 slash, and 3.5 WAR. Pinheiro notably had 18 hits, 10 runs, 6 homers, and 13 RBI in Brazil’s 2021 world championship win over Pakistan. The Brazilians also notably took third in 2016. After impeccable durability in his 20s, Pinheiro ran into some injury issues in his early 30s. Forearm inflammation kept him out a month in 2021. Then in 2024, a broken hamate bone in his wrist kept him out more than two months. That season also saw career lows when healthy with a .676 OPS and 87 wRC+ in 99 games. This was Pinheiro’s last year under contract and Asuncion was worried he was finished and let him leave for free agency at age 35. With the Archers, Pinheiro had 2247 games, 2317 hits, 1405 runs, 320 doubles, 265 triples, 446 home runs, 1175 RBI, 718 walks, 1807 strikeouts, 1102 steals, .289/.355/.561 slash, 152 wRC+, and 93.8 WAR. He remained very popular with Asuncion fans and his #28 uniform eventually was retired. Pinheiro’s previous successes drew attention from teams across the world and ultimately he went to Major League Baseball on a three-year, $25,200,000 deal with Nashville. Pinheiro missed most of 2025 dealing with a concussion, but he was healthy for the final stretch. The Knights won the division at 95-67 and took the American Association Championship Series over Seattle with Pinheiro earning series MVP. In 18 playoff starts, Pinheiro had 17 hits, 11 runs, 6 homers, 18 RBI, 2 doubles, 2 triples, and .903 OPS. Nashville would fall in the World Series to Detroit. The Knights very nearly earned the Baseball Grand Championship, finishing tied for the top spot with Lusaka at 14-5. The Lake Monsters won the head-to-head matchup 6-4 for the tiebreaker. Pinheiro had 14 hits, 11 runs, 2 doubles, 6 homers, 11 RBI, .803 OPS, and 0.5 WAR in the event. Pinheiro was a respectable starter in the next two years for Nashville. The Knights missed the playoffs in 2026 at 76-86, then bounced back at 100-62 in 2027. They couldn’t get beyond the second round with Pinheiro struggling in the postseason with -0.3 WAR. In his three seasons with the Knights, Pinheiro had 339 games, 346 hits, 220 runs, 46 doubles, 33 triples, 67 homers, 138 RBI, 110 walks, 74 steals, .267/.338/.508 slash, 114 wRC+, and 9.5 WAR. Now 38-years old, Pinheiro was a free agent again and went home to Brazil on a three-year, $42,900,000 deal with Sao Paulo. In 2028, Pinheiro had a remarkable resurgence for his sixth Silver Slugger, leading the league with 21 triples while adding .922 OPS, 164 wRC+, and 6.8 WAR. The Padres made the LCS for the fourth time in five years, but were defeated by Buenos Aires. Sao Paulo had another LCS loss in 2029, that time upset by Belo Horizonte. Pinheiro had good playoff stats in 22 starts with 25 hits, 16 runs, 5 doubles, 5 homers, 13 RBI, .929 OPS, 174 wRC+, and 0.9 WAR. Pinheiro couldn’t match his impressive 2028, but still had a solid 4.1 WAR in 2029. In 2030, an oblique strain and fractured foot kept him out nearly half the year. Pinheiro struggled when healthy with -0.1 WAR, .617 OPS, and 71 wRC+ in 105 games. He retired that winter at age 41, finishing his Padres tenure with 417 games, 406 hits, 260 runs, 57 doubles, 44 triples, 60 homers, 172 RBI, 180 staels, .262/.323/.473 slash, 125 wRC+, and 10.7 WAR. In Beisbol Sudamerica, Pinheiro played 2664 games with 2723 hits, 1665 runs, 377 doubles, 309 triples, 506 home runs, 1347 RBI, 841 walks, 2193 strikeouts, 1282 steals, 731 caught stealing, .284/.350/.547 slash, 148 wRC+, and 104.5 WAR. Pinheiro ranks 32^nd in games, 13^th in runs, 44^th in hits, 24^th in total bases (5236), 10^th in triples, 69^th in homers, 78^th in RBI, 4^th in steals, 20^th in caught stealing, 48^th in walks, 43^rd in strikeouts, and 32^nd in WAR among position players. Combining his three Nashville seasons, Pinheiro played 3003 games with 3069 hits 1885 runs, 423 doubles, 342 triples, 573 home runs, 1485 RBI, 951 walks, 2512 strikeouts, 1356 steals, 775 caught stealing, .282/.349/.542 slash, 144 wRC+, and 114.0 WAR. On the world leaderboard for all of pro baseball history, Pinheiro ranks 33^rd in stolen bases, 32^nd in caught stealing, and 43^rd in triples. Pinheiro is another guy who was never considered the absolute best in the league during his run, but was remarkably consistent for a long time. Things like leadership, baserunning, and defense made him far more valuable than many gave him credit for in his prime. On traditional stats alone though, Pinheiro had more than enough to join the impressive four-man 2036 Hall of Fame class with 90.6%. __________________ Baseball: The World's Game fictional world reports Continental Baseball Federation world reports (8-tier promotion/relegation sim and college feeder)