Nearly a decade ago, former major leaguer Vladimir Guerrero Sr. was at Maverick Stadium in Adelanto when he told the Daily Press his teen son would be “the next big star” in Major League Baseball.
Guerrero’s prediction was spot on, as his son, 26-year-old Vladimir Guerrero Jr., later led the 2025 Toronto Blue Jays to the World Series against the Los Angeles Dodgers.
Until this year, the Blue Jays last appearance in the Fall Classic was in 1993, when the team defeated the Philadelphia Phillies in six games, according to Major League Baseball.
After an 18-inning game in Los Angeles on Monday, the Dodgers took a 2-1 series lead in the best-of-seven series over the Blue Jays.
Playing first base, Guerrero Jr. had 15 at bats with 5 hits, and 3 runs scored.
Growing up with dad
When Guerrero Sr. made his prediction in 2014, his son was a 15-year-old, right field prospect who was eligible to sign with a MLB franchise on his next birthday.
Guerrero Jr. trained with his father and uncle, former MLB player Wilton Guerrero.
In 2015, Baseball America ranked Guerrero Jr. the top international free agent, while MLB.com ranked him the fourth best.
Guerrero Jr. signed with the Blue Jays in 2015 for $3.9 million at the age of 16.
After working his way through the Minor Leagues, Guerrero Jr. was called up to the Blue Jays in April 2019. While facing the Oakland Athletics, he went 1-4 with a double.
Since then, Guerrero Jr. has played in five All-Star Games, earned the American League Championship Series MVP in 2025, and was the MLB home run leader in 2021. He also won two Silver Slugger Awards and earned a Gold Glove Award and the AL Hank Aaron Award.
In April 2025, the Blue Jays announced they signed Guerrero Jr. to a 14-year, $500 million extension, marking one of the biggest moments in franchise history, according to MLB.
Like father, like son
Guerrero Sr. played with four major league clubs, including the Montreal Expos (now the Washington Nationals), the Los Angeles Angels, the Texas Rangers and the Baltimore Orioles.
He also signed a minor league deal with the Toronto Blue Jays in 2012 but was never called up.
In 2014, Guerrero Sr. signed a one-day contract with the Angels before promptly retiring.
Guerrero finished his MLB career with a .318 batting average, 449 home runs, 1,496 RBIs and 2,590 hits. He won the 2004 AL MVP and was a nine-time All-Star.
In 2018, Guerrero Sr. was inducted into the National Baseball Hall of Fame.
Daily Press reporter Rene Ray De La Cruz may be reached at RDeLaCruz@VVDailyPress.com. Follow him on X @DP_ReneDeLaCruz
