by Tony Fiorello
Called up on September 1, 2023, from New Hampshire of the Eastern League, Damiano Palmegiani recorded four home runs and 22 RBIs with a .284 batting average and an OPS of .981 in just 20 games for the Buffalo Bisons.
That glimpse of talent translated into a 2024 campaign where Palmegiani, drafted by the Toronto Blue Jays in 2021, homered 19 times and drove in 69 runs in his first full season at the AAA level. While performing well both at the plate and in the infield, he knows that to succeed as a professional baseball player one needs to keep a level head.
“I think it's definitely been an eye-opening experience this year – just understanding myself mentally as a player and understanding what it takes to succeed for a long period of time,” Palmegiani said. “The ego inside of you wants to get results constantly and wants to demand excellence out of yourself. That can be a pitfall for some guys, and I think I've experienced the ability to kind of keep myself in check and recognize that the work is the work, and that's what's going to get you the results you want.
“It may not be when you want or how you want, but it's going to come eventually. Maybe some things could have gone better as a whole up until now, but I think where I'm at mentally is just being grateful for the experience so far.”
A year ago, Palmegiani – a native of Venezuela but grew up in Surrey, British Columbia – was selected to play for the Canadian National Team in the World Baseball Classic. While a member of Canada’s roster, he tried to soak up as much knowledge as he could while being around some of the game’s best players.
“Getting to learn from some guys who have been around for a while like Tyler O'Neill, Freddie Freeman, the Naylor brother – getting to see them prepare and compete at the highest level, that was cool,” Palmegiani said. “Getting to take away pieces from them I that I want to incorporate into my game was awesome. Hopefully I can be in their shoes one day.”
Additionally, the experience of being teammates – albeit briefly – of former NL MVP Joey Votto this season while Votto was on a rehab assignment with the Herd was one that Palmegiani has been very thankful for.
“I got to be pretty close with him – him being at first base, our lockers being next to each other, and I wasn't afraid to ask him questions about baseball,” Palmegiani said. “I give him a lot of credit, because he was at a point in his career where he was trying to make it back to the big leagues from a few injuries and battling Father Time as well, and he still took the time to be a veteran presence, a leader and to be somebody who can help our careers.
“He wasn't selfish. And I'm going to carry that with me for the rest of my career, I have so much respect for him and how he went about that situation.”
Palmegiani hopes that one day, those lessons will rub off on him enough to make his major-league debut.
“I think it comes down to how I can help a team in my own way,” Palmegiani said. “If it comes to a point where the club needs something that I can provide, then that’s when I'll get that opportunity. I know the way I can impact and help a team, and if it comes to them giving me that opportunity, all I can do is try to do that to the best of my abilities. That's all I can control.”
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