A top Cubs prospect and a salsa enthusiast: Meet Tennessee Smokies OF Alexander Canario

Most athletes will tell you music is an important part of their gameday routines. Baseball players, especially, have a unique relationship with tunes.

Tennessee Smokies outfielder Alexander Canario, a top-20 prospect in the Chicago Cubs’ system, enjoys all kinds of music from his native Dominican Republic. The infectious beats of dembow and reggaeton are always an option, but in his pregame preparations, he opts for old-school salsa.

For the music to sound right, every member of the salsa band and their instrument must work in lockstep, weaving the percussion, brass and strings to create the distinctive sound and rhythm that defines the genre.

Canario’s favorite part of the symphony, though? The lyrics. Whether they come from the lead singer or the chorus, Canario pays more attention to them than any other piece of the puzzle.

“I try to find meaning in the lyrics, the story, what they’re trying to tell me,” he said. “When I can identify with the lyrics, that’s what I really like about salsa.”

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One of many classic records on Canario’s playlist is Rubén Blades’ “Pedro Navaja”, which tells a slow-burning story of a rough New York neighborhood with an unmistakable chorus to tie it all together:

“La vida te da sorpresas, sorpresas te da la vida, ¡ay Dios!”

Translation: Life gives you surprises.

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He may be the youngest player on the Smokies — the only one born in the 2000s, in fact — but Canario’s career has brought plenty of surprises. The most recent was in July 2021, when he and pitcher Caleb Killian were acquired from the San Francisco Giants in exchange for Kris Bryant.

“I was grabbing food with teammates before a game (for Single-A San Jose),” Canario recalled. “Someone mentioned the trade and said it was for prospects, but I had no clue if that meant me.

“Two minutes later I got a call from the Giants, and that was that.”

Approaching one year since the trade, Bryant is playing for the Giants’ NL West rival Colorado Rockies while both Killian and Canario are on the Cubs’ 40-man roster. Killian made his MLB debut for the Cubs on June 4 and Canario’s first day at Wrigley Field may not be far.

“I wouldn't be surprised if he was in the big leagues by the end of the year,” said Smokies manager Michael Ryan. “There are some things that he needs to work on in order to get to the big leagues, but that's why he’s here.”

The enthusiasm for Canario extends to the top of the organization. Cubs president of baseball operations Jed Hoyer was in attendance for the Smokies’ 2-1 loss to the Rocket City Trash Pandas on June 29 and got a firsthand look at Canario.

“We were really excited to get him in the Bryant deal last year,” Hoyer said. “You see the tools, how hard he hits the ball, his arm. He’s still young, so the fact he’s playing in Double-A is really impressive. Obviously, there is learning to be done at each step, but he’s certainly on the right track.”

Canario’s power is the tool that stands out. He has 17 home runs through 66 games in 2022, but even when the ball isn’t leaving the yard, it’s being hit hard. His power also shows in the outfield, where he makes any baserunner think twice before trying to advance on him.

Power alone may get Canario a shot in MLB, but he wants to have a long career and contribute to winning Chicago another World Series. That won’t happen without bringing all aspects of his game up to MLB levels, much like the salsa he loves listening to wouldn’t sound good if any part of the band was below par.

He cited hitting for contact as the tool he thinks needs the most work. It’ll be a focus for him throughout this season and the offseason he’ll spend back home. Knoxville may be over 1,300 miles from DR, but Canario has a way of keeping his homeland as close as possible.

Wipe the No. 24 off his back and Canario can still be identified on the field by the Dominican flag sleeve on his right arm. It meshes nicely with the Smokies’ red and blue, but no matter the uniform, the sleeve is more than just an accessory. It’s a reminder of home and its unique role in his baseball upbringing.

Canario’s hometown of Monte Cristi is an essential thread in the fabric of baseball history. Ozzie Virgil, a Monte Cristi native, became the first Dominican to play in MLB in 1959, paving the way for the country to become a baseball powerhouse. Virgil may not have a bust in Cooperstown, but he’s a living legend in Monte Cristi.

“He’s an icon,” Canario said of the 90-year-old. “He lives close to my home, actually; just a few blocks away. I always see him in the community, he still goes to local baseball games to watch the guys play.”

Monte Cristi has produced an impressive number of major leaguers for a town of 15,000, including names like Nelson Cruz, Felix Rodriguez and Starlin Castro. Canario has worked closest with Castro, who he said has been his biggest influence.

Maybe it’s just a coincidence Castro made his MLB debut for the Cubs, called up directly from the Smokies in 2010. His name remains on the walls inside Smokies Stadium with every other major leaguer who came through. Pictures of former Smokies who won the 2016 World Series with the Cubs are the first things players see upon entering the clubhouse.

Canario wants his name etched in stone, too. Better yet, the possibility of his picture being added to the wall of champions sounds like salsa to his ears.

Alberto Camargo is a sports intern with the Knoxville-News Sentinel. Contact him at acamargo@gannett.com or follow him on Twitter @albaretoe.

This article originally appeared on Knoxville News Sentinel: Top Chicago Cubs prospect Alexander Canario loves salsa music