Marysol Castro: the voice of Los Mets

By Charlie Vascellaro

Marysol Castro was quite a familiar face and voice to her fellow New Yorkers long before she made history as Major League Baseball’s first Latina public address announcer last season with the Mets.

Castro, a Bronx native and daughter of Puerto Ricans, has been an inspiration to young Latinos in New York and throughout the country. She excelled as a news anchor at WPIX TV, a weather reporter for The Early Morning Show on CBS, and as a features correspondent for ABC’s Good Morning America.

Then in the Mets 57th season in Flushing-Queens, where Latinos account for more than 25 percent of the population, she became the second woman and first Latina in MLB to serve as a public address announcer in a full-time capacity.

She clearly understands the impact she can make on children who might be inspired by her position with the Mets.

“I do it because I want other young Latinas to do whatever it is that they want to do, whether it’s to work in sports, work in journalism or work for MLB,” she told La Vida Baseball last year. “It’s not something that I take lightly at all being the first woman (public address announcer) for the Mets and the first Latina for MLB.”

Mets Come Calling

Castro, who grew up in the Bronx rooting for the Yankees, was not actively seeking the public address announcer’s job.

The opportunity came out of left field, she noted while purposely using a pun.

The Mets reached out to folks in the television industry when the P.A. job opened.  One of Castro’s former television colleagues recommended Castro without bothering to tell her.

Prior to her audition Castro wondered why she was being offered the P.A. announcer’s job.

“Why me? Why a woman? Why a Latina?’” Castro said. “Because it seemed so deliberate. Their response was, ‘We recognize that we are the Mets. Our home is in Flushing Queens and we want to reflect the seats that fill the ballpark and the eyes that watch the television, and be respectful of the players who play for us.’”

They gave her a lineup. She then sat in her closet and made a recording.  A few days later, the Mets invited her to Citi Field.

Voz Latina      

Castro’s inflection can at times sound supportive and encouraging. She also sounds as though she’s having fun. Appreciating that the Mets have one of the largest Latino followings in the majors, she is aware that Latinos identify with her.

“I’m absolutely 1,000 percent cognizant that the Latino fans are listening,” she said. “And if it makes them happy, great. There are tons of people who (wonder) ‘Why is she speaking like that?’ It’s not my job to tell them how to feel.

“If I’m the voice of the ballpark and I say something and it adds something to the baseball experience then I’m really doing my job well.”

Although Castro acknowledges that she was hired to address the Mets’ large Latino fan base, she understands that she is working in uncharted territory.

During the audition process, she made it a point to say that she wasn’t certain that all the Latino players wanted their names pronounced in Spanish.

Not all the players want their names pronounced as they would be in strict Spanish, especially some Latinos who were born and raised in the United States.

Whatever the case, it is important for Castro to ask each player how he prefers to have his name pronounced.

Castro often sought out visiting players last season to ask them for their preferred pronunciation.

“Sometimes the visiting Spanish radio station will come, and I immediately go to them,” she said. “In a perfect world I can get into the clubhouse and actually hear them say their names. If you can get it from the source it’s obviously best.”

Baseball Roots

Castro admits that she had little choice but to become a fan of the Yankees while growing up in the Bronx. She and her family never rooted against the Mets, though.

Baseball has always been a part of Castro’s life. Wiffle Ball and stoop ball were popular with the kids in her neighborhood, and she was no exception. She was usually the only girl running around playing with the boys.

The Great One Roberto Clemente was a revered figure in her home, as to be expected while growing up in what she calls a “very proud Puerto Rican family.”

“Clemente is an icon,” she said. “He died too young, and I’m glad that he is still part of the collective conversation.”

All in a Day’s Work

As part of Castro’s responsibilities, she reads advertisements, public service announcements, and acknowledges groups or special events at Citi Field. Dominican Republic and Puerto Rican appreciation nights also provide opportunities to shine and become even more engaged with the crowd.

Castro became increasingly aware of the significance of her place in history over the course of the 2018 season.

That point was driven home one night while she read a book to her son.

“It’s called ‘Bravo,’ and it’s about Latinos who have left their mark on history,” Castro said. “And we were talking (about) Roberto Clemente. He said, ‘you think they’re going to make a part two of this book? And I said ‘I don’t know.’

“And he goes, ‘Well they should and you should be in it.’ And I said ‘why?’ And he said, ‘Duh, the New York Mets.’”

Featured Image: Marysol Castro Instagram