Who is Duque Hebbert? Meet the Nicaraguan pitcher who got an MLB deal on the back of his impressive WBC outing

Nicaraguan pitcher Duque Hebbert announced himself to the world with his stellar performance against the Dominican Republic in the World Baseball Classic (WBC).

Though Nicaragua lost their Pool D encounter with the Dominican Republic 6-1, the 21-year-old pitcher managed to strike out three major league hitters in one inning. Hebbert's performance earned him a contract with MLB outfit Detroit Tigers less than an hour after the game.

Duque Hebbert is a rookie in the Nicaraguan Professional Baseball League (NPBL) and plays for Tren del Norte. He showed promise with his performances in the 2022 season, which earned him a spot on the Nicaraguan WBC roster. Hebbert seized his opportunity on the big stage with one of the highlights of the tournament and earned himself an MLB contract after his exploits.

Hebbert started his evening in the top of the ninth inning against Padres star Juan Soto at bat. He struck out Soto with three straight strikes. Next came the Manriners star Julio Rodriguez, who suffered the same fate. Manny Machado was next at bat and managed to hit a double down the left.

Hebbert bounced back to strike out Red Sox star Rafael Devers before the end of the inning. It was a dream inning for the young pitcher which left baseball fans across the world awestruck.

Soon after the game, Hebbert was approached by Detroit Tigers scout Luis Molina, who offered him a deal in the parking lot outside the Nicaraguan team bus. Hebbert agreed to the offer and secured his chance to prove himself against the big guns of the MLB.

Duque Hebbert poised for career breakthrough after signing MLB deal with the Tigers

Although Nicaragua sit at the bottom of Pool D of the World Baseball Classic on the brink of elimination, their young pitcher's performance is a sign of encouragement for the country's future players. The Nicaraguans have their last match of the tournament against Venezuela following which they will be eliminated regardless of the result.

Despite the early exit from the WBC, Duque Hebbert will be eager to start his MLB career with the Detroit Tigers at the end of the month. Nicaragua has produced several talented baseball players over the years, many of whom have gone on to play in the major leagues. Hebbert will aspire to emulate his countrymen before him and have a successful career in the MLB.