Juan Sandoval’s journey to a Major League Baseball coaching role isn’t just inspiring – it’s the kind of story that reminds you why people fall in love with this game in the first place. After nearly two decades grinding it out across the minor leagues, international circuits, and winter ball – and doing it all with the loss of vision in one eye – Sandoval has finally reached the big leagues. The Milwaukee Brewers are bringing him onto their MLB coaching staff as a pitching coach, a well-earned promotion for a man who’s seen just about everything this sport can throw at you.

Let’s take a step back and appreciate how far he’s come. Sandoval, a Dominican native, first signed with the Seattle Mariners as an undrafted free agent back in 2000.

He wasn’t a top prospect or a fast-rising phenom – just a durable, dependable starter slowly climbing the ranks. But in 2006, everything changed.

While dining at a restaurant in the Dominican Republic, Sandoval was struck by stray shotgun pellets during a shooting incident. Three pellets hit his right eye, and just like that, he was blind on that side.

Two surgeries followed. He missed the entire season.

For most players, that would’ve been the end of the story.

But Sandoval wasn’t ready to walk away.

He returned to the mound, this time as a reliever, and kept pitching – not for a year or two, but for over a decade. From 2002 to 2019, he logged 17 professional seasons, pitching for organizations like the Brewers, Phillies, and Rays, as well as stints in the Mexican League and winter ball. He didn’t just hang on – he kept competing, adapting, and mentoring younger players along the way.

Since retiring, Sandoval has stayed in the game, returning to the Brewers organization as a pitching coach in the Dominican Summer League. That’s where he’s been helping shape the next generation of arms, drawing from his own rollercoaster of a career to guide young pitchers through the grind. Now, he’s taking that experience – all those years, all those innings, all that resilience – to the big league level.

He joins a Brewers pitching staff that already features respected names like Chris Hook and Jim Henderson. Milwaukee has built a reputation for developing arms and maximizing pitching talent, and adding someone like Sandoval only strengthens that foundation.

He brings not just technical knowledge, but a lived experience that few can match. His presence in that clubhouse will carry weight, especially with pitchers who know what it means to fight for every opportunity.

Sandoval’s story isn’t just about perseverance – it’s about transformation. He turned a life-altering injury into a launching pad for a second act in baseball.

He’s gone from undrafted signee to survivor, from journeyman pitcher to big-league coach. And now, after years of doing the work in the shadows, he’s earned his spot in the show.

This isn’t just a coaching hire – it’s a testament to grit, growth, and the power of never giving up.