Black History Month Archives

Marcus Stroman plays the game with flash, though he’d call it just being himself. “I’m non-traditional,” he says, and for Stro, as he’s known, that means sometimes dancing after a strikeout or smiling so big you see the diamonds in his molars. At 5 foot 7, Stroman is the shortest pitcher in baseball, but his accolades, which include an AllStar game appearance and Gold Glove-caliber defense, plus his apparel line, Height Doesn’t Measure Heart, underscore his commitment to defying expectations through hard work and self-belief. He doesn’t act like other ball players, and as a half-Black, half-Puerto Rican man tatted to the wrists, he doesn’t look like most of them either. No, Stro isn’t your typical major leaguer, and that extends all the way to his taste for wine. “I love all wine, and I just love how casual it is,” he says. He built a cellar in his Tampa home in 2021 and estimates he has close to 400 bottles tucked away. He likes to light candles, play music and drink by the water. “Whatever bottle speaks to me, I’ll pick out, pour it into a decanter, let it sit out and just drink it casually throughout the day.” We meet at Pasanella & Son Vintners while Stro is in New York promoting his new children’s book, The Grip, the first in a trilogy from Simon & Schuster to help preteens manage mental health and overcome adversity. At home in the city, Stroman is from Long Island and played for the Mets in 2019 and 2021 before signing a $71 million deal with the Chicago Cubs in 2022. He settles on a 2017 Ornellaia Bolgheri Superiore, one of his favorites, for us to share. He opens the bottle and plays with the wine key for most of our conversation. As committed as he is to his craft, Stro has a vision for himself that extends beyond baseball. A man is more than the back of his baseball card— this one is a photographer, an author, an entrepreneur. “You’re allowed as an athlete to have passions and passion projects; you can do both,” he says. “Because that’s what makes me live. I feel better when I do those things. When I do those things, I pitch better.” But his ambitions extend beyond business and baseball. He sees himself as a mentor and a role model, and he wants to become a sommelier one day. “Being able to identify a bottle of wine, I feel like that would give me more gratification than throwing seven innings with two hit balls.” Stroman isn’t quite there yet, but his palate has come a long way. He credits a group of veterans on the Toronto Blue Jays, specifically relief pitcher Sergio Santos, for exposing him to wine during his rookie year. Now that he is entering his 10th season, Stroman is the veteran traveling with bottles, always willing to share with the rookies. “There’s actually one guy on our team, Patrick Wisdom, he’s a winemaker in the off-season.” You’re allowed as an athlete to have passions and passion projects; you can do both Marcus Stroman While Stro gravitated to fruit-forward wines early on, Napa Cabs mostly, he’s moved onto full-bodied French and Tuscan reds and is committed to furthering his palate. “If you’re going to be the best athlete or you’re going to make the best wine, you have to be evolving and adapting,” he says. “You’re always evolving, especially your taste buds.” Part of that evolution for Stroman is broadening his portfolio to include a wine label. Le Carénage will debut with a Sauvignon Blanc, a rosé and two tiers of Cabernet. The name means “the careening,” referring to when ships are placed on their side to be cleaned or fixed. “It also means to move swiftly in a specified direction in an uncontrolled manner, which kind of explains me as a person,” he says. The grapes will be sourced from Napa Valley, and he is working with Matt Naumann of Newfound Wines. How Stro defines himself remains an evolution. He pitched for Puerto Rico in the World Baseball Classic this year after winning MVP for the U.S. in 2017. He’s never just one thing. He’s a professional baseball player by profession, but there’s more in the world that interests him. “When I’m done playing, I’m going to evolve even more because I’m going to have time,” he says. “I’m going to be able to create and really do things at a different level.” Be it wine, storytelling or cleats, if Stro is doing it, expect some flash. This article originally appeared in the June/July 2023 issue of Wine Enthusiast magazine. Click here to subscribe today!

Black History Month

The Evolution of Marcus Stroman, from Star Pitcher to Oenophile

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