JUPITER, Fla. • Before leaving Florida to start their joyous romp to the championship round of the World Baseball Classic, Yadier Molina and other members of Puerto Rico’s national team gathered for a dinner. Generations of Puerto Rican standouts were present, from Jose Oquendo and Alex Cora to active stars _ established and ascending _ like Houston Astros teammates Carlos Beltran and Carlos Correa.
At their table, they reserved a seat for the future _ theirs and the Cardinals’.
Seated nearby Molina and close to Correa, the youngest invited to the gathering was 18-year-old Delvin Perez.