He's been here once before, but this time, it's so different. He's not belting home runs deep to left field, he's yet to even pick up a bat. Salvador Sanchez is making his second trip though rookie ball, four years after his first, and he's leaving his All-Star game behind, to take up a new game, that hopefully yields new success. "God gave me this opportunity to be both positions, outfielder and pitcher, " explained Sanchez, "I mean I still have the opportunity, I'm still in the game, so I'm going to keep working hard and I'm going to make it."

Growing up in the Dominican Republic, baseball has always been his dream and in 2004 the Chicago White Sox made it his reality, "That's when I made the biggest decision of my life, I decided I was going to be in the game, so that's why I'm here and I'm giving all that I have."

You may remember Sanchez from the 2007 Great Falls White Sox. He hit over .340 on the season, blasted seven home runs, and was named a Pioneer League All-Star.

He climbed through the farm system and by 2010 made it to Double A Birmingham and was once again named an All Star, "I was just thinking, wow, I'm so close," explained Sanchez of his time in the Double A, "I'm really close, here in the Double A. This is the level where everybody is trying to impress to make it to the big leagues, so I was kind of like 'wow!' I know I can get called up at any time."

But he didn't get called up. At the end of the 2010 season, Sanchez became a sixth year free agent and opted to play for the Rangers organization. They decided to take an All-Star from the outfield and put him on the mound. Telling Sanchez that was his best shot at making it to the bigs.

"I mean I was kind of disappointed," said Sanchez in reaction to being moved to the mound, "because I thought I had the opportunity to make it as an outfielder. I ended up doing it because I know that I have the talent to do it."

He went for it, but didn't make it. The Rangers released Sanchez and the White Sox took him back, but kept him on the mound. A decision White Sox Pitching Coordinator Curt Hasler says isn't made easily, "Well, it's a tough decision because we all saw him as a big league outfielder. But it just didn't work out that way. It doesn't work out that way sometimes for kids."

So after seven years of stepping to the plate, it's time to start all over again. A task Voyager Pitching Coach Brian Drahman thinks Sanchez is perfectly capable of, "He brings a lot of enthusiasm and a lot of youth because now, he's starting a new type of career." Hasler agrees, Sanchez is capable of making the transition, "He always had a good arm, that's something we thought about down the road, when his playing time might have run out."

He's 25 and playing rookie ball, but still hasn't given up on any of his big league dreams, providing inspiration to a young clubhouse, former Voyager teammate Leighton Pangilinan said, "He inspires everybody. He brings everybody up, I look up to him. He's obviously more experienced, older, but just a great guy."

Sanchez is grateful for the second chance at his dreams, but one question continues to loom, "I would like to ask them why, for real, they really like me. I mean, they gave me this second opportunity, I'm so lucky, I'm so happy to be back."

Sanchez is convinced, he almost made it once, and he can do it again,"I'm going to give all that I have to be a part of this game. I really love this game, this is my life, I live for this."

The Sox are convinced, he's got the stuff to make it on the mound, and the mind to make it in the game. But they know, it will take patience. "Sanchey, ever since he came with us as a kid, as a young kid, he played with a lot of energy and a lot of enthusiasm," said Hasler. Patience is something they're willing to give to him, "They really see something in me and that's not something I'm going to throw away," said Sanchez, "I'm going to show them that what they did for me right now, giving me this opportunity, I'm going to pay them back."

Hasler explained that the organization has always thought very highly of Salvador, when he was a position player and that "we think no different of him now. He's always been a great kid, it shouldn't change."

So instead of stepping up to the plate, it's now time for Sanchez to take his place on the mound; to prove he's got the stuff that will take him right back to where he's been and a couple of steps beyond.