When it comes to animals, Cleveland Guardians’ shortstop Brayan Rocchio doesn’t discriminate.
“I’ve always been connected to animals,” he said (h/t MLB.com). “I love every type of animal—crocodiles, horses, whatever. I feel like if I didn’t have the call to be a baseball player, I think I would be a veterinarian just trying to help animals.”
In a recent article, MLB.com’s Tim Stebbins details Rocchio’s passion for animals, which began as a child in Venezuela with his pet-loving grandmother on his dad’s side. She had parrots, cats and even snakes.
Rocchio’s love of animals
Rocchio especially loves dogs, so he looks forward to each Bark in the Park night at Progressive Field throughout the season. When the pups enter the stadium for the last time this year on Sept. 8, his Bernedoodle named Miley will be in attendance.
Rocchio tries to incorporate his dogs into MLB whenever he can, as Stebbins writes.
“Rocchio has three dogs, including two poodles named Kody and Chocolate, and a Bernedoodle named Miley. Each was featured on one of his bats during Players’ Weekend earlier this month. Rocchio has had Koby since he was 5 years old, and Chocolate is Koby’s son. Rocchio and his wife, Veruska, got Mily, who is seven months old, six months ago.”
Rocchio doesn’t seem to be scared of any animal either—even if he probably should be. When he lives in Florida during the offseason, he’ll sometimes stumble upon a crocodile on the street. And he loves it.
After his baseball career, Rocchio aspires to focus on helping animals. He hates seeing animal injustices, like stray dogs roaming the streets of his native Venezuela.
“I love dogs,” he said. “God willing, whenever I have finished my career, and it’s an accomplished career, I will look forward to making a dog foundation, something to help dogs.”
