Avila was instrumental in establishing the Dodgers’ connections in Latin America, including signing future Dodgers like Ramon and Pedro Martinez.
Former Dodgers scout and executive Ralph Avila died at his home in Florida on Monday. Avila was 92 years old.
Hired by the Dodgers to scout Latin America in 1970, Avila became key to establishing the franchise’s connection there. Among the future Dodgers he signed as a scout were Ramon Martinez and his brother, future Hall of Famer Pedro Martinez, Candy Maldonado, Mariano Duncan and Omar Daal. Avila was instrumental in forming the Dominican Summer League and also worked with the Dominican national team.
Avila was also involved in the establishment of the Dodgers’ year-round training facility in the Dominican Republic. Campo Las Palmas opened there in 1987 and Avila served as the regional coordinator, director and later vice president at Campo Las Palmas for years and as an advisor until 2021. Avila was named MLB’s International Scout of the Year in 2006 and served as a senior advisor in the Dodgers’ scouting department until the end of the 2021 season.
Avila’s son, Al, was the general manager of the Detroit Tigers from 2015 through 2022 and his grandson, Alex, had a 13-year catcher as a big-league catcher with six teams.
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