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Jhonny Pereda's swing for family and future

Pereda came to the United States in 2015 to play baseball. He's from San Juan, Venezuela.

JACKSONVILLE, Fla. — For most players in the Major League, you have to work your way up.

And in some cases, players don't even get called up to the Majors.

Jhonny Pereda is catcher for the Jacksonville Jumbo Shrimp, and he came here from another country to live out his dream for the future of his family.

Pereda came to the United States in 2015 to play baseball. 

He's from San Juan, Venezuela.

"I signed with Chicago, then Boston picked me up, San Fransico Giants, Cincinnati Reds and now I'm here," said Pereda.

He spent nine years in the minor league and it came with a price.

"I work every day. I sacrifice time with my family all the time. I'm always traveling, and when I moved here I spent 8 months alone and that was a lot," Pereda added.

Through all of those sacrifices, he never gave up on his childhood dream to play in the (MLB) Major League Baseball. Neither did his support system.

"I've dreamed of this since I was a kid. It's also the dream of my father, my wife, my mother, my family. It's our dream," said Pereda.

He has two daughters.

"Carlotta who is older," he explained, "and Jonimar who is the youngest".

While Pereda is still working towards getting his big break in the big leagues, he's prioritizing the future of his kids, so they can one day live out their dreams here in the United States.

"I want my daughter to go to school here. She's four years old and I want here to go to school here. She has a better opportunity here"

Pereda said he gives thanks to his home country in San Juan, Venezuela for supporting him from back home and one day, and he hopes to pay it forward.

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