Marcus Nash is a neighborhood guy, through-and-through, a talented writer, and a truly great person, and personal friend. He’s also a regular contributor to The Tolucan Times and a community leader over at North Weddington Park. Last November would have marked the 100th birthday of my late father, Joe Campanella, whom one of the Little League fields is named after. My family held a private candlelight celebration on that field and Marcus facilitated it. He stood with my family around the pitcher’s mound as we shared our memories. I was the last family member to speak. Marcus stood stoically next to me and asked us if he could say something. Even though he had never met my father, he delivered eloquent, thoughtful words based only on what he had heard from us. It meant a lot to my family and it exemplified the kind, considerate, and noble quality of Marcus. He’s the real deal. Any friend of Marcus’s is a friend of mine.
A few weeks ago, Marcus rolled into the FYC bar at The Hotel Amarano with some friends to say hello and relax. Marcus is a big guy, but the fella standing next to him was built like a freight train. “Johnny, I want you to meet my friend, Yasiel,” Marcus said. I was a bit busy, but that name gave me pause. “Yasiel? How many Yasiel’s are there running around?” I asked myself. When the athletic specimen of a man removed his hat to shake my hand, revealing a crest of bleached hair atop his head, I suddenly realized it was none other than the Dodgers star Yasiel Puig. As a former college baseball player and a lifelong Dodgers fan, I stopped in my tracks. One of my teammates at UCLA was his teammate on the Dodgers. I played with and against many of the MLB stars he competed against when they were in college. We connected, and because he was with Marcus, I knew he was a solid guy.
Marcus handed Yasiel a copy of the July issue of The Tolucan Times, rightfully proud of the fantastic article that he wrote about the Lakers being absorbed by the Dodgers ownership group, I observed Yasiel curiously thumb through the pages as Marcus explained our connection to the paper and the neighborhood. I was flattered by his genuine interest. Marcus explained to me that they had just come from Universal CityWalk and showed me videos of Yasiel stopping to take pictures, sign autographs, and setting the Dodgers store into a frenzy. It dawned on me that perhaps the Yasiel Puig commonly portrayed through the media, the “Wild Horse,” as Vin Scully proclaimed him, had evolved or perhaps been misrepresented. The person I met was polite, funny, humble, and generous. The slew of video clips that Marcus showed me of his fan interactions at places like CityWalk and In-and-Out Burger told a different story than the embedded narrative. “There’s more to this guy,” I thought. Plus, he’s Marcus’s friend. That carries a lot of weight.
This article was born out of that first encounter with Yasiel and through Marcus’s organic friendship with him. Yasiel’s story is long, arduous, and far more complicated than you might know. Dig deeper into it and you’ll realize how intense his journey has been. We complain about our first world problems and we get anxious or stressed out by adversity, but do some open-minded research and you’ll understand how tough and complex Yasiel’s path has been. Imagine being 20-years-old, undergoing a harrowing saga that most of us can’t comprehend, and then being thrust on to the MLB stage and put under a microscope, all the while, the shadows of circumstance chasing and looming. Enough said. I did my research, I have gotten to know Yasiel Puig, and I can see a different narrative. I think everyone deserves a second chance. Yasiel Puig has grown as a man, and despite every challenge he has faced and continues to face on and off the field, he’s still an extremely talented ballplayer and a tremendous athlete.
Some quick stat lines to consider: After a very short stint in the minors, Yasiel exploded onto the scene on June 3rd, 2013. He set the baseball world on fire with his raw talent, sheer athleticism, and energetic style of play. In his first month in the Major Leagues, he batted .436 with 7 homeruns and posted a .713 slugging percentage! Only two other players in history have a comparable start to their MLB careers, Hall of Famers Joe DiMaggio and Roy Campanella. On top of those numbers, Yasiel made incredible defensive plays in the outfield and gunned down baserunners with a cannon arm. He infused the Dodgers with energy and captivated the baseball world.
His energetic and then controversial style of play was criticized at the time for being too loose and not in the “old school spirit of the game.” Fine, but consider this irony: the very things Yasiel Puig was criticized for (bat flips, flashy antics, etc.) are now industry standards. Baseball evolved to embrace the very things that initially made him so polarizing. MLB now uses those things in their marketing campaigns. Regardless of all that, and despite the unique and very difficult set of personal circumstances that he battled throughout his career, Yasiel finished with a .277 lifetime batting average, hit 132 dingers, stole 79 bases, was elected to an All-Star team, and played in two World Series with the Dodgers. After being in his presence and knowing that he’s still only 34-years-old, I contend that those numbers only scratched the surface of his past and future potential.
Those are my impressions of Yasiel Puig. Yasiel, Marcus, our Editor-in-Chief Gino, and I, sat down recently at Kabosu Sushi on Riverside Drive to discuss this article. I talked to his agent, Lisette Carnet, a pioneer as a female agent in baseball, as Yasiel and Marcus wound each other up (like close friends do) and Gino laughed. We want to be positive here at The Tolucan Times, and we will always honor the integrity of our subjects. Marcus is the only person in our camp who can tell you about who Yasiel truly is, away from public perception, and where he aims to go, despite many challenges. Marcus is also the man who helped my family honor my father for no other reason than he thought it was the right thing to do. Set aside your preconceived notions and turn down the prevailing narrative. Get to know Yasiel Puig through the words of his close friend, Marcus Nash, and remember, no one is perfect. We don’t always know the whole story, and face-to-face is very different from media portrayal.
~ Johnny Campanella
My friendship with Yasiel began back in June 2016. The NBA Finals were on—Golden State vs. Cleveland—and I was watching the game at the BLVD Hotel in Studio City, owned by my friend, Sagar Kumar. The energy inside the bar was laid-back. That’s when a big, athletic guy walked in, looking for a place to catch the end of the game. I noticed him—not because I recognized him—but because this guy, who appeared to be African-American, was speaking fluent Spanish, better than I ever could. I was intrigued.
The guy had a presence. Sagar leaned over and said, “You know who that is, right? That’s Yasiel Puig.” At the time, Puig was making headlines with the Dodgers as their explosive, electric right fielder. And yet, here he was—humble, no entourage, no ego. We hit it off immediately, swapping stories and sharing laughs as if we were already old friends. That night sparked a bond that’s only grown deeper with time.
Not long ago, Yasiel and I wandered through Universal CityWalk, just two guys checking things out. Well, Yasiel isn’t just some guy. Fans immediately recognized him. Someone shouted, “Come back to L.A.!” Another fan yelled, “We miss you!” The love was real and undeniable. We ended up inside the Dodgers Store, where the entire energy shifted the moment Yasiel walked in. He was honestly just looking to buy a cap, but within seconds, he was surrounded by staff and fans, everyone thrilled by the unexpected visit. Yasiel didn’t hesitate to pose for pictures, sign autographs, and he showed the same humility that’s defined him since the day I met him. We left CityWalk and headed down to one of my favorite nearby spots.
As Johnny described, Yasiel and I stopped by the bar at the Hotel Amarano a few weeks back. We were looking for a chill spot to grab some drinks and get a bite to eat. I introduced Yasiel to Johnny and told him that he was a former baseball player in college. Johnny and Yasiel talked about baseball, I gave him a copy of the July issue, and we had a fun night. I had no intention of writing an article about my friend; we were just hanging out, like we always do.
At the end of night, a friend of mine and Johnny’s, Linnea, walked in and sat at the bar. She’s a huge Dodgers fan, so I introduced her to Yasiel. Her face lit up. She knew exactly who he was instantly. Linnea is a nurse who works in Labor and Delivery. She told Yasiel a touching story about a mother who named her baby after him because she was such a devoted fan. He was genuinely moved by that kind of warm, human connection. But, it was no surprise to me because that’s exactly who he is.
From the moment he arrived in Los Angeles in 2013, Yasiel Puig was larger than life. With his jaw-dropping throws from right field and his powerful bat, he brought pure excitement to the game. The nickname, “The Wild Horse”, perfectly captured his fearless, untamed style of play. But, behind the highlight reels there is a big man with a big heart. We sat down at the BLVD hotel to chat.
I asked what drives his passion for giving back to the fans. “Growing up in Cuba with nothing, seeing the people in my town struggle…Once I got my contract with the Dodgers, I just wanted to share my success. Helping others makes me feel alive,” he answered. He means it. I was with him when they broke ground on The Puig House in San Fernando, a community center for kids and families to study, read, and access resources that help them thrive. He’s not doing it for the cameras; it comes from the heart.
Yasiel still lights it up on the field. Last season he played for the Kiwoom Heroes in South Korea. Baseball has taken him around the world, from LA to Cincinnati to Mexico and Asia, yet, Yasiel’s heart is rooted in family. He’s a proud father to four sons—Dante, Daniel, Damian, and Diego. Two of them are already playing Little League. Maybe the “Wild Horse” legacy is only just beginning. He’s also incredibly close to his mother and father, who continue to be a source of strength and guidance.
Though based in Miami, Yasiel often returns to Los Angeles, where he spends time with a tight-knit circle of friends: myself, Sagar Kumar, and Benito Pumar, to name a few. He’s got a legendary sense of humor—quick-witted, playful, and one of the funniest people I know. Yasiel never takes himself too seriously, which makes being around him that much more special.
Still, Yasiel remains laser-focused on one goal: returning to Major League Baseball. “I would do anything for an opportunity to play in MLB again. I know I still have a lot to offer. Everyone deserves a second chance—if I get one, I won’t let my fans or my team down,” he told me. His talent and athleticism are still elite, and standing firmly in his corner is Lisette Carnet, his agent, and a true trailblazer, one of a handful of women to represent a Major League player in a male-dominated business. Lisette is more than an agent, she’s a confidante, a calm voice, and a friend who’s been instrumental in helping Yasiel stay grounded through every chapter.
Of all the incredible moments in his career, one memory stands above the rest: Game 4 of the 2018 World Series. Yasiel crushed a home run against the Boston Red Sox. Watching from the stands was his late friend and hero, Kobe Bryant. Kobe celebrated with pure joy. That moment when he made his idol proud is one that Yasiel holds dear to this day. That moment wasn’t so much for him as it was for his role model, Kobe. That’s the kind of story that truly exemplifies his character. I’m proud to call Yasiel my friend, and I too will be in his corner as his baseball and life journey continue.
If you ever see Yasiel Puig walking down Riverside Drive in Toluca Lake, or catching some sunshine on Ventura Boulevard, don’t hesitate to say hello or ask for a photo. Thank him for the memories. He cherishes his fans. If you’re excited to meet him, chances are, he’ll be even more excited to meet you. Through all the ups and downs, one thing has remained the same: Yasiel Puig plays with passion, lives life with a full heart, and he’ll never stop believing in the power of second chances.
~ Marcus Nash
The Editors of The Tolucan Times would like to extend our gratitude to Yasiel Puig and Lisette Carnet for their time and graciousness. Thank you for giving our publication the chance to speak with a Dodgers and Los Angeles legend.
