San Diego Padres prospect Vicarte Domingo has a big arm and the ability to be a high-leverage pitcher out of the bullpen. In time, he could blossom into a top prospect for the Padres. 

Canadian right-handed pitcher Vicarte “Vic” Domingo is in Lake Elsinore and excited to be a professional baseball player.

Not too long ago, these dreams seemed unattainable to the 22-year-old from Vancouver. “A year ago today, I was not sure if the pro ball scene was something that was real for me,” Domingo tells EVT in Lake Elsinore. “Slowly, as the season came to an end at UBC (University of British Columbia), I kept pitching better. I pitched really well in the end, and the coaches put in a lot of work for me to be seen by the right people.”

His velocity ticked up on the fastball, and after a slow start to the 2024 collegiate season, Domingo ended the year pitching excellently. There were some teams who showed interest in the young pitcher, but the Padres were front and center in courting Domingo. “I got the right eyes on me and got invited to a Padres workout. Then literally the next week I got drafted,” Domingo said with a smile.

The Padres called him around July 2, and by the 15th, he was selected by the team in the 19th round. “It was crazy the way the draft worked out for me. They called me earlier, and I wanted to get my school paid for. They weren’t sure if they could do that. They told me they would get back to me, and then they didn’t get back to me for a few hours. I thought I screwed myself out of the draft. Luckily, they called me back and said they were still very interested. Everything worked out for me,” Domingo explained. His college education was critical to him, and paying for that was a weight lifted off his shoulders.

Being a member of the Padres organization has been excellent for this young pitcher. He’s enjoying every moment of it as he matures in the game. “It has been unbelievable being part of this organization—all the support. The staff is rooting for you,” Domingo said. He discusses the philosophy within the organization and how his coaches are supporting him in numerous ways. Not just on the mound.

As a Canadian ballplayer, Vic Domingo takes great pride in representing his nation. “I love being different and being from Canada. A lot of people overlook Canada when it comes to baseball,” Domingo said with a smile. He enjoys the brotherhood of Canadian ballplayers, and we discussed several in the majors, including the Naylor brothers. Growing up in Canada, baseball is not an automatic thing.

“If you asked me in third grade, I would’ve told you I was going to be a hockey player, not a baseball player,” Domingo said with a laugh. His first passion, like most Canadians, is on the ice, but a trip to the Little League World Series in 2014 flipped the script for Domingo. He represented Canada at the Vancouver World event. “We went 0-2, but it was unreal. That was really the turning point for me, that I wanted to play baseball… You feel like a big leaguer there,” Domingo said.

Vic Domingo loved his time at the Little League World Series. His dad was the coach of that team, and the two undoubtedly share some core memories that will last a lifetime. Domingo will always remember how innocent the game was back then. These memories will help guide him when the game gets tough.

The World Baseball Classic (WBC) is scheduled to take place next spring. Domingo spoke more about Canada and expressed his desire to pitch for the team in the event. He described it as a goal, and with a bit of luck, it is not out of the realm of possibility. “It would be cool if I even got a sniff to go to the camp. Just to be around those guys. It is cool watching those guys do their thing,” Domingo admits.

Representing his country is a dream for this Canadian pitcher. He loves that baseball is growing in his hometown. “Now, where I came from, baseball is huge,” Domingo said with a lot of pride. The fact that he wants to represent his nation and continue to grow the sport is admirable. He speaks about the kids in the area where he is from and how fulfilling it is to go back home. “That is very important to me. When I can, I go back there and talk to them. Tell them that you can make it. I am not the biggest guy. If you work hard and love what you do, you can do it.”

Vicarte Domingo is a power pitcher. The 5-foot-10 pitcher gets significant leverage from his lower half. The increase in velocity this past year is just the tip of the iceberg. There is still room for growth in his fastball, which is intriguing. It will surely come in time. In describing his stuff, Domingo describes the heater as his best pitch. It is his bread and butter. “That is the biggest reason I am here. By the end of my last year at UBC, I was anywhere from 93 to 96 mph. At the workout I was at like 93-96 as well. Recently, I have been reaching 92-95 mph, which is okay for me because it’s more about the advanced metrics on the fastball—the induced vertical break. The older people would call it late life,” Domingo said with a laugh.

This young pitcher is all about the analytical side of the game. He digests the information and utilizes it to improve the movement on all his pitches. When asked about analytics and if he uses them, his answer was direct. “Absolutely. That is one of the things I look at. That is what I look forward to after the game. Especially, if things don’t go my way,” Domingo said. He is committed to continually improving and enhancing his skills. You like to see that from a young pitcher.

When speaking more about what he was specifically working on, Domingo was upfront. “I have been working on my slider. I refined it quite a bit. It used to be really sweepy, but it’s more of a harder gyro-type pitch. I am just creating deception off my fastball,” Domingo explains. He also throws a cut fastball, which helps the young hurler in difficult situations. “My cutter is something I have relied heavily on when I am down in counts. Because I throw fastballs at a high percentage, it is a good way to keep them off it.”

Vicarte Domingo is certainly a fastball pitcher. His heater is what intrigues scouts the most. But he is not a one-trick pony. “In college, my changeup was my second-best pitch. I have thrown a lot fewer here because I haven’t had to use the pitch. Recently, I have been getting a lot of whiffs on it,” Domingo said. The Cal League is the lowest division of minor league baseball. Typically, if you have a fastball in the mid-90s, that is all you need to get results.

Of course, throwing hard is nice. But you need to have control and proper mechanics to truly succeed and graduate from the California League. Domingo knows that. “The biggest thing for me in increasing my development is being in the strike zone with all my pitches,” Domingo said with a serious look. At the beginning of the year, the Canadian pitcher struggled to pound the zone. A talk with his manager, Brian Burres, helped him clear his mind. The two of us spoke about pitching and the nuances of the craft. Domingo is focused on improvement and should navigate his way through the system. His current manager pitched at the major league level. He can assist the young pitcher.

“Be where your feet are and attack the zone.”

Domingo provided this quote, which exemplifies him perfectly at the moment. The game was getting too mental for him at times. His focus is on the present (where his feet are now) and not allowing things that are out of his control to dictate his thought process. His stuff plays if he throws strikes. This quote succinctly states the essence in just nine words. Domingo is focused on being better.

This young pitcher is passionate about the game. “I wear my emotions on my sleeve. I am a very emotional pitcher. At times, it is good. At times, it can hinder your performance. The one thing I tell myself is to execute. It doesn’t matter what happened before. Just the next pitch,” Domingo said. He is aware that his command needs to improve. At the age of 22, there is still room for development in this future high-leverage reliever.

Thus far, Domingo owns a 4.50 ERA and a 1.400 WHIP in 18 games and 30 innings pitched. He has struck out 43 in that time and saved three games for the Storm, showcasing a great ability. But he also has 20 walks in that span. His early struggles in his career are well rationalized by this young pitcher, who has every intention of improving. “I am thankful that I battle through struggles now instead of breezing through the lower levels and struggling at the high levels and being in a world of hurt,” Domingo explains. “Now, I have been through it and I’m ready to put my best foot forward,”

James Clark

James was born and raised in America’s Finest City. He is a passionate baseball fan with even more passion towards his hometown Padres. James has written about the Padres and their prospects for over a decade. He also writes about San Diego State as well as other local sports. James is the Editor-In-Chief of EastVillageTimes.com. Always striving to bring you the highest quality in San Diego Sports News. Original content, with original ideas, that’s our motto. Enjoy.