Player name pronunciations: Share your questions and answers

by aap212 on Apr 22, 2025 4:20 PM EDT Comment 54 comments

One problem I think we all face at some point in following prospects is wondering how in the world to pronounce someone's name. They can't all be Joe Smith. And since one of the best things about this site is the huge pool of knowledge people can share, I thought we could pool some of the tricky ones. Got a question on one? Let it fly, and someone else on here *has* to know, right? Right? A couple years ago, Kila would have been all over this. Hechavarria's full name is bound to be on here. How about Kirk Nieuwenhuis? I have no idea.

I think this thread could actually help us.

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Read More: Kirk Nieuwenhuis (CF - NYM), Joe Smith (P - CLE)

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Kirk Nieuwenhuis sounds dutch, or atleast his last name. If it’s pronounced that way it’d be:

Nee-wun-huis (the last part is a tone that isn’t really used in the english language that I know of. Phonetically in Dutch, it’d be: háús)

One that I’ve struggled with, along with many other Indians fans, is Jeanmar Gomez. Obviously we get the Gomez part, but his first name has been a problem. Is it Yawn-mar or Hey-an-mar? I don’t know.

by JP_Frost on Apr 22, 2025 4:36 PM EDT reply actions

i always thought Jeanmar would be: Yee-An-Mar

fun thread by the way

Adoptive parent of Kyle Nicholson

by gore51 on Apr 22, 2025 4:52 PM EDT up reply actions

Gomez

It should be the Hey-an-mar but I doubt it. That would be the spanish pronunciation. But I’m thinking it’s a European name where he had some French blood in him or his parents just fancied the name. It’s common enough to give the child one European name.

by pedrophile on Apr 23, 2025 10:03 PM EDT up reply actions

Kirk

New-wen-hice

by Fanon on Apr 24, 2025 12:25 PM EDT up reply actions

A couple of Rox

I still am not sure if I’m doing this right, but…

Jhoulys Chacin : Yoo-Lees
Christian Friedrich: Freed-Rick
This is correct, right?

I had been saying “Joo-Lees” and “Fried-Rike”… Yikes

by OraNge DusTT on Apr 22, 2025 5:11 PM EDT reply actions

correct

Brett Anderson is the Truth. Brett Anderson is divine presence. Brett Anderson is eternal life. Brett Anderson is within you. Brett Anderson is here. Brett Anderson is Now.

by Frederick0220 on Apr 22, 2025 6:25 PM EDT up reply actions

I always thought Jhoulys was Zhoo-lis

"The A's have to be setting some record this year for simultaneously maximizing team quality and player anonymity. I guess that’s sort of their thing though." - Luke in MN

by hero66 on Apr 22, 2025 11:23 PM EDT up reply actions

Jhoulys

Should be Hoo-Lees but I think he’s Venezuelan where many will pronounce it with a different accent (Yoo or Joo). Not totally sure on this one.

by pedrophile on Apr 23, 2025 10:05 PM EDT up reply actions

.

Sebastian Valle: Vai-yay?

by soxkid on Apr 22, 2025 5:30 PM EDT reply actions

That’s what I always thought, at least. Years of Spanish classes drilled that pronunciation into me.

by PhillyFriar on Apr 22, 2025 5:44 PM EDT up reply actions

I've been saying Vail

I don’t know why because it doesn’t look like that would be correct

"Ninety percent I'll spend on good times, women and Irish Whiskey. The other ten percent I'll probably waste."

by strums on Apr 22, 2025 5:48 PM EDT up reply actions

Figured it was valley like Dave

by aap212 on Apr 22, 2025 6:25 PM EDT up reply actions

Hint:

Spanish is phonetic with vowel sounds, and ll is pronounced like y. Vai-yay is correct.

by slamcactus on Apr 23, 2025 4:35 PM EDT up reply actions

minor correction

LL is actually pronounced like ly. Think of the word million. It’s just that many different areas have their own accents and many areas no longer pronounce it that way. Many areas like Mexico will just use it like a Y. Colombia and Venezuela will pronounce like an English J. Peru has 3 different ways to say it. etc. etc.

by pedrophile on Apr 23, 2025 10:07 PM EDT up reply actions

Chase & Travis d'Arnaud

Maybe everyone already knows this, but I’m virtually certain that it’s pronounced “Dar-noh.” Not sure where the emphasis is though.

by PhillyFriar on Apr 22, 2025 5:44 PM EDT reply actions

fawkk

I thought it was pronounced “Dar-naod”

Brett Anderson is the Truth. Brett Anderson is divine presence. Brett Anderson is eternal life. Brett Anderson is within you. Brett Anderson is here. Brett Anderson is Now.

by Frederick0220 on Apr 22, 2025 6:25 PM EDT up reply actions

Presumably on the second syllable if it's French origin

by aap212 on Apr 22, 2025 6:26 PM EDT up reply actions

really?

I thought like all latin it’s on the last syllable (in this case 2nd) only if it does not end in a vowel or a syllable that pluralizes the word. I think PhillyFriar has it correct.

by pedrophile on Apr 23, 2025 10:10 PM EDT up reply actions

It's Dar-Nahhd

by nivarsity on Apr 24, 2025 10:59 AM EDT up reply actions

Josh Thole

Thole = Toll

JOSH THOLE > carlos santana

by Dewey Finn on Apr 22, 2025 5:48 PM EDT reply actions

I've heard

Tollee

"Ninety percent I'll spend on good times, women and Irish Whiskey. The other ten percent I'll probably waste."

by strums on Apr 22, 2025 5:49 PM EDT up reply actions

better description

I’ve heard Toe-lee, I think it was some guy MLB network

"Ninety percent I'll spend on good times, women and Irish Whiskey. The other ten percent I'll probably waste."

by strums on Apr 22, 2025 5:53 PM EDT up reply actions

hmm

Weird, I was just going based on a BA podcast from awhile back.

We gotta get this sorted out asap.

JOSH THOLE > carlos santana

by Dewey Finn on Apr 22, 2025 5:55 PM EDT up reply actions

I've heard Toe-lee too

Don’t remember where from though, definitely not MLB Network. Might have been one of KG’s many radio appearances, that or the BA podcast.

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by The Big Hurt on Apr 22, 2025 5:59 PM EDT up reply actions

I've heard Toe-lee on espn and mlb network

"The A's have to be setting some record this year for simultaneously maximizing team quality and player anonymity. I guess that’s sort of their thing though." - Luke in MN

by hero66 on Apr 22, 2025 11:24 PM EDT up reply actions

This is correct from everything I've heard

by Fanon on Apr 24, 2025 12:26 PM EDT up reply actions

Really?

And I’d been pronouncing “Thole” as “Mau-er-with-out-pow-er” all this time.

by OccamsRazor on Apr 22, 2025 5:51 PM EDT up reply actions

lol

Brett Anderson is the Truth. Brett Anderson is divine presence. Brett Anderson is eternal life. Brett Anderson is within you. Brett Anderson is here. Brett Anderson is Now.

by Frederick0220 on Apr 22, 2025 6:26 PM EDT up reply actions

I've heard "Troll"

Brett Anderson is the Truth. Brett Anderson is divine presence. Brett Anderson is eternal life. Brett Anderson is within you. Brett Anderson is here. Brett Anderson is Now.

by Frederick0220 on Apr 22, 2025 6:26 PM EDT up reply actions

yeah I've hear Toll ee

as well

FUNNY AS HECK DEWEY DIDN"T KNOW IT !!!!! ROFL

Wow Blackburn makes nearly identical money as Baker does now....

by SteveHoffmanSlowey on Apr 23, 2025 11:43 PM EDT up reply actions

This reminds me of...

My first year in fantasy baseball in 1994. A guy called me up and was interested in getting my 3rd baseman from me. I said, “Oh, you mean Jim ‘Thome’ [pronounced with a ‘th’ and rhyming with ‘home’] - you want him?” I can just imagine the smile he must have had on his face at the time as he proceeded to pillage me in the trade…

The wind is in the buffalo.

by journeymen on Apr 27, 2025 10:10 AM EDT up reply actions

Anyone got a clue on Asher Wojciechowski?

I like how the MLB.com draft report for him never mentions his name.

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by The Big Hurt on Apr 22, 2025 6:03 PM EDT reply actions

woy-ja-cow-ski

JOSH THOLE > carlos santana

by Dewey Finn on Apr 22, 2025 6:04 PM EDT up reply actions

Desmond Jennings is pronounced

“Gee-sis Kryst”

Brett Anderson is the Truth. Brett Anderson is divine presence. Brett Anderson is eternal life. Brett Anderson is within you. Brett Anderson is here. Brett Anderson is Now.

by Frederick0220 on Apr 22, 2025 6:26 PM EDT reply actions

Matusz

I have been pronouncing him as Brian Mat- wos Then saw him on MLB Network and they pronounced it Brian Mattis.

by Pup Dog on Apr 22, 2025 6:48 PM EDT reply actions

Got me too

I thought it was Brian Mah-TOOS until embarrassingly recently.

For anyone interested, the Red Sox triple A affiliate is pronounced Paw-TUCK-et, Not PAW-tuck-et. Sounds like Nan-TUCK-et… though now I question if people from other parts of the country pronounce that correctly, either.

Can I get a final ruling on Jennry Mejia, too?

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by alskor on Apr 22, 2025 7:11 PM EDT up reply actions

What's the difference in those two pronunciations of Pawtucket.......

“Hen-ree Meh-he-uh”

Brett Anderson is the Truth. Brett Anderson is divine presence. Brett Anderson is eternal life. Brett Anderson is within you. Brett Anderson is here. Brett Anderson is Now.

by Frederick0220 on Apr 22, 2025 7:16 PM EDT up reply actions

PawTUCKet vs. how people out of state say it: PAAAWWWWtucket.

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by alskor on Apr 22, 2025 7:21 PM EDT up reply actions

I prefer Pawcatuck, CT

Brett Anderson is the Truth. Brett Anderson is divine presence. Brett Anderson is eternal life. Brett Anderson is within you. Brett Anderson is here. Brett Anderson is Now.

by Frederick0220 on Apr 22, 2025 7:47 PM EDT up reply actions

And Jesus Christ, that 1st inning from Buchholz wasn't even fair...

Dude’s sitting 95-96 touching 97 with a plus-plus change.

Brett Anderson is the Truth. Brett Anderson is divine presence. Brett Anderson is eternal life. Brett Anderson is within you. Brett Anderson is here. Brett Anderson is Now.

by Frederick0220 on Apr 22, 2025 7:17 PM EDT reply actions

Jose Tabata

how do you pronounce his last name. Is it Taba-ta, Ta-Bata

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by WVPiratesfan on Apr 23, 2025 1:28 PM EDT reply actions

Tah-buh-duh

but he sucks, so you will never have to hear it.

Brett Anderson is the Truth. Brett Anderson is divine presence. Brett Anderson is eternal life. Brett Anderson is within you. Brett Anderson is here. Brett Anderson is Now.

by Frederick0220 on Apr 23, 2025 3:27 PM EDT up reply actions

ta Bata

stress is on the 2nd last syllable. The BA.

by pedrophile on Apr 23, 2025 10:13 PM EDT up reply actions

Yeah, I'm sure I've heard it like that

ta-BAH-tah

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by alskor on Apr 24, 2025 2:07 PM EDT up reply actions

JOSE

and you probably have the first name wrong. I really doubt it’s Jose. There should be an accent on the e. It would be pronounced ho Say. Stress on the say.

by pedrophile on Apr 23, 2025 10:14 PM EDT up reply actions

what about Pimental ???

I really am not sure on this one

Wow Blackburn makes nearly identical money as Baker does now....

by SteveHoffmanSlowey on Apr 23, 2025 11:46 PM EDT reply actions

D.J. Lemahieu 2b/ss of the cubs

is one I’m not 199% on either
^I think the spelling is right tho

Wow Blackburn makes nearly identical money as Baker does now....

by SteveHoffmanSlowey on Apr 23, 2025 11:52 PM EDT reply actions

is it: la-meh-hu

or: lema- hi -you

or neither

Wow Blackburn makes nearly identical money as Baker does now....

by SteveHoffmanSlowey on Apr 23, 2025 11:53 PM EDT up reply actions

by journeymen on Apr 27, 2025 10:14 AM EDT reply actions

Red Sox play-by-play man Don Orsillo

pronounces his last name about 8 different ways every time we play the Orioles.

Brett Anderson is the Truth. Brett Anderson is divine presence. Brett Anderson is eternal life. Brett Anderson is within you. Brett Anderson is here. Brett Anderson is Now.

by Frederick0220 on Apr 28, 2025 12:54 AM EDT up reply actions