Blind MLB Pitcher Finds Home on The Tampa Bay Rays: Juan Sandoval Seeking Spot On Team Following Shotgun Injury

A partially blind pitcher participating in spring training with the Tampa Bay Rays could soon become a permanent member of the  team.

32-year-old Juan Sandoval is considered partially blind in his right eye as a result of a violent accident.

On Feb. 4, 2006, a man brought a shotgun into the bar and fired at the bouncers. Some of the pellets from the gun lodged themselves in Sandoval's right eye, taking much of the pitcher's sight.

Instead of quitting baseball, Sandoval continued training and may soon become a permanent member of a professional MLB team.

Sandoval told Yahoo Sports in a statement, "What happened is not something I'm carrying all the time, wearing on my chest so people can know. I don't think about it. I'm just a normal player here. I don't know how many - 50 players here? I'm one of 50 in the clubhouse. I'm a normal person, a normal player. I don't like coaches or nobody giving me credit - or limits."

However, the fact remains that Sandoval has only one good eye. As a result, he has had to go through the difficult process of relearning skills that he had perfected prior to his accident.

Sandoval continued playing baseball and trying to catch his big break. After playing baseball in the Mexican leagues for a few years, Sandoval caught the attention of Rays pitcher Joel Peralta.

Peralta then told the Rays general manager, Andrew Friedman, of Sandoval's skills, and the relationship between the Rays and the blind pitcher has developed from there.

Despite his hardships, Sandoval has said that he wouldn't change anything about his life.

He told the Tampa Bay Times, ""Being honest with you, if I could change something that happened in my life, I would not change anything ... Everything that has happened has made me the person that I am right now. And I'm a really happy person ...This opportunity is something I was dreaming of. And I'm here."