San Jose community, Giants minor league players build lifelong bond through host program
SAN JOSE (KPIX) - Fans of the San Jose Giants said the minor league team is one way they can feel connected to their community, especially as a family.
For one family, they have built a lifelong bond with the team after hosting over a dozen players in their home for almost a decade.
"I've been going to San Jose Giants games since I was very young," said Tiffany Fuentes, a fan of the Giants who served as a host family for players starting in 2012 until the program ended. "I just think going to a local ballpark and having that hometown atmosphere — You're very close to the players. There's a lot of interaction."
When she learned that players look for families to house them while on the team, she signed up because they had extra rooms in their house. The cost to live on their own can be a challenge for these young athletes and is crucial while they compete in the minor leagues. Many of the players who stayed with Fuentes went on to play for MLB teams.
"We had no idea. We didn't really understand how the whole minor league system worked at the time," she told KPIX. "It's very rewarding knowing that we have been able to play a part in their lives and seeing how hard it is, what they go through to make it to the big leagues."
One of those players was Adam Duvall. He was the first host son she had through the program. He invited the family to join his team, the Atlanta Braves at the time, when they won the World Series in 2021.
"It was a great experience, just to see how happy everybody was. We were able to take pictures with the trophy," Fuentes recalled.
She still makes it to San Jose Giants games as often as she can and maintains a close relationship with many of the players she hosted over the years.
"We keep in contact with all of them. We've been to multiple weddings. Over the holiday season, we had two different host sons visit," Fuentes said. "Many of them have kids, so they visit with their children, kind of like our host grandchildren. Just to see these young players, I mean Buster Posey played at Municipal Stadium. So, a lot of great players come from this field."
