Vinny Capra has played baseball all his life. And in late April, he made his biggest play yet, jumping from the minor league system to the big leagues. On May 1, he appeared in his first game for the Toronto Blue Jays.

“I’ve been waiting for that moment for so long, and when it finally happened I was in shock,” Capra said. “This is it — this is the call I've been waiting for.”

The infielder is the first Spider to play in a major league baseball game since Tim Stauffer in 2015, and the first to be called up by the majors since Joe Mahoney in 2012 by the Baltimore Orioles. Capra was promoted from the Blue Jays Triple-A affiliate Buffalo Bison and was activated prior to the start of the home series against the Houston Astros.

“The first night, I had so many emotions going on,” Capra said. “But watching other players go out there and compete, and the way they carry themselves, they’re the best of the best. I’m competing with the best of the best, and it's awesome to be here." 

Capra is a utility player, so he often plays positions from the bases to the outfield. He says he learned so much about who he is as a player during his time at University of Richmond, where he played shortstop.

“We were really a tight-knit group of guys and I think that helps out a lot when you play,” Capra said. “Everybody's going through the grind together and pulling for each other, so that made my time there a lot of fun.”

Capra thinks about his time at Richmond often and appreciates what it taught him about teamwork. 

“I love the camaraderie of baseball, I love the competitive atmosphere,” he said, “and you create a great bond with your teammates through it all.”