Early in the winter, at Casa de Campo resort in La Romana, Dominican Republic, Yaramil Hiraldo was on the lookout for Félix Bautista. He wasn’t hard to find. Bautista — both in height and his standing in baseball — looms large, particularly in his home country, where he rapidly grew into a star.

Hiraldo signed with the Orioles as a minor league free agent only shortly before this reunion for players represented by JNP Group. His agent, Omar Jorge Pena, directed the right-handed reliever to introduce himself to Bautista, to forge a relationship with Baltimore’s premier closer.

“Sure enough, I spoke to Félix and he was like, ‘Welcome. Get ready to put in the work,’” Hiraldo said through team interpreter Brandon Quinones.

For players chasing a dream, Bautista’s example is one to follow. Hiraldo is attempting to. He has pitched in Mexico, Venezuela, the Dominican Republic and the minor leagues.

He made his major league debut Tuesday when he produced 1 1/3 scoreless innings, and although he was optioned back to Triple-A Norfolk on Wednesday, the 29-year-old could remain on Baltimore’s radar this season.

The road here has been long. The road here, however, was slightly easier because of Bautista.

After all, Bautista’s journey to becoming an All-Star was far from routine. He knows what it’s like to dream — and what it’s like when the opportunity seems nearly unobtainable. To ease the path for Hiraldo, however slightly, Bautista went out of his way to make the newcomer comfortable.

During spring training, Bautista picked up Hiraldo on his way to the Ed Smith Stadium complex. He dropped him off on the way home, or he invited Hiraldo and other Latin American players to his apartment in the Sarasota, Florida, area for dinner. In doing so, Bautista set an example for those around him — and followed the lead others gave to him.

“I thought it was a good thing to do because a lot of guys did that for me when I was in the minor leagues,” Bautista said through Quinones. “It’s something that came from my heart, that I decided to do. … I think being Dominican, that’s something that’s born within you, and seeing how other guys did that for me, I wanted to give back in that way.”

On those drives to and from the ballpark, Bautista and Hiraldo talked about life and baseball — and how they go hand in hand. To reach this point, Bautista told Hiraldo, consistency and dedication are required. So, at the stadium complex during spring, they often lifted weights together or discussed pitch grips.

But Bautista also knew it was vital to stay connected with who he is, and his actions showcased it. On drives home, he’d suddenly tell Hiraldo and other relievers: “Let’s cook some Dominican food.”

That often meant “a lot of rice,” Bautista said, as well as mangú, the classic Dominican dish made with green plantains.

“I think it’s special because it shows he has a good heart, and I think a lot of times, when guys get to that level, they might not be that way with lower-end guys, so to speak,” Hiraldo said. “But the fact he did that, he constantly invited me and some others to his apartment to hang out and have some Dominican food, it says a lot about him.”

That’s because Bautista’s rise wasn’t linear. It included a forced break from baseball due to a virus while in the Miami Marlins’ farm system, and when he returned to baseball with the Orioles, he wasn’t immediately a known commodity.

But, once he arrived in the majors in 2022, he drew eyes. Bautista inherited the closer role in the latter half of the season. In 2023, Bautista became a star with 33 saves and a 1.48 ERA. Again, though, he was forced away from the game. He underwent Tommy John elbow reconstruction surgery late in 2023 and missed all of 2024.

His work ethic, which impressed Hiraldo from the start, was apparent during the spring.

“He told me, ‘I want to return and be the best version of myself,’” Hiraldo recalled. “And I think you see that with his discipline and how hard he works, and that’s what it takes.”

Hiraldo is following that example. He pitched well during spring training and began his time in Baltimore’s farm system with a 2.45 ERA in 18 1/3 innings. When he pitched late in Tuesday’s loss, Hiraldo allowed an inherited runner to score but retired the next four batters.

Before the two games Hiraldo spent with the Orioles at Camden Yards, Bautista looked out for him again. He asked Charles Escalante, the Orioles’ manager of team travel, to find a place for Hiraldo to stay near Bautista in Baltimore.

And on Monday and Tuesday Bautista waited for Hiraldo, ready to drive his friend to the stadium, just as he did all spring.

“He made sure to make that happen,” Hiraldo said.

Bautista has reached the big time. He has long focused on helping others reach this stage, too.

“I understand this is an achievement that not everyone is capable of doing, or getting to,” Bautista said. “So, from the very first day I debuted, this is something I’ve had on my mind.”