Carrying Home With Them: Julio Solier and Cesar Gonzalez Carry Their Culture Through Baseball

For sophomores Julio Solier and Cesar Gonzalez, stepping onto the field for Boston College is about more than the game itself. Their connection runs deeper than stats, lineups, or locker room chatter; it’s a shared journey shaped by family, culture, and a love for baseball that has carried them across countries and challenges.

From Puerto Rico and Venezuela to Springfield, Massachusetts, and now Chestnut Hill, their paths have been marked by resilience, adaptation, and an enduring love for the game.

Baseball had always been a constant surrounding both the Solier and Gonzalez families. 

“Growing up, baseball was everything back home (in Venezuela),” Gonzalez said with a smile. “It’s the sport that everyone plays whenever you’re little. And so I used to go to every softball game that my dad played every weekend. That’s the way I started playing baseball.”

For Solier, the game runs even deeper.

“My grandpa was a professional player in Puerto Rico,” he said. “I never met him, but my mom talks about him all the time. My older brother used to play, and after the games I’d grab a helmet, run the bases—it’s just how I got into baseball.”

Leaving home was no small leap. 

Solier attended Springfield Central High School, while Gonzalez enrolled at nearby Springfield Commonwealth Academy. The two schools were less than five minutes apart, but their first meeting came unexpectedly.

“We actually met at a tryout,” Gonzalez said, laughing. 

But Solier was quick to chime in and offer his own perspective on playing against Gonzalez.

“We played against each other, and he actually threw me out. I stole the base, and he threw me out. He didn’t even realize it was me.”

Gonzalez smiled at the memory. 

“Yeah, I knew who he was, but we hadn’t really talked until we both came here. It’s funny how things work out like that.”

The transition to life stateside came with challenges—a new language to learn, a new culture to adapt to, and a new kind of cold neither of them had ever felt before. Simple conversations became lessons in patience, and classrooms felt like puzzles of unfamiliarity. 

“I had to adjust a lot, it was just completely different from what I was used to,” Gonzalez said. “But it was good. I was learning the language, which was really hard at first, and just trying to adapt to everything new here, especially the weather.”

Solier echoed that sentiment.

 “It was really hard at first,” he said. “It was just my mom and me, so making friends wasn’t easy. I’ve always been a little shy, but eventually I told myself I had to open up. Once I started meeting more Puerto Rican and Dominican kids in Springfield, I felt more at home—like I was basically back in Puerto Rico. But to really learn the language, I had to step outside that comfort zone. I started spending time with kids from different backgrounds, and I made myself watch everything in English, like TV shows to movies, just to get comfortable with it. That’s what helped me learn so fast.”

The transition from high school to Boston College brought both excitement and adjustment. Back in Springfield, the focus was on the goal: earning the chance to play college baseball. 

Arriving at BC meant starting over again.

Yet, the campus felt like a melting pot, a mix of backgrounds and experiences that broadened their perspective. 

And so, when both players stepped foot on campus, the adjustment felt like starting fresh again, but this time, the challenge came with support.

“Everyone here is really nice. They help you a lot. Like, the students here are really helpful, because for me in high school, my goal was to be here one day, and I was just really focused on the goal of just being here,” Solier explained. “So I didn’t really like to make friends, and I didn’t really talk. But when I got here, I told myself, I gotta be more. I gotta talk to people and be able to make connections and stuff like that at BC, you can make friends really quickly.”

Inside the BC baseball clubhouse, Solier and Gonzalez found more than teammates; they found a family.

“You spend so much time with your teammates that you don’t even realize how close you’ve gotten over the days and years. You’re around each other so much that they stop feeling like just teammates, they become your best friends.”

Solier nodded in agreement.

“It’s like a brotherhood. The older guys do a lot for us. These guys are like older brothers; they’re always looking out for us. They even have nicknames for us, like mi amor,” he added with a laugh. “It’s funny, but it just shows how close we all are. Those are our guys.”

That sense of family extends beyond baseball skills; it’s rooted in respect, culture, and shared experience. For the pair, it’s been meaningful to see their teammates embrace and celebrate their backgrounds. From learning bits of Spanish during practice to asking about Puerto Rican and Venezuelan traditions, the team’s curiosity has turned into a genuine connection. 

“With us, the guys are really open. They’re always trying to learn about our culture. Like, they’ll joke around with the mi amor thing, or try to learn a few Spanish words. We even work out to Bad Bunny songs,” Solier added with a laugh. “It just feels like home. Even though I’m far from Puerto Rico, they make me feel like I have brothers here. They’re trying to understand us, to get better, and that means a lot. They even call me ‘Suave’ because I’m quick with my hands. So, it’s like home.”

For Solier and Gonzalez, bringing their culture into the team dynamic has been meaningful, not just for themselves, but for everyone around them.

“I think having international players changes the locker room in the best way,” Solier said. “It gives everyone a new perspective. We’ve lived through different things, so it helps our teammates understand how grateful we are to be here.”

Gonzalez agreed. “We bring a different kind of energy,” he said. “It’s about family, music, passion. And the guys really embrace that. They want to learn from us, and we learn from them. It makes us stronger as a team.”

This season, BC baseball will travel to Puerto Rico—a trip that carries special meaning for both players.

For Solier, the upcoming trip to Puerto Rico is more than just a road series; it’s deeply personal. His parents will be there, along with his grandmother, and he’ll see his dad for the first time in years. The excitement is written all over his face.

“It’s going to feel like home. My parents are coming, my grandma’s in Puerto Rico, and I’ll get to see my dad for the first time in a while. I can’t wait to bring BC baseball there and show everyone what this program is about.”

He explained how Puerto Ricans proudly wear their flag everywhere, on shirts, hats, and bandanas as a constant reminder of where they come from. 

When BC takes the field in Puerto Rico, Solier plans to carry that same spirit with him, this time wearing the Red Bandana that symbolizes Boston College’s greater mission of selflessness for others.

The Red Bandana honors Welles Crowther, a BC alumnus who made the ultimate sacrifice during the September 11, 2001 attacks. Crowther saved at least 18 people while risking his life in the World Trade Center, all while wearing a red handkerchief to protect himself. Survivor stories tell of the young man with a red bandana whom they had never met, yet who became their hero.

For Solier and his teammates, the bandana serves as a reminder of the importance of courage, selflessness, and putting others before yourself, values both on and off the field.

And now, after a strong 2025 campaign that ended in the ACC Tournament, both players are determined to help BC make another statement this spring.

“Last year gave us a lot of confidence,” Solier said. “We know we can be a great team. Right now, we’re just focused on getting better every day and building chemistry with the new guys.”

Gonzalez added, “The goal is to start hot. We finished strong last year, but we want to carry that from day one. The freshmen are great, the energy is high, and we just can’t wait for the season to start.”

As they prepare for another year in maroon and gold and a meaningful homecoming to Puerto Rico, both players remain grounded in gratitude.

“Just grateful to be here,” Solier said simply. 

Gonzalez nodded beside him. “Every day.”