'Now is when I feel good with myself': Sox's Comas has no regrets about coming out as gay
In February, White Sox minor leaguer Anderson Comas decided the time was right to announce he was gay on social media.
It was not an easy decision. Among active professional baseball players, Comas was one of only two players to go public.
On Friday night, the second day of Pride Month, he explained why.
“I just felt like now is the right time,” Comas said. “Now is when I feel good with myself. Now I accept myself. I love myself enough to tell people and feel great about it. At first, I was afraid to say it, for people to know about me. Now, I feel strong enough to say it to people without caring what they say about me.”
Comas is in Arizona, pitching in extended spring training after initially being signed by the Sox as an outfielder.
The 23-year-old Dominican Republic native was willing to make the switch after hitting a combined .169/.192/.394 with 4 home runs and 9 RBI for low Class A Kannapolis and the ACL White Sox in 2021.
Chris Getz, the Sox's assistant general manager/director of player development, first approached the left-handed Comas about trading his bat for a pitcher's glove.
“They asked me if I wanted to do it and I said. 'Yeah, let's give it a try,'” Comas said. “Because I'm lefty and I'm tall (6-foot-3), I wanted to try that new thing. At first I was a little bit lost because I didn't even know how to throw breaking balls and all that. But now I felt like I have been progressing a lot.
“Now, I feel like a real pitcher. At first I was afraid of throwing the ball and all that. It wasn't that easy but it was a new thing. I just worked on it during the (off-season) and then I came back ready this year. It's been good, because I just love the game. No matter if I hit or pitch, I love this game, so I will be doing that.”
Comas has heard and read plenty of negative reactions since coming out as gay, but he has no regrets.
“For me, it's not that hard because I've been on social media and I know how people react and I know that people just have comments,” Comas said. “But that doesn't define you. I'm just taking the good ones and the bad ones, I don't even read those people that are saying those messages. Because that is not me. I don't lose my time checking those messages or answering them.
“I just answer the good ones and send messages to the people who send good messages and good vibes. That's the right way, I think.”
Comas said he appreciates the support he's gotten from the entire White Sox organization.
“It's been great,” Comas said. “Nothing changed here because my teammates, my coaches, some of them knew. They already knew about it. They were great about it. They really love me here because I've been very respectful with my teammates and all my coaches. Nothing changed. Everything is good here.”
Helping others was another reason for Comas coming out.
“It's still a little bit hard for us to be out there visible in the public area because of people's judgment,” he said. “I wanted to help people out there, those people who don't feel like they have the support, even from their family. I wanted to open that door for those people that are fighting for their dreams.”