PAPILLION, Neb. (WOWT) – As Carlos Beltrán prepares for his Major League Baseball Hall of Fame induction later this month, his nephew Matthew Lugo is working toward his own place in the major leagues — this time with a Royals connection of his own.
Lugo, an outfielder for the Omaha Storm Chasers — Kansas City’s triple-A affiliate — said watching his uncle become a nine-time All-Star shaped his development as a player from an early age.
“Being a kid and having someone as Carlos Beltrán, a Hall of Fame baseball player, and see him — how he works and his work ethic and all that, just super helpful for me,” Lugo said.
Lugo attended the Carlos Beltrán Baseball Academy in Puerto Rico, where his uncle’s influence extended beyond the classroom and onto the field.
“When I was in Puerto Rico in school and he was playing here with the MLB teams, I would go to the cage. He would give me the key to go to his house and go to the cage,” Lugo said. “That was super helpful for me to become a professional baseball player.”
Beltrán, whose 20-year big-league career ended in 2017, will be enshrined in Cooperstown on July 26. Lugo said the moment carries weight for the entire family.
“Super happy for him. A little bit emotional for the family. We know that he has worked very hard for that,” Lugo said.
The two also share a connection beyond family. At the World Baseball Classic this past March, Lugo started in center field for Puerto Rico, just like Beltrán did before him.
Their Royals ties run parallel as well. Beltrán won AL Rookie of the Year with Kansas City in 1999 and spent his first seven seasons there. Lugo, a former second-round draft pick of the Boston Red Sox, made his MLB debut with the Los Angeles Angels in 2025 before Kansas City claimed him off waivers this past June.
“He debuted with the Royals,” Lugo said. “Now I have a chance to play with the Royals in the Major Leagues, so that’s pretty special.”
Lugo said the path to this point has included trades, being designated for assignment and multiple roster moves.
“A lot of bouncing around, but you’ve just got to stay focused. At the end of the day, the game is the same. It doesn’t matter where you play it,” Lugo said.
Since joining Omaha, Lugo is hitting .322 with eight doubles and seven home runs in 23 games. He said one piece of advice from his uncle has stayed with him throughout.
“One advice he has told me was, ‘Don’t change your game. It doesn’t matter where you go. Don’t change your essence as a player. Don’t change your identity as a player.’ So that’s been very helpful for me,” Lugo said.
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