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Manny Cabrera is Michael’s best friend. He is “loyal, funny, smarter than he let on,” and he “[loves] baseball as much as Michael” (40). Manny jokes constantly and never ceases to speak, qualities that Michael appreciates, except when they stand in the way of his relationship with Ellie. Serving as the catcher for the Clippers, Manny is Michael’s constant companion and encouragement in pitching. He calls Michael “Star.” Clever and persistent, Manny helps Michael plan to trick Mr. Gibbs and win back Ellie even when Michael loses all hope. Michael constantly admires Manny’s ability to continue dreaming, even when dreams feel impossible. But Manny is as constant in his dreaming as he is in his friendship to Michael, and he stands beside him until the two are introduced together on the field at Yankee Stadium.

Carlos is Michael’s older brother. At 17 years old, Carlos has “never done anything wrong in his life,” has “never gotten a single detention in school” (167). He works two jobs at a time to pay for his and his brother’s rent and food, no longer attending school in order to be the “man of the house” (172) after Papi’s death. Carlos keeps secrets from Michael about the tension he feels as breadwinner. When Carlos loses his job at Hector’s Cafe, he joins Ramon Crespo, the thief who steals Mrs. Cora’s purse at the beginning of the book, to work as a scalper outside of Yankee Stadium. Feeling the pressure of the attention directed toward Michael, Carlos feels forced to take such drastic measures. After the police catch him, Carlos grows scared and runs to Mrs. Cora, who helps him to apologize to Michael. Finally admitting his inability, Carlos is able to work with Mrs. Cora to stabilize their family with help from those who care for them.

Mr. Minaya is a prominent force in Michael’s life. The coach of the Clippers and a stand-in in Papi’s absence, Mr. Minaya monitors Michael’s emotional situation and protects him from harm in the Little League that often seems out to get him. Mr. Minaya wants to know where Michael’s father is, yet he backs off when he recognizes the pressure placed on Michael’s back. Instead of engaging in his family life, Mr. Minaya keeps Michael engaged with baseball and hopeful for a return to the mound. By making Michael third base coach, Mr. Minaya keeps Michael connected to the sport and friends that help him to persevere through conflict.

Ellie is the first girl who Michael ever notices and “the most beautiful girl [he has] ever seen” (47). Long-legged, with an impressive arm, Ellie shows up at the Macombs Dam Park one day while Michael and Manny practice pitching. Michael can tell she has a secret, which intrigues him. When he discovers that the secret is her family—she is the daughter of El Grande, Michael's baseball hero—he fails to understand why she might keep that secret from him. Ultimately, Ellie forgives Michael for his anger and employs her father to track down his birth certificate. When Michael takes the field again, Ellie is watching, his most important fan.

Mrs. Cora is like an adopted grandmother to Carlos and Michael. She is the character with whom Papi shares his desire that his sons stay together, and she is the one who protects the boy’s secret. Baseball is one of the “constants” (1)in Mrs. Cora’s life, which is part of why she understands Michael, and his dreams, so well. When Carlos and Michael come too close to discovery, Mrs. Cora calls Mr. Gibbs and works with him to solve their problems and devise a plan to keep the boys together. Compassionate and encouraging, Mrs. Cora provides for Michael when he is at his most disheartened, encouraging him to stand up for his family but to be empathetic to others, like Ellie, along the way.

Mr. Gibbs works at the ACS, helping orphaned and abandoned children find safe places to live. Concerned about Michael after he senses the paternal absence in his life, Mr. Gibbs persistently works to unveil the truth about his home life. This places Michael under considerable stress, yet Michael still appreciates his empathy. Mr. Gibbs’ involvement helps the boys, as he stands in to ensure their ultimate safety.

El Grande is Michael’s hero and Ellie’s father. Star pitcher for the New York Yankees, El Grande is also a Cuban immigrant, like Michael. When he listens to broadcasts of Yankees games out in the fire escape, Michael imitates El Grande’s grandiose pitching style, kicking high into the air. He even starts to adopt this style to his own swing. El Grande is also an attentive father to his daughter, Ellie, and through her, he comes to Michael’s aid.

Michael’s Papi passes away before the book begins. With the boys’ mother long dead, Papi takes a chance to bring his sons to America and works hard to provide for them. One day, he defends a woman who he drives home in his taxi from an attack, an attack which stimulates, in him, a heart attack. Papi’s Cuban adages, and his dreams of baseball glory, continue to motivate Michael after he is gone.

Uncle Timo is Manny’s actor uncle, who the boys enlist to “play” Papi to shake Mr. Gibbs off Michael’s tail. Although he strikes Michael as immature, saying “dude” and acting like a “goof” (121), he earns Michael’s trust with his commitment to character. Ultimately, his performance is so convincing that Michael almost feels as if his father is back in the room.