If you haven’t heard the story of Aroldis Chapman, where have you been? The Cuban defector signed a six-year, $30.25 million contract with the Cincinnati Reds in January and has been making all kinds of headlines. Since his arrival in Cincinnati, he’s made a strong effort to get to know his teammates and bond with them in the locker room. On the field, he’s been working hard to earn the millions that he’s been promised.

Chapman made his debut in MLB earlier today against the Royals. He threw 26 pitches over two innings in relief, giving up no runs. He allowed a hit to Brayan Pena and walked Brian Anderson, but that was all the damage done to the left-handed hurler. He struck out three Royals before retiring for the day. All in all, it was a satisfying debut for Chapman in his quest to become part of the Reds’ rotation.

Chapman’s journey to the majors has been anything but typical. After a failed attempt to defect from Cuba in 2008, Chapman and the Cuban team participated in the World Port Tournament in July 2009, where he managed to walk out of a hotel, never to go back. From there, Chapman was granted free agent status by MLB and he eventually chose to sign with the Reds. He left behind his entire family, including a baby girl.

As sad as the story is, you can hardly blame Chapman for wanting a better life. The United States offers that, and with the size of his contract, Chapman is certainly cashing in. Provided he finds a way to get some of that money back to his family in Cuba, his decision can definitely be understood. Chapman’s stuff has serious potential and he could be one of the best pitchers in baseball in a few years. For now he just needs to continue doing what he’s doing, taking things one small step at a time.