The baseball star leading Team USA's opening ceremony doubles as a Winter Olympics silver medalist
- USA Baseball's Eddy Alvarez is one of Team USA's flag bearers for the opening ceremony in Tokyo.
- The MLB player and USA Baseball's first flag bearer made his Olympics debut at the Winter Games.
- Alvarez competed at the 2014 Olympics in Sochi, Russia, and earned a silver medal in speed skating.
For the first time, a baseball player will help lead Team USA's procession at the Olympics opening ceremony.
Infielder Eddy Alvarez joins USA Basketball superstar Sue Bird as the United States' flag bearers at the Tokyo Olympics opening ceremony at Tokyo's Olympic Stadium Friday. The Miami, Florida, native - who has played for MLB's Chicago White Sox and his hometown Miami Marlins - is USA Baseball's first flag bearer.
And though the 31-year-old has received the prestigious honor while making his Summer Olympics debut, this isn't his first time representing the US on the world's biggest stage.
Alvarez made his Olympics debut at the Winter Games seven years before the Tokyo Olympics. In 2014, the multi-sport athlete competed in speed skating in Sochi, Russia. He earned a silver medal as part of Team USA's short track speed skating 5000-meter relay, though he competed in multiple other races while in Sochi.
"I want it bad," Alvarez said ahead of qualifying for those games, per NBC Miami. "I'm willing to do whatever it takes. I dream about it. I wake up, and it's one of the first things I think of."
"This was a dream, a goal of mine since I was a kid - I want to stand on that podium," he added. "I want to represent my country and my background, my family, my parents, so it's a lot more than just making the team."
Now, he's living that dream - and doing a lot more than just making the team.
Fans can watch Alvarez and Bird lead Team USA in the Tokyo opening ceremony Friday at 6:55 a.m. ET on NBC or during a primetime replay scheduled for 7:30 p.m. ET. In addition to the parade of nations, the event will include special performances by Japanese artists, an inspiring IOC short film that celebrates progress and broken boundaries in sport, and the lighting of the Olympic torch.