Mariners aiding Hometown Nine fellow pursuing MLB broadcasting dream

This story was excerpted from Daniel Kramer’s Mariners Beat newsletter. To read the full newsletter, click here. And subscribe to get it regularly in your inbox.

SEATTLE -- For being just 15 years old, Xavier Austin is already dreaming big -- big leagues big -- and it's so evident in how the Mariners' Hometown Nine fellow details his ambition of one day becoming an MLB broadcaster.

“I’m very passionate about it,” Austin told MLB.com. “I've been doing a lot of research on it, searching it up, watching videos, listening to broadcasting. So that's probably a good thing to start.”

Austin -- whose full name is Anthony Xavier Louis Austin -- is among the many within the organization celebrating Jackie Robinson Day on Tuesday, commemorating the day Robinson broke the color barrier in baseball in 1947. Every year, baseball honors Robinson’s legacy by celebrating his life, values and accomplishments. Austin looks to the legend as a pioneer that paved the path for individuals like him to dream big.

The setting of the interview for this piece -- in the front row of the T-Mobile Park press box, roughly one hour before first pitch on a sun-soaked Sunday, with fans filling in and players taking the field -- furthered Austin’s dream.

“With our young people, you hope you can demystify the experience, so it feels accessible and within reach,” said Nova Newcomer, Mariners director of community relations and CEO of the Mariners Care Foundation.

That was also true this Spring Training, when the Mariners invited Austin to Arizona for a four-day trip to shadow longtime team photographer Ben Van Houten, one of the busiest people in baseball and among the most talented in his field. Austin also has developed a passion for photography as a way to supplement his media portfolio -- which itself speaks to how clearly he's pursued his dream career.

Austin was able to capture his own content, mostly action shots of players working out but also promotional images. He was also able to mingle with them when time allowed, specifically citing impactful conversations with second baseman Ryan Bliss and shortstop J.P. Crawford, two Black players on Seattle’s roster. Franchise icon Alvin Davis, who is a Spring Training fixture in his role as a special assistant in player development, has also been a mentor.

“They all remembered me,” Austin said. “They all came to give me a dab. They all gave me a signed ball, and they all took a picture with me. So I think that's what makes [Spring Training] more laid back -- you understand that they're also working, but they're also taking time out of their day to show love to the fans as well. It kind of shows how human they are.”

Austin fell in love with baseball when he was 3 years old, saying that he tried soccer and basketball, but baseball was the sport that resonated most and the one that he felt he was most talented in.

At Seattle Academy, he plays first base, third base and outfield for the school team, and in the offseason -- when class is still in session -- he transitions to more of a media role for the school’s other sports, accumulating content for the yearbook and newsletter.

A few years ago, he learned about Hometown Nine, which opens doors for its fellows to just about all facets of the organization, tailoring each experience based on the child’s interests.

Established in 2020, Hometown Nine is a fellowship designed to open doors for underserved youth, especially those of color, seeking opportunities in baseball. It’s a five-year commitment to nine incoming eighth graders in King, Pierce and Snohomish Counties, providing financial, academic, professional and social support to encourage success in their athletic careers and educational journeys.

“These experiences are transformational not because they are predictive of the future, but because they make the future seem tangible,” Newcomer said.

Asked if he has a favorite memory of watching the Mariners, the Seattle-area native Austin quickly pointed to Cal Raleigh’s postseason-clinching homer in 2022 -- not just for what it meant to the entire region, but for the broadcast call itself from Dave Sims, one of the most successful Black broadcasters of his era.

“It's a game of emotions, special emotions, special actions,” Austin said. “Because that was just an amazing call, an amazing play, it just made me fall in love more with the game, and wanting to stay with the game -- no matter what my career is, just being involved in baseball.”

Maybe it’ll be Austin on the call for one of those monumental moments down the road -- because he’s already paving his own path to get there.