44 selected to play in Hank Aaron Invitational showcase game

VERO BEACH, Fla. -- When Donte Lewis saw his name on the list of players playing in the Hank Aaron Invitational showcase game, all he could think about was calling his parents and following in the path of his friends.

Days filled with conversations with his parents about that moment came to life.

"I took a picture and immediately called my mom and dad," Lewis said. "We were talking about it for about a month as soon as I got invited. I just thought about previous friends that had come to [the] Hank Aaron [Invitational] and when they got invited. I would always think about how I wanted that to be me."

The Hank Aaron Invitational is an annual youth-oriented, on-field diversity initiative that aims to get high school-age players with diverse backgrounds to the next levels of the game. The top 44 players as decided by the coaches get to play in the Hank Aaron Invitational showcase game on Sunday at Truist Park, home of the Atlanta Braves.

The players played in scrimmages and did multiple workouts across three days in front of former MLB players and coaches, which included Howie Kendrick, Jerry Manuel, Mike Scioscia and Lou Collier.

Collier, who played eight years in the big leagues and was a coach on the USA team in the World Baseball Classic, described the evaluation process and picking the top 44 out of over 120 participants.

"Each and every day we go into the war room, we start highlighting guys based on performance, based off their history and based on their progress," Collier said. "Each day we highlight players from each team, and after three or four days, we have it narrowed down."

After choosing who makes the cut, the coaches have a draft that split the 44 players into two teams for the game.

"It gets intense," Collier said. "You've got a bunch of guys who are competitors, who want to win, who want to get the best players. For me, all the kids are pretty good, it's just finding the ones that's a good fit for you.

"We're going back and forth, it's a lot of yelling and screaming, making sure we understand how we can pick, but that process is a lot of fun."

Lewis, who is a two-way player as a pitcher and infielder, is one of many players to make the game for the first time. While his play was instrumental in getting the invite, Lewis said he was focused on his approach off the field to grab coaches' attention.

"What I was hoping they saw in me was the energy I bring," Lewis said. "I'm always trying to be a charismatic guy, an optimistic guy just seeing the positive side of things day in and day out. Anytime they asked me to do something, I'll do it. If they need a guy to fill in, I can be that guy. Being that guy that they can call on whenever they need somebody."

Sir Jamison Jones, who is a catcher and first baseman, is one of the players returning to the Hank Aaron Invitational showcase game for a second year. For him, a chance to return to Truist Park is a blessing, though he plans to contribute more in this game at the plate.

He also described playing at Truist Park as a taste of where he wants to be in the future and motivation to achieve that goal.

"Not a lot of kids get to do it twice," Jones said. "I feel really special and blessed that I'm able to do it twice. This year, I actually got to do something in the game. … Last year, it was kind of a surreal moment. I was trying to take it in, but this year, I've got to perform."

Xavier Mitchell, a left-handed pitcher, is in his third year participating in the Hank Aaron Invitational and made it to the game for the first time. However, for Mitchell, playing in the game means a little more because of who will be in attendance.

His mentor, Taylor Hearn, was just traded from the Rangers to the Braves. The left-hander got to know Mitchell through his brother and sister attending Royse City High School in Texas. That relationship led to Hearn giving Mitchell pitching lessons.

Now, by chance, Mitchell will have a chance to pitch at Truist Park for the first time and it will be in front of his mentor.

"It's going to be very exciting," Mitchell said. "Ever since the first time I came to [the] Hank Aaron [Invitational], everybody's been talking about making the [top] 44. Seeing Cam Johnson, everyone before me going there has made me very excited to go. I've always been training to [play in the Hank Aaron Invitational showcase game], and that's always been my motivation coming here."