Class of 2028

Miles is the oldest of 6 children. An extremely hardworking young person, he has set a very good example for his 5 younger siblings. As a member of Steel Lake Little League, Miles likes to compete on the baseball field and works to make friends whenever he can. Miles has shared that his goals are to stay active, graduate high school and go to college, with the hope of playing college baseball. Off the field, Miles is dedicated to his academic career and hopes someday to travel the world.

Xavier has always been passionate about baseball, and from the age of 3, this has been his chosen sport. Participating in the Hometown Nine program will allow him to expand his skills in the sport he loves- not only will he improve his baseball IQ, but also hone life skills. In looking toward the future, Xavier wants to be a baseball player. But if the dream of playing Major League Baseball doesn¡¯t work out, he would like to remain involved in the game of baseball as a sports reporter and broadcaster, or a brand designer for a baseball team. Xavier also volunteers with Gifts of Hope.

Kennedy plays for her school team and for Absolute Blast Fastpitch as a pitcher and an outfielder. After pitching a perfect game at the USSSA State Championship in 2022, she would like to learn more defensive positions, because she wants to be able to help her team even more. Kennedy would like to someday play college softball at UCLA or LSU. Off the field, Kennedy is in the Drama Club as a Stage Manager and wants to be an ASL interpreter to help people communicate. In her free time, she likes to hang out with friends, enjoys painting, drawing, and crafting.

Ella grew up on the baseball field and was one of the last two girls in her league playing baseball for RDLL before switching to softball in 2021. She lives and breathes softball, with a passion for the sport and helping her teammates. A leader and a good listener, Ella wants to continue to grow as an athlete with the goal of playing Division 1 softball at the University of Washington. Off the field, Ella is a self-motivated student, striving for straight A¡¯s and working hard to achieve her goals.

Kalani¡¯s goal is to graduate high school with a sports scholarship for baseball at the collegiate level and have a chance at playing in the big leagues. But the work isn¡¯t done only on the baseball field; Kalani adheres to a strict household rule: being a student before an athlete. Working hard to keep a high GPA and taking honors classes to prepare for high school AP courses, Kalani has received multiple Outstanding Scholar-Athlete awards for maintaining a high academic standard while participating in his school's athletic program.

Gael¡¯s background as the child of second-generation immigrants has informed his life on and off the baseball field for Prospect U, while developing a sense of discipline, hard work, and self-determination along the way. Outside of baseball, Gael's time is spent as part of his school¡¯s Cross Country team, the school's Yearbook committee, the BAM (Becoming a Man) program, and volunteering in the Math club. And, of course, when there's time he enjoys playing with his neighborhood friends outside.

Nehemiah is the youngest of five children, with siblings from 20 years older to 3 1/2 years older. Nehemiah began playing baseball in the back yard of the triplex his family has lived in for the past 24 years. An all-around athlete who participates in sports year-round, Nehemiah enjoys everything from ultimate frisbee to baseball both at school and as a member of the Seattle Sting 13U. He also spends time roller skating, skateboarding, and cycling. Nehemiah enjoys school, and has a passion for reading and art.

Ezekiel is passionate about playing baseball as part of Baseball Beyond Borders. Off the field, Eze is a multifaceted young person who really enjoys making art- designing clothing, drawing, and painting. Academically, Eze is most interested in math and science. Throughout his education he has excelled and improved in all areas and has been given public recognition for his GPA and serving his school community. Eze hopes to attend an HBCU and one day play in Major League Baseball.

Jenesis has clear goals for the future. Hoping to play softball for UCLA while earning a Bachelor of Science, Jenesis would like to apply to UC Berkley Optometry School following college. Jenesis would like to someday run free softball clinics in the Pacific Northwest for girls, including those in the Polynesian community, who are not able to pay for the skill training that many select and travel teams expect an athlete to already have. Recognizing that many girls have a hunger to play but have not yet developed skills that meet the standard of travel team coaches, she wants to provide opportunity to those willing and ready to put in the work.