I had the incredible opportunity to throw the first pitch at an Arizona Fall League game at Salt River Fields. I walked onto the diamond and didn’t feel any fear, but at the same time, there were butterflies in my stomach. When I got to the mound, I shook off the first pitch to the catcher, moved the ball around in my hand until I found a good spot, and then sunk it right into the catcher’s glove. The catcher then signed a ball for me and wrote: Nice pitch.
After that, I wanted to learn more about the Arizona Fall League because being on that field made me feel like I was part of something really cool. Even though the Fall League is over now, I still want to share about it.
Every fall, young baseball players from all 30 Major League teams come to Arizona to get better. It’s like a giant baseball camp for the best of the best. Tickets are only $14, so it’s easy to go watch.
One player I talked to was Jack Hurley. He is 22 and an outfielder in the Diamondbacks organization. He told me he still has a lot to learn to reach the big leagues. His dad played baseball at Penn State, so he has been around the game his whole life. Jack said he was grateful just to get drafted at all and is happy he ended up with the Diamondbacks. This fall, he worked on staying healthy and improving his swing. He even got to talk with Corbin Carroll about hitting and strategy—which is basically like getting tips from a superhero.
I also met pitcher Kyle Amendt. His story was really inspiring because he tore his UCL and had to miss an entire year of baseball. He said it taught him to appreciate every time he gets to play. Before each game, he sits in the hot tub and makes a ham and cheese sandwich. Then he’s ready to pitch. He told me his favorite memory was striking out the last batter in a championship game and watching his teammates run out of the dugout. He said it was awesome, and he still remembers what it felt like.
Talking to Jack and Kyle taught me that baseball isn’t just about hitting home runs or throwing fast pitches—it’s about patience, practice, and not giving up when things are hard. They said the Fall League helped them stay focused and keep learning.
Now the Arizona Fall League is done for the year, but spring training is coming soon, and the players will be back in Arizona chasing their dreams. After throwing that first pitch, I feel like I’m chasing mine too.
