Five Yuma standouts earn spots on Diamondbacks’ RBI Team
YUMA, Ariz. (KYMA, KECY) - For the second year in a row, five local baseball players from Yuma have been selected to represent the Arizona Diamondbacks' official RBI team a summer travel squad that brings together top high school talent from across the state.
Kofa's Julio Reina, San Luis' Cesar Chavira, Juan Pablo Chavez, and Carlos Gonzales, along with Yuma High's Eli Lujan, earned their spots after standout performances during an eight-game mini-season featuring players from across Yuma County.
The team is led by Gila Ridge head coach James Kuzniak, who said it's a unique opportunity for players who normally compete against each other during the high school season to come together and play on the same side.
"I'm proud of all these guys," Kuzniak said. "It's cool to kind of get to know them a little bit more...not just as players, but as people too. Once the high school season starts, we're all on different teams and we're competitive, and that's what makes everybody great. But it is cool to put on the same uniform and be on the same team."
The Diamondbacks RBI (Reviving Baseball in Inner Cities) program is part of a Major League Baseball initiative focused on creating access and opportunity for underserved youth.
The team competes in high-profile tournaments across the Southwest, providing players a platform in front of college recruiters and pro scouts.
Yuma High graduate Eli Lujan called the opportunity a fitting way to wrap up his travel baseball journey before heading off to play college ball at Big Bend Community College in Washington.
"This is amazing," Lujan said. "This is going to be my last travel team before I go off to college, and being with this amazing group of guys, from Yuma, Tucson, all over, it's just a great experience. I'm really excited."
The squad is expected to play throughout the summer. For the five players representing Yuma, it's a chance to show what their region has to offer and wear the Diamondbacks jersey while doing it.
