Yuma Five get geared up for Seattle at Chase Field

PHOENIX (KYMA, KECY) - It was a day five young athletes from Yuma County won't soon forget.

Before Tuesday's Arizona Diamondbacks game at Chase Field, five local baseball players received the surprise of a lifetime, straight from one of Major League Baseball's brightest stars.

D-Backs All-Star Corbin Carroll met with members of the Nike RBI baseball and softball teams inside the team’s locker room.

There, he gifted each player a full set of City Connect uniforms, Nike cleats, custom backpacks, and other gear, all part of the organization's ongoing investment in the next generation of talent across Arizona.

"To be able to have a group stay together the way it has for them, those are just bonds that last a lifetime, and friendships that you really cherish," Carroll said.

Among those honored were five standout players from Yuma County: Cesar Chavira, Juan Pablo Chavez, Julio Reina, Carlos Gonzales, and Eli Lujan. All five earned their spots after a highly competitive mini-season that brought together top players from across the state.

"That was mind-blowing," said Eli Lujan, a student at Yuma High School. "It really surprised me...I was just flabbergasted. It was amazing."

Juan Pablo Chavez of San Luis said the opportunity means even more knowing how many players were competing for a spot.

"It's really exciting," he said. "In that mini-season, there were like 200 guys trying out. So to be one of 17 or 18 players chosen...it's awesome to be here."

For many of these athletes, Tuesday marked their first time inside a Major League clubhouse and their first time being honored on a big-league field.

"It meant so much," said Cesar Chavira. "You always dream about playing in the big leagues, and right now, this is pretty much the closest thing to it. It's pretty cool."

The Diamondbacks' RBI program short for Reviving Baseball in Inner Cities launched in 2020 and has since grown into a statewide network with year-round training, travel opportunities, and elite competition.

The goal: to make baseball and softball more accessible to kids in underserved communities.

"Even talking about it now, it gives me goosebumps," said James Kuzniak, assistant coach for the D-Backs RBI team. "To have five guys from Yuma this year just shows how much talent there is, and now they get to showcase it on a bigger stage."

Kuzniak added that the support from the Diamondbacks goes far beyond uniforms and gear.

"They fund it all: Travel, coaching, practices, equipment. A lot of these kids wouldn't have these opportunities otherwise," he said.

The RBI program's success is already showing on the field. The D-Backs squad has qualified for the RBI World Series in each of the last two seasons.

Next up: Seattle, where both the baseball and softball teams will compete in this weekend’s regional tournament, wearing the D-Backs' colors and representing their hometowns with pride.

"I grew up watching all these players," said Julio Reina of Kofa High School. "Now I feel like I'm a part of it. So now it's time to go to Seattle and ball out."