Yuma County baseball represented south of the border

SAN LUIS, Mexico (KYMA) - The Algodoneros de San Luis are providing opportunities for players and coaches from Yuma County and around the world to pursue their baseball dreams.

Just four miles south of the U.S.-Mexico border, the professional baseball club has become home to several individuals with roots in the Desert Southwest.

Among them is Gila Ridge head baseball coach James Kuzniak, who is spending his first summer with the organization as its first base coach.

The experience has allowed him to gain insight into the professional game while bringing valuable lessons back to his high school players.

"Any little tidbit I can pick up when I go back and do my summer practices on Mondays [and] Tuesdays, I'm able to bring those stories to the guys and kinda talk to them about it, and talk to them about the pressure and the way these guys prepare, how they get their bodies ready, and just try to educate those younger guys," Kuzniak said. "Like, 'Hey, this is what it’s like at the next level. I know you have aspirations of getting there. This is what it's like on the inside, and what you don't get to see.'"

For Gerardo Hernandez, playing for Los Algodoneros represents a chance to compete professionally while representing his hometown.

After successful athletic careers at San Luis High School and Cochise College, Hernandez is now wearing the San Luis name at the next level.

"Growing up, it was definitely a thought. Like, 'Wow, if I ever make it, like I'll definitely want to play for San Luis, and Algodoneros of San Luis, represent your hometown, playing around family,'" Hernandez said. "If I could describe it one way it's just, you just never lose motivation."

Although San Luis, Arizona, and San Luis, Mexico, are separated by only a border, Hernandez noted that baseball culture differs significantly between the two countries. Experiencing both environments has broadened his perspective and allowed him to embrace a leadership role with the club.

"I'm a bit on the older side, so, I feel I might be one of the most mature guys, so I don't really play around that much with...the boys, but I definitely enjoy it," Hernandez said. "You know, it's a different type of culture down in Mexico than the U.S."

Kuzniak has also benefited from the opportunity to experience a different style of baseball while adapting to the demands of the professional ranks.

"Just getting the opportunity to kinda see a different brand of baseball, get some experience under my belt in the professional ranks," Kuzniak said. "It's a little different when you're playing everyday of the week and there's a lot of travel involved, a little different than how it is in high school in the states, so a little different of an opportunity, but a great opportunity for myself."

The roster’s international reach extends well beyond the border region, too. Kumagai Wataru arrived in San Luis by way of Los Angeles and his native Japan, bringing versatility as a catcher, first baseman and third baseman while pursuing his goal of advancing to a higher level of professional baseball.

"I need more power," Wataru said. "I'm Japanese...that's why I need more power...I need to hit more home runs. Maybe I can go [to the next level]."

Like many of his teammates, Wataru has embraced the opportunity to experience a new baseball culture while continuing to develop his game.

"This here, everybody [has a lot of] energy," Wataru said. "If you hit [a] home run, everybody [stands] up...and they pitch very hard. Everybody [throws a] fastball and inside a lot."

While the players and coaches come from different backgrounds and countries, they share a common goal.

Whether they grew up in Yuma County, elsewhere in the United States or across the Pacific Ocean, Los Algodoneros de San Luis has brought them together in pursuit of reaching the highest level of baseball.