MLB DREAM Series Creates College Teams Before Spring Training

Four teenagers from different corners of America showed up to a baseball camp in Arizona this week and realized they'd already built their future college team.

The DREAM Series brought together over 80 high school pitchers and catchers in Tempe for the ninth year running. The program helps diversify baseball by giving predominantly African American athletes elite coaching and exposure to college recruiters.

Samir Mohammed from Tampa couldn't believe the coincidence. He met up with Devyn Downs from Louisiana, Anthony Murphy from California, and Dylan Minnatee from Elk Grove only to discover all four had committed to LSU.

"It's crazy that kids all over the country end up in one spot and compete together," Mohammed said. "It's also good to know each other here and create a bond here so as soon as we get to camp, we just roll."

The friendships started forming years ago on the summer baseball circuit. Now they're turning into something deeper.

"It's like a brotherhood already," Downs said. "Before we even get there, we already know everybody, and we're close and everything."

The Ripple Effect

The college commitments tell a bigger story about the program's success. Three DREAM Series participants committed to Texas Tech this year. Two are headed to Miami, two to Vanderbilt, and four to LSU together.

Former major leaguer LaTroy Hawkins has coached at eight DREAM Series events. He's watched the talent level skyrocket over the years.

"I saw it grow from kids who could barely catch a ground ball to guys coming at us and we're saying, 'Oh, he'll be a first-rounder,'" Hawkins said.

The program runs every Martin Luther King Jr. weekend, honoring the spirit of breaking down barriers. MLB executives Tony Reagins, Del Matthews, and Kindu Jones have built something that goes beyond a single sport.

Downs has participated in multiple MLB development programs for minority communities. He knows what these opportunities mean: "Learning, listening, getting better."

The number of African American players in Major League Baseball keeps trending upward thanks to youth programs like this one. They're not just teaching baseball skills but building confidence and connections that last far beyond high school.

Those four LSU teammates are already dreaming about their future together in Baton Rouge, eyes set on the College World Series.