Like many young athletes growing up, baseball player Takoda Jones had dreams of playing baseball on the biggest stage.
That dream came true for him last weekend when he got to workout and play in Truist Park, the home of the Atlanta Braves.
Jones, an Ohkay Owingeh member and a recent Santa Fe Indian School graduate, was one of the top 50 tribal members to be selected for the fourth annual Native American All-Star Baseball Showcase.
The three-day event, sponsored by the Braves and the Native American Athletic Foundation, included training with former star players like Julio Franco and Marquis Grissom, a home run derby Saturday and was capped by a game in the Braves stadium.
Players came from 31 tribes in 22 states and Canada, but Jones was the only representative from New Mexico.
“It was definitely unique,” he said. “I didn’t really grasp how cool it was until I was on the field and walking on it and looking up and seeing how the big the stadium really is. It was crazy.”
The stadium, which opened in 2017, seats 41,084, which is a far cry from the aluminum bleachers at Jones’ high school.
“It was such a big jump going from the little high school field to going onto the Braves field,” he said. “It was so cool from center. The stands and the lights. I felt like a major leaguer for a little bit.”
According to a Foundation news release, the program is designed for “Native American high school baseball players who aspire to play the game at the next level. As part of the Braves’ efforts to provide access and opportunity for diverse baseball talent, athletes will gain elite baseball development training with former MLB players and the chance to play in front of college and Major League scouts on a big league stage, offering exposure for players who otherwise may not have had the opportunity to at this level.”
Jones already has plans to attend Fort Lewis College in Boulder, Colorado, to study business administration, with an eye toward being an entrepreneur in the baseball field, but if he caught the eye of a scout who offers a scholarship, he said he definitely would listen.
And he certainly put on a show, singling in his only at bat after 1-2 count, stealing second base using a swim move to elude a tag, then scoring to help his Red team win 9-1.
“I can tell my kids I batted 1.000 at the Braves field,” Jones said with a chuckle.
He actually came away with plenty of memories of the three days, not the least of which was meeting other Native Americans from across the country.
“The friends I made,” he said of the best part of the event. “I met so many different Native Americans from so many different states. It was interesting meeting the different people and learning their backgrounds in baseball and how different their schools are from here.”
It was a moment that the players will cherish, he said.
“My friends’ group had players from three different states,” Jones said. “But the entire group of players bonded. The coaches enjoyed how close we grew.”
Then, of course, there was the chance to play in a Major League stadium, and work out with former ball players.
“It was a unique experience,” Jones said. “You don’t work with Major Leaguers every day. They taught us things, made some small tweaks in my swing. Mechanics, small things that they saw that we were doing. You could tell they had years of experience and knew a lot about the game.” The players even got physical mementos by getting to keep their game uniforms, practice jerseys, caps and socks.
The players were chosen through a selection process after applying and Jones credits his mom, Adrianna Jones, with getting him involved.
“I heard about it before, but never looked into it,” he said. “One of my friends in the past years went to it. But my mom brought it to my attention and said I needed some highlight videos. When I started researching it, I realized what an exciting event it was.”
Adrianna Jones said there was something magical about seeing her son and the others out there on the big field.
“It was amazing seeing all those Native American kids out there getting to play on a real Major League field,” she said. “As a mother, I was very proud and happy to be there and watch my son.”