It’s a big hit: Major League player gives Elk Grove a home run for a youth baseball team
Dylan Carlson knows these fields well.
From the outfield to home plate to the snack shed loaded with postgame treats, they all tie in beautifully. A kid, a baseball, a snack.
But per his humble nature, Carlson downplayed any talk of his prodigious home-run blasts as a head-turning, 11-year old on the Elk Grove Youth Baseball circuit a few years back, depositing balls over the fences at Rau Park in Elk Grove and up against the minivan in the faraway parking lot.
“I might have earned a couple of Icees back in the day,” Carlson said with a laugh.
A 2016 first-round selection to St. Louis out of Elk Grove High School, the 23-year-old Carlson plays the sport for a living now. He is a returning starting outfielder for the Cardinals. Days before reporting to spring training, Carlson was the man of the hour at Rau Park, on March 6, surrounded by youth and exuberance. Carlson beamed at the giddy expressions on opening day of the Champions League, open to those ages 6 to 21 who have either cognitive or physical disabilities. Each player basked in their moment in the sun, their names on the back of their spiffy new uniforms and that snack bar so tantalizingly close.
“When do we eat?” one player asked, to which the reply was, “after we play ball!”
Carlson helped fund the league that was created six years ago by Jason Jimenez, the one-time Elk Grove High pitching star who had a taste of the major leagues 20 years ago. Jimenez is a longtime coach at Elk Grove High and employed by the Elk Grove Police Department. He said his aim is to help mentor any way he can. Carlson tossed out the first pitch in front of a large crowd, then blended in seamlessly with everyone as a low-key face in the crowd.
He gladly signed autographs for shy kids not sure if they should approach. Carlson’s mother, Caryn, offered approving smiles and, “It’s OK. Take your ball to Dylan. He’d love to sign it.”
Jimenez saw Carlson grow up on fields near and far, a lot of it under his father and prep coach, Jeff Carlson.
“We needed funding, help to make this work this spring, and Dylan was the first to offer,” Jimenez said. “It’s no surprise. Dylan’s a true role model. What a thrill for these kids to meet a big-league player who gives back.”
Carlson has long been known for being mature beyond his years, even as a freshman starting on varsity for a powerhouse Thundering Herd team that was used to winning championships and having players drafted by big-league clubs. He said he was “honored” to get involved in this league, to be there for the first pitch, and he encourages anyone who likes sports to get involved in their community to, “make a difference.”
“To see all of these kids smile, to see their joy, it’s just a neat thing,” Carlson said, expressing gratitude to a community that appreciates his efforts. “Being able to be around them here and experience their joy, it really means a lot. Baseball has allowed me to experience things I never thought possible.”
Experiencing this grand old game is the theme of this league, Jimenez said.
“It’s amazing to see these faces,” he said. “Kids can play a sport they never thought they might be able to. Parents get to see their kids play this great sport that they might not have ever thought was possible. It’s such a neat experience for everyone.”
Area high school baseball and softball teams regularly come out each weekend to Rau Park to serve as in-game mentors for the special-needs kids. In their high school uniforms, players stand next to fielders or runners and guide them, always mixing in smiles and high-fives. One player in this league is still famous for soaking in all the love he can. A home run? Hugs for all. He even got extra hugs for his birthday, never mind that it really wasn’t his birthday.
“He still accepted those hugs!” Jimenez said. “It was awesome.”
Jimenez’s son, Aiden, is a senior star for Elk Grove High, the area’s top-ranked team, and he is headed to Oregon State to play the sport. He has grown up watching a lot of this action at Rau, and it moves him still after all these years.
“We’re carrying the torch, and I especially appreciate this league because I have a cousin who played in it,” Aiden Jimenez said. “It’s so cool to see everyone so happy out here.”
Robert Evans is a grandfather to one of the boys on this roster. He delighted in seeing him in a bright orange Giants jersey, never mind that he’s a Dodgers fan, explaining, “Out here, we’re all on the same team. This makes my day every single time. Look at those smiles. Look at these proud parents.”
Among the proud pops was Jeff Carlson, father of the major league slugger.
“This is a great program, a tribute to coach Jimenez,” Jeff Carlson said. “I’m so proud of Dylan for who and what he is. He gives back. His agent didn’t tell him to be here today. We as parents didn’t tell him. He did this because he gets it. He cares.”