Like Charles — for Kyle DeBarge, dreams were never delayed or denied.
Instead, it was the perfect pitch to hit the home run of his baseball career.
“I was confused, but I was full of emotion. That’s what I dreamed about,” DeBarge said.
His next stop? Heading north to join the Minnesota Twins organization, a team he feels could add a thoroughbred winner.
“D-Bo” has experienced many honors in baseball, including Little League All-Star honors, two-time state champion at Barbe High School and All-American honors in Louisiana.
And so far… his biggest one yet in vermilion and white.
“When you hear that this is the best draft pick in Louisiana program history, what does that mean to you?”
“That’s been my dream ever since I knew I wanted to go to UL. There are a lot of great players at UL, but to get a high draft pick there…it’s just unimaginable.”
The shortstop stands 5-foot-9 and weighs 175 pounds, but his promising career prospects are bigger than his size… and he has the stats to prove it, especially since he was a first-round draft talent after a box-office-busting junior season.
“I had heard we had no chance in the first round and thought the second round would be a better chance, but they took a chance and for that I’m forever grateful.”
DeBarge’s next destination is more than 1,100 miles away, but he’s grateful for the commitment this next phase of his career will allow him to make, just like the sacrifices his parents, Ramona and Toby, make every weekend.
“My mom is a school teacher, so I talk to her. I used to tell her when I was growing up that I was going to hit baseballs for a living. That was going to be my job. After I got drafted and everything happened, she said, ‘You’re not lying. Your first job is going to be to hit baseballs, and you’re going to get paid to do it.'”
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