At Hank Aaron Invitational, there's strength in having baseball brothers

VERO BEACH, Fla. -- Baseball can begin anywhere there's a bat and ball.

Sometimes, it’s a packed ballpark. Other times, it's a backyard where younger brothers spend hours trying to keep up with the older ones beside them.

For many players, that's where their love for the game ignites. And for several participants at this year's Hank Aaron Invitational, it's also where their journey to MLB Develops began.

"Baseball is a family sport," MLB Develops coach Antonio Grissom said. "It's a generational deal. So most of the younger brothers want to follow behind their big brothers.

"Baseball is a tremendous sport when it comes to developing young men."

This week in Vero Beach, that family connection was evident. Several players arrived at the Jackie Robinson Training Complex with advice, familiar faces and a better understanding of the opportunity ahead, while also hoping to make a name for themselves.

Grissom saw that impact with his older brother, Marquis, a 17-year MLB veteran who taught him everything that he needed to know.

"This is something that myself and my brother did when we were young," Antonio Grissom said. "I know these guys that are here now played the game of baseball with their brothers coming up too. So it's easier going through it once you have somebody in your family that's been through it."

For Titus Fisher of Liberty, Mo., that path was paved by not one, but two older brothers: Troy and Theodore.

Through their experiences, Titus has learned many lessons. By watching them go through their events – with Theodore most recently participating in this year’s Breakthrough Series - they showed him the importance of attitude.

"I watched them do MLB Develops and I enjoyed their spirit," Titus said. "I need to work on my spirit a little more, and just enjoy the game more, breathe, relax and not be so stressed."

When his brothers returned home from their events, Titus wanted to hear everything.

"I just [wondered] how they did, how they enjoyed it, the people they got to meet,” Titus said. “[They] loved the people down here. [I] just really got to learn and hear a lot about the coaches down here and how kind [they were]."

Because many of the same coaches worked with Troy and Theodore, several people already knew about Titus when he arrived in Vero Beach.

Middle infielder Chase Pollard, a member of the class of 2030 from Winston, Ga., had a similar introduction through his older brother, Chandler.

Chandler participated in MLB Develops before playing with the Hub City Spartanburgers, the Rangers’ High-A affiliate. Before Chase arrived in Florida, his brother made sure he understood what awaited him because the HAI would feature tougher pitching and unfamiliar competition.

"But you gotta work through it. You gotta keep playing, be yourself [and] just have fun," Chase recalled Chandler telling him.

Watching Chandler return with stories, videos and experiences gave Chase someone to learn from, especially when it came to using his speed on the field.

Now, Chase hopes to leave his own impression.

"[I want to] make a statement for my name instead of him," Chase said. "I want people to say, 'Oh, that's Chase Pollard. I know he was here.' Instead of, 'Oh, that's Chandler's little brother.'"

Former Major Leaguer Jemile Weeks understands the value of having an older brother to learn from. Weeks, whose older brother Rickie Weeks Jr. played 14 seasons in the Major Leagues, encouraged players with similar family experiences to lean into those relationships.

"Work hard with each other," Jemile said. "Those doors, abilities, opportunities and experiences [developed] much better because I had a brother like Rickie in my household."

For Ayreal Guinyard from Houston, that relationship has been just as impactful.

Before Ayreal made the trip, his older brother Beau stressed the importance of preparing mentally for the competition while reminding him that every player has an opportunity to stand out.

"I've learned that you don't have to be the strongest, the biggest, but you always be the leader on the field,” Ayreal said.

Now, his goal is to earn an invitation to the Area Code Games and continue following the opportunities MLB Develops can provide.

"Most importantly, it's attitude and effort. You have to show 100% effort at all times," Ayreal said. "Sprint on and off the field, and then with my baseball, I just have to do better, hitting, fielding, and pitching."

When Week 2 of the Hank Aaron Invitational begins, Ayreal will have his own stories to tell Beau when he joins the group.

For Antonio Grissom, seeing families continue to send younger siblings through MLB Develops speaks of the trust that they have in the programs.

"We got love for these young men, and we show them that we love them, we care about them," Grissom said. "We want them to grow on and off the baseball field. So the parents really trust what we're doing here, and that's a testament to the coaching staff that we have here.”