Josiah Gray and his family never hesitate to step up to the plate and contribute to the team’s charitable initiatives like the “Strike Out Breast Cancer” campaign. Earlier this year, Josiah was selected by Sarah Langs as the Nationals representative for MLB’s Lou Gehrig Day Auction due to his leadership within the game of baseball. Most significantly, Josiah has cemented his place in the fabric of the team’s community impact by accepting a title beyond “pitcher” in 2022 when he was named Player Ambassador to the Washington Nationals Youth Baseball Academy.

Josiah has since built strong bonds at the Washington Nationals Youth Baseball Academy, serving as a resource to the school-aged children who participate in its programs and acting as a link between the Nationals clubhouse and the community. He follows the time-honored tradition of former Player Ambassadors Josh Bell, Anthony Rendon and Ian Desmond, who first envisioned the role when the Academy opened its doors in 2014.

For the past three years, Josiah has dedicated his free time to Nationals Academy Scholar Athletes -- whether catching a high school game with Nationals Nike RBI players on an off-day or spending an evening coaching the facility’s entry-level program -- he is showing up for them on the field consistently. An MLB Breakthrough Series alum, Josiah has also Academy Scholar Athletes at events such as the DREAM Series and MLB’s All-Star Commissioner’s Cup, inspiring them beyond Washington, D.C. In 2023, he became the first Player Ambassador to launch a bespoke event at the Academy called “Glow and Throw with JoJo,” a special evening of glow-in-the-dark baseball activities for Scholar Athletes in the Academy’s competitive baseball programs.

Off the field, Josiah serves as an inspiration to Scholar Athletes, embodying the Academy's core value of “continue to learn.” Delivering the keynote address at the Academy’s eighth-grade graduation each spring, he underscores the values of focusing on education and striving for excellence in the classroom. This year’s graduation was particularly special, as it took place during the same month Josiah himself graduated summa cum laude from Le Moyne College. Since he was unable to walk at his own graduation, his friends, family, fellow Breakthrough Series alumni, as well as Commissioner of Baseball and Le Moyne alumnus Rob Manfred all joined in a surprise ceremony for Josiah as he was presented with his college diploma by LeMoyne College leadership during a pregame ceremony at Nationals Park. The ceremony recognized his remarkable achievement and served as an inspiration for the Academy’s graduates as they joined him in a celebratory cap toss.

Josiah Gray’s commitment to helping grow the game of baseball by minimizing barriers to participation and promoting education shines through in his commitment to the next generation. His contributions to the community embody the positive character and level of achievement exemplified throughout the game of baseball.