A softball catcher who wants to be an ambassador for the United States Department of State, a young man who tragically lost his father and now wants to be an advocate for mental health, and a baseball-playing twin of Puerto Rican heritage who dreams of being a neurosurgeon are among the impressive new cohort of the Seattle Mariners Hometown Nine.

Hometown Nine is a five-year fellowship program that helps student-athletes from Black, Indigenous, People of Color (BIPOC) Communities follow their dreams and achieve athletic and academic success. This year, the Mariners accepted nine incoming eighth graders to the program. The new cohort will be introduced during a ceremony prior to the Mariners game against the Oakland Athletics on Sunday, October 2.  

Hometown Nine members remain in the program through high school, and each year, the Mariners add nine more in-coming eighth graders to the cohort until a full cohort of 45 Fellows from 8th grade – 12th grade are in the program. A new class of rising 8th graders will then be added each year as another class of Fellows graduates. As the students progress in their academic and sports careers, events and training provided by the Mariners will be tailored to their academic development, including college prep assistance. This year, Hometown Nine Fellows have already begun giving back to the game through volunteer roles at Mariners camps and clinics in the community.

Hometown Nine Class of 2027:

• Hannah Arimura, 13, Seattle, Washington Acers
• Hi’ilei Gomes, 13, Auburn, Washington Acers
• Izmael Hernandez, 13, Bothell, Alderwood Little League
• Bryan L. Hurd, 14, Seattle, Baseball Beyond Borders
• Denzel Johnson, 13, Seattle, Baseball Beyond Borders
• Leon Santiago Cruz, 14, Tacoma, Federal Way Nationals/Astros
• Kiley Sledge 13, Tacoma, Washington Acers
• James Taylor IV, 13, Auburn, Baseball Beyond Borders and CVAC
• Kaitlyn Washington, 13, Seattle, Seattle Fastpitch

Hannah Arimura goes to Washington Middle School where she has been recognized for her strong voice and advocacy in organizing a petition addressing student concerns. Hannah is a pitcher for Washington Acers and was the MVP of her Little League in 2022. “I have always been the underdog, so fighting for play in a game has always been one of my greatest challenges. I’m sure there are a lot of kids that get told they don’t fit the mold of an athlete, but I want to change that perspective.”

Hi’ilei Gomes is an Academic Honor Roll Student and carries a 3.8 GPA. She currently plays for the AI Bandits. Her family moved to Washington from Hawai’i when she was three. “I am a proud Hapa Haole meaning I am half white and half kanaka Maoli (Native Hawaiian). I have been heavily inspired by the long line of strong women that came before me. These women have taught me how to work with my hands and how to stay determined even if I face difficult challenges along the way. They have shaped the way I play the game of softball.” Hi’ilei plans to go to college and play softball, and someday, would like to experience playing in Japan.

Izmael Hernandez attends Alderwood Middle School and plays for Alderwood Little League. In 2019, Izmael lost his father in a tragic motorcycle accident, and his mother shares that “baseball has been his therapy.” Izmael hopes to help destigmatize mental illness by “spreading awareness about mental health, what it is, and how it can affect you, especially within communities of color.” He continues, “These past three years have been challenging to deal with, and I continue to try my best to move forward every day. Through difficult times, I’ve leaned on my love for sports and music as my outlet.”

Bryan L. Hurd plays for the Baseball Beyond Borders Kings and plans to go to college and pursue a career in engineering, while keeping his eye on the opportunity to play baseball as far into the future as he can take it. “I would be honored to be a professional baseball player. I had a lot of positive influences in my life that made huge impacts and I want to be able to do the same.” Bryan has earned several merit badges through his participation in Boy Scouts, and he has been involved in numerous community service activities including volunteering at a food bank and neighborhood cleanups.

Denzel Johnson goes to Aki Kurose and is a player for the Baseball Beyond Borders Kings. He is passionate about his multi-racial heritage. “I want to show the world that Native Americans can play baseball and be good at it. I also want to show that African Americans have entered baseball and have really helped the sport become greater.” Denzel has recently been reunited with his mother after spending several years in foster care as a child. “Throughout that time, I was able to have some visits with her. We would play catch and I would practice my curve, slider, knuckle and fork ball. So pitching is special to me because my mom and I formed a bond around baseball. That’s why I like pitching so much…and we still play catch every night.”

Leon Santiago Cruz is a bilingual student from Tacoma who is proud of his Puerto Rican heritage and being a twin. He currently plays for Baseball Beyond Borders. Leon is passionate about baseball and wants to be a Major League Baseball player one day. Off the field, he has his sights set on being a neurosurgeon. His father Dennis shared, “Leon has a love for the game of baseball and this opportunity would help him demonstrate to other children that if you give it your best and have fun in the process, great things can be achieved regardless of your financial and ethnic background.”

Kiley Sledge is a student at Ford Middle School in Tacoma, where she has received multiple President’s Awards for academic excellence. She is interested in fields such as medicine, space and environmental sciences. “Since I was a little kid, I always knew I wanted to take my education and sports past the high school level. Hometown Nine is a great opportunity to be coached about not only how I play the game but also about life. …learning how to handle different mental parts of the game and to have a better mindset towards it.”

James Taylor IV attends McKnight Middle School and plays for the Baseball Beyond Borders Kings. A trumpet player and student of Taekwondo, he is also a member of the Knights of Pythagoras Youth Organization. “When I’m older, I know that I could help make a better future for those in need. For example, I could host a baseball camp for kids to learn the game and just have fun.”

Kaitlyn Washington is a 4.0 student who plays for Seattle Fastpitch and attends Washington Middle School. Kaitlyn plans to go to Georgetown to play D1 softball and study political science to support her dreams of being an ambassador to the UN or Chief of Protocol. “One of the things that is exciting about joining the Hometown Nine is the opportunity to learn from people who aren’t necessarily on the field but are still making a big impact on the game. I imagine that there are a thousand things required to run an MLB team. I imagine that this would be my chance to see how MLB magic happens.”

Images and b-roll of the new class can be found here.

For more information about the Mariners Care Foundation, Hometown Nine and other Mariners community programs, visit Mariners.com/Community.