Dylan White dreamed of this opportunity to play baseball with some of the best high school players in the Pacific Northwest.
The 17-year-old from Camas will be competing in the New Balance Area Code Games today through Saturday, at Blair Field in Long Beach, Calif. He is playing for the Kansas City Royals scout team.
“I want to go down there and have a fun experience. It’s a beautiful area to play baseball,” White said. “I know there are going to be a lot of scouts there so I don’t want to put too much pressure on myself. Just play for the love of the game.”
Gaining an invitation to this event has been a goal for White for the past two years. He thanked his father Lanny for grabbing a glove every time he felt like throwing the ball around.
“It feels great to be able to check this off the list. Now a new goal replaces it,” White said. “Maybe the next goal for me is to try and get drafted after high school. You never stop working. You never want to be satisfied.”
After graduating from Camas High School next summer, White plans to play baseball for the University of Portland. With one more year to be a Papermaker, White plans on making an impact on the field and in the classroom every day.
“Even in little towns, we work hard,” White said. “I love playing baseball and football for Camas. This has become more than just about my high school for me. It’s my heritage. I stick my chest out when I say I’m from Camas. This is my home.”
Senior year starts for White in about a month. He hopes to be a good role model for the underclassmen stepping up to the varsity level for the first time.
White has been playing baseball for about 13 years. He said the game is a lot like Chess. You can never be complacent. You have to be thinking two or three moves ahead.
“I still have a lot of passion for football and I want to see where it takes me,” White said. “Baseball is where my heart is. Summertime here is beautiful. When the weather is like 75 to 80 degrees, there’s nothing better than being on the diamond enjoying baseball.”
While playing football and baseball, White knows his senior year is going to fly by. There is so much he wants to accomplish in the next nine months. He is determined to make every single day count.
“I want to live each day as each day and not look too far ahead,” White said. “Just put everything I have into each and every day because I know it goes by fast.”
