Local high school baseball players step up to bat for Make-A-Wish
The Make-A-Wish mission is personal for Edison High incoming senior baseball player Brandon Winokur.
Winokur had a personal connection with family friend Brooke Powers. He was best friends with her older brother, Gavin, and spent a lot of time at their family’s home.
Brooke had cancer, and had a Make-A-Wish unicorn party several years ago on the waterfront in Newport Beach.
“That was really special for her,” Winokur said. “She had a really neat personality and invited a lot of people. I got to give her a hug at the party, and I got to have face-painting unicorns painted on me. It was a really, really special moment for me, so it’s a big deal for me to be a part of this.”
Brooke passed away, but her memory and the cause have stayed close to Winokur’s heart.
On Friday morning, Winokur and Huntington Beach High incoming senior Ralphy Velazquez were two of five baseball players invited to tour the Make-A-Wish Orange County & the Inland Empire headquarters in Irvine.
Make-A-Wish executives gave Winokur, Velazquez, Eric Bitonti of Aquinas High, Trent Caraway of JSerra and Gavin Grahovac of Villa Park a tour around the facility. The quintet are among 60 of the top high school baseball players in the country selected to play in the 2022 All-American Baseball Classic game, to be held Aug. 28 at Chase Field in Phoenix.
The game will air live on ESPNU at 5 p.m. Pacific time. Proceeds from the game and related events will benefit Make-A-Wish and PG Cares Grow the Game Fund.
Additionally, the high school players have been encouraged to start their own peer-to-peer fundraising pages to help grant even more wishes for children in Orange, Riverside and San Bernardino counties.
Make-A-Wish Orange County & the Inland Empire president and chief executive Gloria Crockett said the organization is expected to close its fiscal year on Aug. 31 with 249 wishes granted.
“It’s amazing to have this opportunity to have youth give back to youth,” Crockett said. “Having them here for the tour also provides us as a staff team the energy of seeing different ways that people can engage with Make-A-Wish. To help increase awareness, I think it’s huge. These young men have learned a lot more about us, and we get to learn about what they’re doing and follow their journey to a certain degree.”
Velazquez has raised more than $4,000 already, which ranks him near the top of the leaderboard.
“It’s great to raise money for kids in need and kids that want to have a wish,” he said. “It makes your day a lot better when you know you’re helping out someone.
“I’m not like Gavin [Grahovac, who has raised nearly $7,000], but I’m at $4,000,” he added with a smile. “Grandparents help you out.”
Velazquez, who hit the eventual game-winning home run that launched Huntington Beach to a 2-0 CIF SoCal Regional Division I title game victory over JSerra last spring, said he will be playing catcher, first base and third base for the Oilers this season.
Winokur plays shortstop in high school, and center field in travel ball.
The opportunity to play at a Major League ballpark is not lost on them, but raising money for children with critical wishes makes it even better.
“I’m glad I have a chance to be a part of Perfect Game,” Winokur said. “It’s something, moving forward, that I want to be a part of for the rest of my life.”
As for the game itself?
“It’s going to be the biggest event of the year, on TV with all of the best players in the country,” Velazquez said. “It will be sweet. Hopefully I get a knock or two in there.”
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