There’s something special about a great minor league baseball town. It’s not just the baseball. It’s the atmosphere. The community....
EARNED Ballplayers: AJ Gracia & Cody Boshell Hear Their Names Called
Draft day is one of those moments every young ballplayer dreams about.
Hearing your name called.
Seeing the team beside it.
Realizing that all those practices, tournaments, workouts, batting cages and long drives have led to an opportunity to play professional baseball.
In the 2026 MLB Draft, two members of the EARNED family experienced that moment.
AJ Gracia and Cody Boshell were drafted.
Two players. Two different journeys. One shared mentality.
AJ Gracia: First Round
After three standout college seasons at Duke and Virginia, AJ Gracia entered the Draft as one of the country's top college hitters.
The Atlanta Braves selected Gracia with the No. 9 overall pick in the first round.
It was the culmination of a baseball journey that included high school baseball in New Jersey, Duke, Virginia, Team USA experiences and summers in the Cape Cod Baseball League. Along the way, Gracia developed a reputation for consistency, plate discipline and power.
EARNED partnered with AJ before his name was called on Draft Day.
Why?
Because the rankings weren't what made him an EARNED ballplayer.
The work did.
Cody Boshell: Bet on Yourself
Cody Boshell's path was different.
A highly regarded high school first baseman and left-handed pitcher from Florida, Boshell had committed to the University of Tennessee and entered the summer as a Draft prospect.
Then the Arizona Diamondbacks selected him in the 11th round, No. 326 overall.
EARNED partnered with Cody before the Draft, too, because his story represented the same things our brand was built around: discipline, preparation and earning every opportunity.
Different round.
Different path.
Same game. Same grind.
This Is Baseball Culture
That's what makes Draft Day bigger than a transaction.
It's Baseball Culture.
It's parents sitting behind backstops for years.
It's travel tournaments, showcases and radar guns.
It's dirty uniforms piled in the laundry room.
It's hitting off a tee when nobody is watching.
It's teammates, coaches, bus rides and thousands of innings.
And eventually, for a tiny percentage of players, it's a phone call that changes everything.
AJ Gracia and Cody Boshell didn't become EARNED ballplayers when professional teams drafted them.
They were EARNED ballplayers because of everything they did before their names were called.
Now another journey begins.
Rookie ball. Minor League buses. Empty cages. Promotions. Slumps. Adjustments.
And hopefully, someday, The Show.
That's baseball.
That's Baseball Culture.
And that's EARNED.
Nothing is given.
The Uniform of Hustle.
