Ryan Jeffers, proud Raleigh native and alumnus of Sanderson High School, made his debut into the world of Major League Baseball on Thursday night with the Minnesota Twins against the Milwaukee Brewers.
Two years after being drafted 59th overall out of UNCW, Jeffers had a very memorable first game, going 2-3 with an RBI single in his first at-bat of the big leagues.
"You dream about this day as a baseball player forever. You know, to finally get that dream to come true and come out and perform like we did today, it's just a great first day out here," he stated.
His parents back home say it was a moment they've dreamed about for a long time.
Ryan's dad, David, told ABC11, "I had somebody ask me this morning- 'you must have been so nervous?' and there was no nerves, I was just really excited."
"It's a bit crazy! I mean we knew it was gonna happen. He's been so close and he's worked so hard and he's been so dedicated for so long, so hyper-focused that we knew it would come sometime," said his mom Stephanie.
Though they have been able to connect virtually, his family says it is their goal to celebrate with Ryan in person next summer.
Photo Credit: Getty