Drafted by the New York Yankees in the 2008 draft, Kyle Higashioka (2008) decided to postpone his college education at UC Berkeley to become a major league baseball player. He spent sixteen years in the Yankees organization rising to big leagues in 2017. With the Yankees he was the teams nominee for the Roberto Clemente Award in 2021. Kyle was also the recipient of the Thurman Munson Award in 2023 for his athletic achievements and contributions to the community. Kyle has supported the Compton urban youth academy and the Special Operations Warrior Foundation. He was recently traded to the San Diego Padres and signed a one year contract to catch for them.
