the lineup card: Season 2; vol 5
Baseball fans have long argued about the ‘correct’ way to play the game. While some prefer to stick with the rigid, longstanding unwritten rules designed to prevent ‘showing up’ their opponents, the modern era of stars like to bring a little more flair to the game. Highly-ranked 2026 catching prospect Codey Gauff leans toward the latter, believing that the best style of play is to bring lots of passion and energy.
“At the end of the day, I want to have fun,” Gauff said over the phone. “Being yourself is when you’re at your best and I feel like that’s when I put my best foot forward – being confident in my abilities, knowing that I’ve done this before and I can do it again. But at the same time, being humble and respecting the game.”
Gauff, 16, is a switch-hitting backstop with quick hands in the box and eye-popping athleticism behind the plate. Every time he delivers a clutch hit or throws out a runner attempting to swipe second base, spectators can count on seeing Gauff celebrate with his teammates, embodying what he calls being ‘dawgs.’ He likes to credit his ‘dawg mentality’ to his background playing football, but as he dug deeper, it became clear that the mindset has always been with him.
“It’s in my blood anyways,” Gauff explained. “My grandad’s a dawg. My uncle’s a dawg. My mom’s a dawg. My dad’s a dawg. My sister’s a dawg. My brother’s a dawg. So that’s where I think I get it from.”
Gauff comes from a family full of athletes – his parents, grandfather and uncle all played sports growing up. Millions of fans know about his 19-year-old sister, Coco, who is recognized as one of the best tennis players in the entire world. As of now, she has won six WTA Tour singles titles, including a Major at the 2023 US Open, and eight doubles titles during her professional career.
Living in the spotlight
As the younger brother of a superstar athlete, Gauff is no stranger to the national spotlight. He is used to having the cameras pointed at him during Coco’s matches, being interviewed and having a metaphorical target on his back. The attention has never bothered him. In fact, he said that being exposed to that early on helps him feel prepared and gain an edge at big events such as the WWBA.
Gauff grew up playing three sports in Delray Beach, Florida, but baseball quickly emerged as his number one passion. He is mentored by his grandfather, Eddie “Red” Odom, who played catcher for several winter and minor league baseball teams during the late 1960s. According to an article published by WPTV, Odom created a Little League for Black children in 1970 so they could play organized baseball, an opportunity that was limited because of segregation during his own upbringing. Throughout the years, Odom has helped thousands of kids in Delray Beach, including his grandson, learn America’s pastime regardless of their race or ethnicity.
Gauff said that he sees his grandfather pretty much every other day and often stays with him whenever his parents leave town to cheer on Coco at a big match. Odom helps train his grandson, throws batting practice to him, and even convinced him to become a switch-hitter at an early age. Gauff explained the reasoning was to eliminate the effectiveness of the curveball, forcing the pitch to break towards him instead of away from the plate, no matter which side he is hitting from. Early on, Gauff felt naturally more comfortable from the right side but since he faces right-handed pitchers much more often, he adapted and no longer feels a difference hitting from the left side.
San Diego Padres scout team
Prior to joining the San Diego Padres scout team, coached by retired 15-year MLB outfielder Cameron Maybin, the 5-foot-7 backstop played his travel ball with Wow Factor and USA Prime, developing under two of the top national programs. Gauff first caught the eye of Padres scout team director Brandon Williams during a 13U tournament game between Wow Factor and the Canes baseball team.
At the time, Williams was working with the Canes program when the two teams matched in a quarterfinal game of a tournament. Williams said that he paid especially close attention to Gauff because it was very rare for him to see a Black catcher. He described Gauff as being extremely quiet that day. Knotted in a scoreless game in the fifth inning, two players drew walks before Gauff delivered a loud two-run double to put his team ahead. It was Wow Factor’s only hit that game, but it was enough to send the Canes home with a 2-1 loss.
Williams did not encounter Gauff again until the quarterfinals of the 2022 Fall WWBA. The Padres scout team was in their first tournament as an official MLB affiliate, and Gauff was playing for USA Prime.
Leading 1-0 in the fourth, Gauff stepped into the box with a runner on third and one out. Faced with a 1-2 count, the switch-hitting catcher noticed that the third baseman was playing back in the infield dirt. He laid down a perfect bunt along the third base line, collecting an RBI as he legged out an infield single. Once again, Gauff delivered the game-deciding hit in front of Williams while remaining quiet and reserved the entire time. It became clear to the Padres’ staff that the young catcher was wise beyond his years, as no coach would typically give the bunt sign with two strikes. He confidently made that read on his own.
“Cameron Maybin and I fell in love with Codey and his IQ for the game. I just wondered why he never really showed emotion,” Williams said. After the tournament was over, the Padres’ staff reached out to his family and made their pitch for him to join their program.
Gauff was instantly drawn to their diverse roster, which featured both international kids and players of different races – a roster unlike any he had the chance to play with before. He admired how they ran their program like a big league organization, and the opportunity to learn from a highly-respected former pro like Coach Maybin proved too good to pass up. Williams’ only question was if Gauff, whom he assumed to be a ‘silent killer’ at first, would fit in with their boisterous group.
“We play with the energy of those teams in the World Baseball Classic representing their country,” Williams described. At first, Gauff remained quiet as he adjusted to his surroundings and figured out where he stood on the team, but that quickly changed. “It only took three or four games with us and I witnessed a pitbull unlocked from his leash. The culture of our team allowed him to not only play at a high level but play with the passion he has for the game of baseball that he truly loves.”
Ever since then, Gauff has taken off and established himself as a leader on a team loaded with Division I prospects and potential future draft picks. Right before every first pitch, he helps set the tone with a mound visit, reminding the starting pitcher that he is a dawg and encouraging him to attack the zone. Everyone in the dugout follows suit by getting on the fence to make as much noise as they can until the game ends.
“One thing about us, you’re gonna come out of your shell because we bring a lot of energy to the team,” Gauff said. “After a strikeout, we’ll get hyped. Sometimes, kids will be quiet at first but then they tend to see the kind of environment we’re in, how we are a high-energy team and we like bringing the energy. That gets them out of their shell, so that’s what we preach.”
Keeping the noise and energy up is crucial to eliminate tension as a team. Even when a teammate makes an error, they know that everyone else in that dugout has their back, giving them confidence that they can play freely and have fun. Despite the amount of commotion they create, Gauff claimed that the Padres scout team will only trash-talk opposing teams if they feel disrespected by them since they would rather bring ‘good’ energy. More often than not, the other dugout is the one that ends up being silenced by the end of the game.
Preparing for the future
Aside from his growth as a leader, the biggest difference in Gauff’s game since joining the Padres scout team has been on the preparation side. Coach Maybin taught the importance of being prepared during his own experience in the big leagues – locking in while on deck instead of chatting with friends. Knowing his background, there was no way that Gauff would ignore his advice.
“Nothing he is going to tell you is wrong,” Gauff said, taking advantage of every opportunity to pick the brain of the former Padres outfielder and 2017 World Series champion. “He’s definitely a player’s coach and friendly to be around. He preaches being a great teammate and not being selfish. These are definitely the best three coaches I’ve had.”
Taking Maybin’s advice, Gauff’s eyes become like skilled detectives, scanning the opposing pitcher’s every move, deciphering the subtle cues in the wind-up and pitch delivery. He picks up on any patterns he can find, such as which counts they like to turn to their breaking ball or if they are tipping their pitches. This matured approach brought a sizable leap in offensive production for Gauff, setting himself up for the big summer he expects to have in 2024.
Before the enforcement of the NCAA’s new rule that prohibits college coaches from initiating contact with high school players before Aug. 1 of their junior year, Gauff was being recruited by some of the top college baseball programs in the country as a freshman. He never thought it made sense for him to rush to a commitment then, aiming to wait until his junior or senior season to choose the best fit for his development. Now, the process has slowed down for everyone.
Gauff recently transferred to Elite Squad Academy, which allows him to take online classes on his own schedule, creating more time throughout the day for individual training than a regular high school can provide. The program has produced over 600 college commits, 100 MLB draft picks and 30 All-Americans since being established in 2018, according to their website. Their teams compete against local college programs as well as other baseball academies in the state of Florida. This gives players like Gauff an early taste of the college experience.
Everything Gauff does now is geared toward accomplishing his dream of becoming a Division I and professional baseball player one day. He believes in keeping a small circle, staying closest with his family and supporting each other through their journeys. Due to his travel schedule and his sister’s professional schedule, there are times when their family is split up for lengthy periods of time. However, it does not impact their bond one bit.
“When she’s gone for three months or when I’m gone for two weeks, and then we finally see each other, we don’t miss a heartbeat. We’re just close,” Gauff said. They do not communicate during tournaments for the sake of staying focused, but that does not stop them from keeping an eye on one another. “Obviously, I’m checking my phone to see how she’s doing in the match. She does the same for me. That’s what any sibling would do.”
Codey and his two siblings are each other’s biggest fans. He takes after his sister’s desire to get 1% better every day, bringing the same dedication to baseball that she brings to tennis. In addition to being one of the top catchers in the country, Gauff has the flexibility to help his team at third base or in the outfield. As he moves forward with his baseball career, he knows that he is currently considered undersized and expects to encounter doubters as he climbs up the ranks. But he is prepared for everything in front of him.
Gauff is surrounded by a strong support system with his family, teammates, coaches and the staff at Elite Squad Academy to help him navigate the recruitment process and any other big moment he may encounter. His dawg mentality, shared by his family and teammates, will ultimately shine above any negativity.
“If you doubt me, you haven’t seen me play baseball,” Gauff said, adding that he has nothing to say to the skeptics. “I know what I can do, so that doesn’t really define me whether they say I’m too small or whatever that is. I know my abilities and that’s all I gotta say.”