Gunnar Henderson

A diamond in the rough, shaped by Selma

As a young boy, Gunnar Henderson hopped out of bed every morning, dragged a chair into his home’s high-ceiling foyer and begged his dad to throw him pop-ups, a glove and a ball already in hand. As he grew older, they took the ritual outside to the driveway and played long toss as the sun rose over their hometown of Selma. These early mornings gradually stoked the embers of Gunnar’s lifelong passion for baseball. Looking back on playing catch with his dad, Gunnar feels grateful. “I can’t thank him enough for doing that,” he says.

Chasing a childhood dream

Now a shortstop and third baseman for the Baltimore Orioles, Gunnar’s journey from small-town boy to professional baseball player is steeped in determination, family support and a lifelong love of the game. Growing up in a tight-knit community, his homegrown affection for baseball was ignited at an early age.

“I loved it from day one,” Gunnar says. Watching his older brother, Jackson, first playing the sport sparked his ambition.

“I remember one time when my older brother was playing, somebody came up and asked me what I wanted to be when I grew up,” Gunnar says. “I told them I want to be a baseball player and they gave a response that it is very rare to be able to do that. I’ve always remembered that.”

Ballfield in the backyard

Gunnar took that comment as a challenge rather than a deterrent. By the age of 4, he was already playing T-ball. His father, who coached him in Little League, turned a horse pasture behind their house into a baseball field, a much-needed space for training due to the shortage of practice fields around town. That baseball field, an accessible venue to perfect his skills, was a big part of Gunnar’s childhood.

Gunnar credits much of his development as a ballplayer to playing on that field with Jackson and his cousin, Brayton Brown, his constant companions and competitors. This friendly rivalry further stoked their shared aspirations.

“We played baseball growing up all the way through high school,” he recalls, noting the positive influence they had on each other.

Their competitive spirit didn’t end on the diamond. Whether it was whiffle ball, football or basketball, their after-school hours were filled with spirited contests.

The major league beckons

With time, his dream of making it to the major league only solidified. “Gunnar was always willing to work at it,” his mom, Kerry Henderson, says. He prioritized baseball over social events, never seeing it as a sacrifice but, rather, a choice driven by his dedication to his goals.

His competitive edge, self-motivation and raw talent earned Gunnar several college offers while he was still a sophomore in high school. Although a fan of Auburn University, where his older brother played baseball, he decided to forego college when he was drafted by the Orioles when he was just 17.

Making the decision to leap into professional baseball wasn’t easy. But the lure of the major league, the dream he’d nurtured since he first held a baseball bat, proved irresistible. His decision was made, fueled by his childhood ambition and a signing bonus.

True to his character, Gunnar didn’t splurge his bonus on luxuries. Instead, he used a part of it to build a batting cage in the backyard of his childhood home, where he hones his skills in the offseason.

“It’s incredibly hard. You’re considered one of the best for succeeding three out of 10 times, and you train your whole life to hopefully get to that point,” Gunnar says. “It takes a lot of practice, and a lot of effort. I’ve just stuck with it my whole life.”

When asked about how long he plans to play, he responds without missing a beat, “Well, I’m hoping to play for the next 15 to 20 years, the Lord willing, so that would be my goal.”

Running to home base

Gunnar credits his supportive parents for his focus. They instilled in him a mantra he carries to this day — if you’re going to do something, do it to your full ability.

Despite the bustling life of a professional athlete, Gunnar, now 21, remains tethered to his roots. He returns home between seasons, his heartstrings pulled by his younger brother Cade, also a baseball player, and his dog and hunting companion, Chief. His love for his family and friends and his small-town upbringing are a grounding force amidst the whirlwind of his career.

His dedication to the game has brought him acclaim as a major league baseball player, but Gunnar never forgets where he came from.

“Being part of a small town, we’ve always had a bunch of family and friends around and being able to spend time with them, especially going through my baseball career is really cool and special,” Gunnar says.

His family has deep ties to the community. His greatgrandfathers, James Free, better known as J.T., and Carl Henderson, were important figures in the Selma-Orrville area with their connections to Pioneer Electric. J.T. started as a lineworker and retired as the manager of the Selma office, while

Gunnar’s extended family, including his great-grandfather Carl Henderson, was a major part of his life growing up.