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Top baseball prospect at Pace also gives back
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Pace Academy’s R.J. Austin holds youth camps at Lithia Springs High School. (Photos by Makenzy Sloan)
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BY ALEX EWALT Pace Academy baseball hasn’t won a state title since 1995, when the program earned its third-straight trophy. But according to head coach Nelson Pedraza, the Knights may have the firepower to end the drought this spring. “This is a very special team from top to bottom,” said Pedraza, who is in his first season at Pace Academy after leaving the Cobb County-based 6-4-3 DP Athletics, a top developmental organization. “A lot of speed, a lot of power, a lot of good base running.” Pace, which after its April 20 win over rival Lovett was 22-4 and 10-1 in region play, is No. 1 in the AJC’s Class AA rankings. The Knights have a senior-laden lineup, a strong core of younger players and one of the top prep prospects in the nation in R.J. Austin. Austin, a senior shortstop, has starred for Pace Academy since joining the Knights as a sophomore in a Covid-shortened season. The athletic, powerfully built infielder is committed to the powerhouse baseball program at Vanderbilt but is also projected to be selected in the first several rounds of the Major League Baseball draft in July. He has featured with USA Baseball and has a coveted mix of elite range at shortstop, power to all fields at the plate and a work ethic that doesn’t take a day off. “R.J. calls me every day of the week and says, ‘Can we go to the field?’” Pedraza said. “He’s a workaholic. He’s got a bright future.” Youth camps Austin is as devoted to improving his game as he is to giving back to his community. Austin is making his mark with outreach to Black and other minority youths, holding camps at Lithia Springs High School in Douglas County, which is closer
to his home, for players under 14. Last November, Austin, along with close friend and middle-infield prospect Termarr Johnson of Mays High School, held his second-annual clinic for 40-plus aspiring young baseball stars. They partnered with The Players’ Alliance, an organization affiliated with MLB that is committed to growing the game with Black youth. One of the Alliance’s directors, retired star pitcher C.C. Sabathia, learned of Austin’s efforts and offered support (Sabathia’s son Carsten has played with Austin with USA Baseball). The Players’ Alliance provided free gear for the attendees, and Austin received invaluable public support from Sabathia, the Alliance and its president, former star outfielder Curtis Granderson. “When I was younger, I wanted stuff like that, camps like that, with teenagers that I looked up to from a young age,” Austin said. “So I wanted to provide that for kids and to show the things I’ve learned. Just to show young people how to play the game and to have fun playing the game, just the basics of it.” Athletic family Austin’s athletics career started at Sandtown Park in South Fulton, where his close friend Johnson also got his start. There he played football, basketball and baseball, starting in T-ball at the age of 4. He comes from an athletic family – his father, Reggie Sr., played football at Wake Forest and played three seasons as a cornerback with the Chicago Bears. But his uncle, Joe Austin, and his cousin, Jay, helped instill a love of baseball. Joe played baseball collegiately at Alabama State and served as R.J.’s hitting and fielding coach in his early playing days. Jay was selected in the second round of the 2008 draft by the Houston Astros after being a star player at North Atlanta High School. Austin is also inspired to give back due to the influence of his time with reporternewspapers.com
