His story began in a backyard, where his grandfather flipped him balls that too often landed on the neighbor’s roof.
“Honestly, the love for baseball just kind of started then. He would kind of flip me balls in the backyard, and I just hit him onto our neighbor’s roof, and obviously it upset them every day,” recalled Youngerman with a smile. ”We ended up becoming really good friends with them because we were always going over there to get balls, but that was honestly the earliest start.”
Those backyard sessions planted the seed. Baseball wasn’t just a game; it was a connection of family, fun, and the first steps toward a dream.
Like most kids, Youngerman played with any and everything. But the choice was clear. Baseball was where he felt most alive, where he built friendships, and where he believed he had the best chance to excel.
Still, natural talent can only take you so far.
Heading into high school, Youngerman was ahead of his peers, coasting on ability. Then came the pandemic.