Dreaming up goals and working toward them are two different things. Even though he's just 16 years old, Drew Reece already grasps the difference.
That's what brought him out to the Texas Rangers MLB Youth Academy at Mercy Street Sports Complex, Presented by Toyota.
"My friend sent me an email saying, 'hey, there's this Academy that they're doing. It's completely free. It's a great opportunity to get better.' And I was like, 'I'll check it out.' I've been coming out ever since. It's a great opportunity," Reece recounted.
A sophomore at Life High School Waxahachie, Reece started coming to the Academy this fall, participating in the fall RBI league and the weeknight programming.
He also attended The Buck O'Neil Scouts Association Clinic at the facility on November 10, where professional scouts were on hand to work with athletes.
"It's not every day a kid like me can come show his skills to Major League (professionals). It gave me more insights on the game, stuff you can improve on. It was a really great experience," Reece said. "It's a great opportunity and a great advantage to kids that have this. And I don't take it for granted."
Ultimately, Reece dreams of playing in the majors himself. But in the short term, he's using the fall and winter spent playing at the Academy to get ready for the spring season of high school baseball.
And he's thinking about college, too, setting his sights on Dallas Baptist University."(Division I) school and they have a great business major. That's what I want to major in," Reece said of his thought process.
In the meantime, he's focused on learning all he can at the Academy.
"It's every day that we get to learn something - whether it's hitting, speed, running, throwing. The coaching is always face-to-face. You always get face-to-face on whatever you're doing wrong, that way you can improve," Reece said.
For Reece, the Academy represents an opportunity to continue honing his game year-round, while also having fun. But he isn't losing sight of his ultimate goal.
"You have to really play to be (in MLB) and you've got to be good. To be good, you've got to practice. I know if I want to be at that level, I have to practice every single day. The Academy, the RBI league, it's a great opportunity to get better," Reece said. "This is where it starts."