MESA, Ariz. -- In 2017, Hunter Greene was the most highly touted member of the inaugural DREAM Series class. In 2024, Greene again played an integral role, this time as host of this year’s participants to his offseason home Sunday night.

Players were jubilant walking through the front door. Even after three days of nearly non-stop action on and off the field, many of the nearly 80 predominantly Black and Latino players in attendance at this year’s event guffawed upon entrance, putting a memorable capper on their experience at the event.

The proceedings starred a five-man panel of current big leaguers -- Greene, Reds outfielder Will Benson, Angels outfielder Jo Adell and free-agent pitcher Justin Dunn -- and former Major League skipper Jerry Manuel. For nearly an hour, the quintet espoused the intricacies of what it means to be a pro ballplayer. There were three main components of the discussion: how to prepare, avoiding complacency and an understanding of representation beyond oneself.

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“When you leave here, the things you [should take] with you ... [are] discipline, not being complacent and handling your business,” Manuel said. “This starts now.”

A self-described “product” of the DREAM Series, Greene’s involvement over the years has been extensive; he was once a two-way phenom who showcased his skillset at the same fields as this year’s participants just months before he would become the second overall pick in the 2017 Draft. Last year, he began the tradition of inviting the players to his house to actualize for them what can become of their dreams.

“It’s special to me because I see myself in every kid here,” Greene said.

At the conclusion of the group discussion, the elite-level high school players on hand got to be kids.

Grab food from a local taco truck in a big leaguer’s backyard? Done. Take cuts in the virtual batter’s box against Greene in MLB: The Show while playing on his TV in his living room? Can do. Get a cut from Greene’s barber to cap off the weekend in style? That, too.

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“Dreams only work if you do,” Greene said of what he hopes the group can take away. “It's great to dream. We want you to dream. We want you to try and become the best version of yourself. But if you're not willing to put the work in and you're not willing to sacrifice, then those dreams don't go anywhere.

“If you want to take care of yourself or your family, you're gonna have to put the work in -- there are no shortcuts.”

In addition to getting in front of pro and collegiate talent evaluators on a stage like the DREAM Series, the tidbits and nuances gleaned from players eager to give back and a coaching staff chock full of experience at the highest levels can often be the most instrumental aspect. Long heralded for its camaraderie established by the players away from the batting cages and pitching rubbers, the seventh annual event -- which is hosted in collaboration between MLB and USA Baseball and coincides with Martin Luther King Jr. weekend -- brings some of the game’s future standouts together, no matter where in the country they reside.

“It goes beyond the playing field,” Greene said. “It's not just, ‘Hey, I'm gonna be your coach for a day or two and see ya.’ I truly believe that every coach here at the DREAM Series sees their own son in each kid, and if they don't have children, I'm sure that they're like, ‘You know what? lf I were to have a son, this is what I'd want to tell him or the energy that I want to put into him.’

“It's just a good group of people; nobody's fake, there's no ulterior motive. It's all just real genuine interactions and I don't feel like any of the coaches are like, ‘Hey, this is still about me.’ They're very good about knowing that they are no longer playing anymore, but there's still a wealth of knowledge to pass down to the kids.”

As the night wore on, players broke off into clusters to enjoy all there was to offer. Many flocked to Adell, Benson, Dunn and Greene, who held court in either one-on-one or group settings. The opportunity to learn directly from big leaguers had nearly all of this year’s DREAM Series participants rapt as they absorbed knowledge from players currently occupying where they want to reach one day: the Major Leagues.

Before departing, all participants were gifted a pair of cleats from Greene, who autographed them for all players who wanted that. The thanks all around were boisterous on an unforgettable night filled with photos taken and numbers exchanged. In just 24 hours, players would return home equipped not just with accouterments of a weekend spent on the diamond, but with new friendships and lifelong bonds.

Greene described the commonality succinctly in his closing remarks to the group:

“This is a family, this is a fraternity.”