CINCINNATI — It's not too often high school baseball players get recognized by a Major League team. But that’s the case for some Southwest Ohio athletes who are under the spotlight thanks to the Cincinnati Reds.

What You Need To Know

  • P&G MLB Cincinnati Reds Youth Academy hosted its Signing Day on Monday

  • Five graduates from Cincinnati-area high schools were recognized

  • All five students signed letters of intent for the colleges they'll be playing at

  • Joe Mendy will attend Wilberforce University to be on its inaugural team

Joe Mendy signed a letter of intent at the P&G MLB Cincinnati Reds Youth Academy Signing Day-officially making him a Wilberforce University bulldogs baseball player.

“It feels good to know that I put in all this work and it’s showing off, so it feels good,” said Mendy.

Mendy was one of five graduating seniors from the program to be recognized during the June 6 event. The youth academy’s Reviving Baseball in the Inner Cities, better known as RBI, is a program focusing on getting students excited about baseball and helping build them into collegiate and professional athletes.

“The coaches are really tight,” he said. “They’re always there for you, whether it’s baseball or not or anything outside of baseball. They also talk to you and are there for you. And just the teammates and the environment. It’s one of the best to be around.”

Playing baseball on a college level is a monumental accomplishment for Mendy, who has been playing baseball since he was five. Since then, he has been dedicated to honing his skills and becoming the best player he can be.

“Just being a leader on every team I played for and being the key player,” he said. “Then when I came to Butler making varsity my first year because we had the COVID year after that.”

In the fall, Mendy will be one of the newest members of Wilberforce’s Inaugural baseball team. It’s made a comeback after 80 years, and he said he’s excited to help bring it back to life. 

“It’s somewhere I would like to start and just help and do what I can to bring it back to where it’s been,” said Mendy. 

The players recognized were:

Alena Campbell - Mt. Notre Dame High School - Geneva College (softball)

Andralyn Brown - Princeton High School - Kentucky State University (softball) 

Joe Mendy - Vandalia Butler High School - Wilberforce University

Cason Bennett - Vandalia Butler High School - Earlham College

Dallas Arthur - Lakota West High School - Earlham College