MARIETTA,
Ga. – Most kids only have one dream, and will spend their lives
chasing after it. When it comes to Matthew Railey, he’s not afraid
to chase more than one.
There’s
no question Railey loves baseball. He’s been competing in Perfect
Game events for three years now, and has already made a commitment to
play at the next level.
Railey
loves Tallahassee, Fla. so much that he doesn’t want to leave. Last
fall, he committed to play baseball at Florida State.
“I’ve
grown up there, and (my dad) actually went to college and taught
there,” said Railey about his commitment. “It’s just kind of a
home town thing.”
Railey
is going into his senior year at North Florida Christian High School,
and plays for their baseball team. He had to miss his sophomore
season due to a shoulder injury, but was able to play again this past
season.
“We
were going into the season thinking we will do pretty good, but we
got knocked out the first round of regionals so that was a bummer,”
said Railey about his high school season. “We were projected to go
all the way to state again, (since) we had done it two years before
that. It was fun, so we were looking forward to doing that again, but
it happens.”
The
5-foot-10, 190-pound left-handed hitting and throwing outfielder is
playing for Next Level Baseball 17u this summer.
“This
is my second year, and I’m loving it. (They’re) a good group of
guys,” said Railey about his team. “(We’ve played in) one other
(PG tournament) in the fall, but (usually) I jump around from team to
team because of the schedule.”
“I’ve
been coaching him since he was about 14,” said Next Level
Baseball’s Head Coach Mike Harrison. “He plays the game hard,
he’s fun to be around.”
Railey
is known for what he does on the field by outsiders, but is admired
in a different way by his coaches and teammates.
“He’s
a quiet young man, very polite. He laughs, he jokes and has a good
time, but he knows it’s time to play baseball when we get here on
the diamond. (His) teammates love him and we’re very happy to have
him,” added Harrison.
Next
Level is competing in the 2013 WWBA 17u National Championship. They
won their first game on Friday against the Minnesota Blizzard Blue
squad.
This
is Railey’s fourth Perfect Game Event this summer. He participated
in the WWBA 18u National Championship, the 18u PG BCS Finals, and the
2013 National Showcase in Minneapolis, Minn.
“It
was a blast,” said Railey about the National Showcase, “It was
fun and I got a lot of good cuts in, (even though) it was kind of a
slow start.”
Railey
is recognized as a 2013 Perfect Game Underclass Third-Team
All-American. He is ranked 124th nationally in the class of 2014, and
No. 22 in Florida.
“I’d
like to go to the big leagues, (or at least) take it as far as I can
until I get hurt,” explained Railey.
Not
only does Railey have hopes and dreams dealing with baseball, but he
has goals off the field as well.
“I
want to major in the music department. I’m not sure exactly but
something with music,” said Railey. “I like to make music,
producing hip hop and r&b, I do stuff for local rappers and
singers.”
At
some point, Railey may have to put one dream ahead of the other, but
for now, he says, “It just depends on where God takes me.”