Editor’s note: Every other week, Nevada Sports Net will spotlight a local athlete as part of our “Legendary Athletes” series, which is presented in partnership with Legends Bay Casino. Today’s featured athlete is Spanish Springs High alum Jace Avina, who enters his fifth season in minor-league baseball.

A week before Thanksgiving Day in 2023, the New York Yankees and Milwaukee Brewers made a seemingly innocuous trade.

The Yankees dealt big-leaguer Jake Bauers to the Brewers for a pair of prospects. One of those minor-league farmhands was Spanish Springs High alum Jace Avina, who played that season in Low-A.

“I didn’t know how to take it at first because I felt like the Brewers didn’t want me,” Avina said. “But when I talked with their minor-league director, he was saying, ‘The Yankees wanted you back in the trade, and it’s just part of the business.’ The first people I called were my parents, and I told them that. They were, like, ‘That’s exciting news. You just got traded for a big-leaguer. Be excited!'”

Avina admitted there were still mixed feeling about being traded, but the move ended up a blessing. In 2024, Avina was assigned to High-A Hudson Valley where he quickly became a fan favorite for his powerful moonshots on offense, highlight-reel plays on defense and gregarious nature off the field. Last May, Avina earned the honor of getting a bobblehead giveaway during a Renegades game.

“It was an amazing feeling,” Avina said. “I got surprised with it after spring training. It was our second day there. We were training and stuff. They pulled me aside and showed me the bobblehead. And I was, like, ‘Oh, my, gosh. This is so cool.’ Being able able to interact with the fans — because they’re there to watch you — and having the connection with the fans, signing autographs, talking to them after games, it’s just an amazing process.”

Avina got more good news after his bobblehead giveaway last spring when he was called up to Double-A Somerset in July. Overall, Avina hit .260/.366/.425 in 98 games in 2025 between High-A and Double-A. He bopped 11 homers with 24 doubles and this offseason was ranked the 21st-best prospect in the Yankees’ minor-league system by MLB Pipeline, which raved about his power potential.

“Avina’s most attractive attribute is his plus raw power from the right side of the plate,” MLB Pipeline wrote. “He looks to do damage, patiently waiting for pitches he can drive in the air to his pull side. He has been more selective this season, though he still has issues making consistent contact, even against pitches in the zone. Avina has slowed a bit as he has filled out and is now an average runner. He can steal an occasional base and play all three outfield spots, though he’s better suited for right field than center. He has solid arm strength and consistently has thrown out baserunners throughout his pro career.”

Avina’s callup to Double-A was proof he’s a legitimate prospect as the 5-foot-11, 180-pound outfielder enters his age 23 season (he’s turns 23 in June). Entering his senior year at Spanish Springs in 2021, Avina was slotted to walk on at Nevada before a breakout final year of high school made him a 14th-round draft pick. Avina opted to turn pro out of high school, accepting an over-slot $255,900 signing bonus, and now enters his fifth season in the minors just two steps below the big leagues.

“It’s been a grind,” Avina said. “Minor leagues is a hard process. Just being able to deal with the schedule, playing six games a week and trying to perform at your best and keeping your mentality right and keeping you body right, it’s a grind. But it’s definitely worth it.”

At Somerset last season, Avina played with top Yankees prospects shortstop George Lombard Jr. and pitcher Carlos Lagrange. Also on the roster was another former Spanish Springs alum, lefty pitcher Ryan Anderson, a 12th-round pick by the Yankees in 2019.

“Ryan’s a great guy,” Avina said. “He was always a good clubhouse guy for me. He showed me things around Double-A. I’m a hitter and he’s a pitcher, so we’re not around each other all the time. But we always made time for each other to talk, and it was really cool to have him as a teammate.”

Avina spent this offseason training in Reno with Northern Nevada Baseball Club, which is led by McQueen High graduate and former MLB player Chris Aguila, who was worked with Avina since he was a middle-schooler. Among Avina’s training partners this winter was Carson McCusker, who became the first Spanish Springs High graduate to reach the majors, doing so last season for the Minnesota Twins.

It was Avina’s goal to be the first Cougar to become a big-leaguer, but he’ll settle for the second if that’s in his future. While there’s significant pressure as a professional baseball player, Avina said he keeps it front of mind to focus on enjoying the process.

“Being able to have the feeling of when you’re a kid and you step on that field,” Avina said. “When I was playing travel ball, I loved stepping on that field and it was a lot of fun, and that’s when I performed and succeeded. So being able to treat every day like you’re a little kid, playing the game you love, this is what you dreamed of, this is what you worked hard for. Being able to just think that and have fun with it is awesome.”

You can watch the full interview with Jace Avina at the top of this page.