Each year there are over 16 million baseball players of all ages in just the United States. Globally the estimate is over 165 million in 140 countries, so their chances of making it to the 'Big League' are very slim. Every so often a player comes along who defies the odds and gets to make a dream come true.

A past Gulf Shores High School baseball player has dreamed for years and worked his way to the ultimate baseball league in the world.

Connor Gehr was selected this week by the Baltimore Orioles in Major League Baseball's 2025 draft. The 6'1" right-handed pitcher has been attending Meridian Community College where he had 83 strikeouts in 62 1/3 innings and had a 2.31 ERA.

Now Connor will get the chance to play in the famous Camden Yards. The Orioles are a team where names like Cal Ripken Jr., Jim Palmer and Frank Robinson once made the highlight reels. Oriole Park is only two blocks from the birthplace of baseball's most legendary hero, Babe Ruth.

We will leave it to the math wizards to figure out Connor's odds of making it from Gulf Shores High School to the BIG League, but the residents in the small beach town are proud and wish him many more strike outs in the future.