Kyle Hess has lived and breathed baseball since he was a young boy. Now the former Mount Joy resident is pursuing the sport professionally. After a brief stint playing with the Stormers, Hess has signed with a team affiliated with the Minnesota Twins.

Kyle's first taste of the sport came through T-ball. "My dad asked me when I was real young if I wanted to play T-ball," said the son of Jeff and Stacey Hess of Mount Joy. "I've been playing ever since."

A 2018 graduate of Donegal High School, Kyle was a standout baseball player. In 2015, his team won the district title. After high school, he played for five years at the University of Pittsburgh before joining the Stormers in Lancaster as an outfielder this past spring.

With the Lancaster team, he led the Atlantic League through the season's first 12 games with a batting average of .433. He also had hits - including three home runs - in all seven games he started, as well as 10 RBIs and two stolen bases. Despite only playing with the Stormers for a few weeks, he quickly grabbed the attention of Major League Baseball. The Twins purchased his contract from the Stormers in May.

"I started out at the Twins' Low-A team when I signed, in Fort Myers," Kyle explained. "I got called up to the High-A team about two weeks later, to Cedar Rapids, Iowa." Kyle currently plays with the Cedar Rapids Kernels. There are two more levels for Kyle to progress through to reach the majors, but he's set his sights on that goal.

Baseball has provided Kyle with the opportunity to showcase his athletic prowess, but he said he loves the sport for another reason.

"I love the relationships the game brings," he shared. "Being able to meet people from all over the country and build friendships is pretty cool."

When he's not on the baseball field, Kyle enjoys playing golf and spending time with his family and friends. He's also busy planning his 2025 wedding with fiancee Kyra Olweiler.

While he couldn't have known those early days playing T-ball would lead to a path to the majors, Kyle said he won't take the opportunity for granted.

"It was a dream come true to be able to sign for an affiliated team," Kyle said. "I'm grateful for the opportunity. May the glory be to God."