DC Grays MVP grads come “full circle” for Grays college team
By Alana Watkins
In an effort to give back to the community, the DC Grays began a youth baseball and softball program (which is now known a DC Grays MVP) in 2016. Since the beginning of the program, the Grays organization has worked to serve under-resourced communities in inner-cityDC. Since then, the Grays have covered every expense so that families don't have to worry about costs standing in the way of their children's dreams. Equipment, uniforms, travel, tournament fees, field permits etc all are paid for by the Grays. For many young athletes, this program has opened doors to bigger opportunities on and off the field.
Two players who embody the DC Grays mission are Dixon Monk, a rising freshman infielder at Georgetown, and Rocco Gilbert, a rising sophomore outfielder/DH at Alabama State. Both came up through the Grays MVP program, though a few years apart — Rocco joined as a high school sophomore in 2021, while Dixon, who calls himself a "late bloomer," joined during his junior year in 2023.
Both Monk and Gilbert now play for the DC Grays college team in Cal Ripken Sr. Collegiate Baseball League. The pair was recently joined by pitcher Solomon McKinney, another DC Grays MVP graduate who plays college ball at North Carolina A&T, where he is a rising sophomore.
For Dixon, the Grays were a turning point. Inspired by older players like Rocco, he found role models who showed him what was possible. One of the biggest benefits of playing with the Grays, they both say, was the chance to be seen by college coaches. The MVP program took them to top-tier facilities, like the USA Baseball complex, and put them in front of many college coaches at showcases and tournaments.
Behind the scenes, Coach Brad Burris who leads the Grays' senior-level (15u–18u) baseball team, was a key part of both players' journeys. He connected Dixon and Rocco with the college-level DC Grays team and helped them take the next steps. Rocco remembers watching the college Grays play when he was younger and thinking, "It would be really cool to play for them one day." Now, he's living that dream.
Coach Brad has his own ties to Georgetown University coach Edwin Thompson (they played college baseball together at Howard University), which made Dixon's path feel like a full-circle moment. The connections he built through the Grays MVP program and the support he found in the program ultimately led him to commit to Georgetown and play for the college Grays this summer as he kicks off his collegiate career.
Rocco's experience playing for the Grays at two different levels has given him a unique perspective. In the MVP program, it was about playing travel ball with friends and competing in big tournaments. Now, at the college level, it's about connecting with teammates from all walks of life. Not everyone is the same age or plays at the same level, and for Rocco, it's eye-opening to see "where everyone's grind got them."
McKinney recently joined the Grays, and is acclimating to elite-level summer college baseball.
For Dixon, he's adjusting to college-level baseball just weeks after graduating high school. He's learning to keep up with the faster pace, especially at third base, and figuring out the mental side of the game. "Baseball is more mental than it is physical," he says — a lesson he's learned through his years of playing.
Though Dixon, Gilbert and McKinney have had different journeys with the Grays, they share the same love for the game. Together, they're learning not just how to be better players, but better teammates and all-around better people, carrying their experiences and lessons from the DC Grays wherever baseball takes them next.
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