This feature originally appeared in the 2023-24 Winter edition of the Cal Sports Quarterly. The Cal Athletics flagship magazine features long-form sports journalism at its finest and provides in-depth coverage of the scholar-athlete experience in Berkeley. Printed copies are mailed four times a year to Bear Backers who give annually at the Bear Club level (currently $600 or more). For more information on how you can receive a printed version of the Cal Sports Quarterly at home, send an email to CalAthleticsFund@berkeley.edu or call (510) 642-2427.
 

How Rodney Green Jr. got to Cal has already become the stuff of legends.
 
Associate head coach and recruiting coordinator Noah Jackson, a Cal alum and former player, was at DBoy's Barbershop in Richmond - where he and Green are both customers. The barber, Danny Smith, knew about Green since his days playing Little League.
 
"Danny first told me about him and at that point in time he honestly thought he was a basketball player," Jackson said. "Rodney really, really wanted to play basketball. But everybody said he's actually a baseball player, even though he's going to tell you he's a basketball player. So that was really the first interaction between Rodney and myself, was making sure he understood what the path baseball-wise looked like."
 
It is from that sense of community, which seemingly knew what was best for Green, that he draws his motivation. It is also, in a fantastic twist of fate, where he began his baseball career.
 
Starting around age 5 or 6, Green, who grew up in Richmond, started playing sports in a community program called "RPAL" - the Richmond Police Activities League, a community program in which his mom, Sharee Taylor, is involved. The program's goal is to bring kids in the community together for after-school programs and sports leagues.
 
It is in RPAL that Green got his first taste playing baseball. His earliest memory was missing pitches on purpose so that he could hit the ball off the tee.
 
Now a junior on the Cal baseball team, not only is Green thriving on the diamond, but being at Cal has put him in contact with alums that are giving him the ability to give back to the community - a passion that he hopes to continue to develop. Two of the most influential people in that regard are Jackson and former Cal pitcher Tyson Ross, who went on to enjoy a 10-year major league baseball career.
 
"Making it to the bigs is my dream," said Green, who wears No. 24 after his two favorite players - Rickey Henderson and Ken Griffey Jr. "At the same time, I want to keep developing as a person and keep making those connections, and bring as many people with me as possible. All I want to do is help other people. I've always been that guy who has been there for everyone.  I've always been the guy who you could call for anything. I look out for the people who look out for me."
 
Jackson put Green in touch with Ross, who runs the nonprofit "Loyal to My Soil," whose goal is to reengage youth with the game of baseball by providing free camps with top-notch instruction from high-level players. Ross came up with the idea by picking the brain of Jackson, who began the nonprofit "First Base Foundation" after his playing days at Cal were finished. The two have been instrumental in helping Green continue his passion for giving back to his community.
 
"Tyson is an Oakland native who always wanted to make an impact back on the community," Jackson said. "So for him to be able to share that with Rodney, show Rodney how it's done, show him how you can go back and what you need to do to be successful and what you need to do to create an impact – by sometimes just showing up and by telling your story and giving other people hope - I think is huge."
 
"Tyson wants me to be involved," Green said. "He wants me to understand how important it is to give back to the youth. Those are the types of things we talk about."
 
One of the most recent Loyal to My Soil events took place at Contra Costa College in Richmond. Set up with Ross and Taylor, Green helped run a camp for younger kids to expose them to baseball. At this event, he began to grasp the bigger picture.
 
"It was awesome, and I really appreciate Tyson for his help," Green said. "For myself, growing up, you don't realize how important these camps are. These kids get to go out there and meet new people and it helps them develop as children."
 
Green is quick to point out that the support goes both ways. He remembers a time during his freshman year when he realized making the choice to come to Cal was the right decision because the Richmond Little League came to a game. After the game, he spent time signing autographs and spending time with the players.
 
"I was just so happy that they were there," Green said. "Knowing that I have that support system and looking back at my community knowing that they've supported me since Day 1, that's a very big deal for me."
 
"The importance of playing in front of family and friends of RJ is enormous," Jackson said. "It's great to see people who live in Richmond who literally have never been to a Cal baseball game showing out for the first time. The support he gets from it is enormous. It really has also kind of created a trailblazing effect for him and the people of this community - which is important for kids in Northern California - because he is noticeable."
 
As Green enters his draft-eligible year, his talents on the baseball field are already very apparent. This past summer, he spent time playing in the prestigious Cape Cod Summer League and was also among 31 players selected to play for the 2023 United States Collegiate National Team.
 
No matter where his baseball career takes him, Green has cemented his desire to give back to Richmond.
 
"Once baseball is done, my focus is honestly just giving back," he said. "I want to come back at some point to Richmond; start a program with the youth around here and let them know they have someone who is going to look out for them. When I'm done playing I want to give back to my community."
 
It is that mindset that has Jackson so excited for Green's future.
 
"One of the things I really look forward to for Rodney going forward is just what that becomes once he kind of moves on from Cal and has a chance to play at the next level – how that develops, how it has an immediate impact, and long-term impact on the community in Richmond that he's from," Jackson said. "I still think there are a lot of kids who can look to him and see that's a path to success. I don't even think he understands what his impact is right now. I think he will understand it further as he goes in his career – no matter what it ends up being."