Christina Romero attends Rio Rico High School and is a member of the AIA's Student SID Program. 

 

On February 6th, Rio Rico High School celebrated a milestone that will hopefully be the first of many. In a halftime ceremony during Boys Basketball Senior Night, the school retired the baseball jersey #10 in recognition of Raul Garayzar, the first Rio Rico alum to be drafted into Major League Baseball.

“It feels very nostalgic every time I come back,” says Garayzar, “I always tell people that I’m from Rio Rico, not Nogales. I just love it here, it's great to be home.”

The right-handed pitcher, who played varsity for Rio Rico from 2018 to 2021, holds the school’s strikeout record and earned All-Region Honors after his senior season. Upon graduating, he played for two seasons at South Mountain Community College from 2022-2023 before transferring to the University of Arizona for his junior and senior seasons. During the 2024 season, Garayzar made eight appearances with three starts as the Wildcats won the Pac-12 season championship before joining the Big-12 the following season.

His senior season is when his remarkable talent was able to shine. He appeared in twenty-one games with eight starts and maintained an impressive ERA of 2.81. His skilled performance was critical in helping the team win the Big-12 Tournament Championship title as he put up a strong performance in pivotal games against teams like Clemson and conference members Kansas, TCU, and Baylor.

Garayzar was selected in the 18th round as the 543rd overall pick in the 2025 MLB Draft. This was a historic milestone for the school, as he became the first RRHS athlete to be drafted by the MLB.

But Garayzar’s journey to the big leagues was far from easy. Aside from the game itself, there were challenges along the way that ultimately tested his motivation and drive to keep playing, no matter how difficult the path was. One of these testing moments - an injury he sustained in a game against Nogales - helped him realize that baseball was his calling, and nothing would stand in the way of achieving his dream.

“In a game against Nogales my sophomore year I fractured my elbow. I was out for a good amount of time, and I asked myself ‘how much does this really mean to me, how much do I want to go after it,’ says Garayzar, “I put my foot down, and right when I got injured, I knew this motivation I feel is something I want to pursue for the rest of my life and see how far it gets me. It's a combination of physical and mental, and once those come together that's a really beautiful thing.”

As he played through every level of the sport, Garayzar not only sharpened his skills to reach the MLB, but learned what it takes to truly be successful at the highest level.

“The main part of baseball is not the game itself… it’s more about the relationships you make, and to me that has been more fulfilling than baseball itself. I love to play, I love to compete, but the true satisfaction of playing baseball comes from the relationships you make and how they drive you” Garayzar says “It doesn’t mean anything if you don’t have a collaborative effort, winning these championships is only because we worked as a group together, and that's something that you have to realize if you’re a young athlete.”

Now, with his #10 jersey forever having a place in school history, Garayzar hopes that his path serves as more than a personal accomplishment, but also as a valuable lesson for the young athletes at Rio Rico who are chasing their own goals. He encourages the Hawks to embrace the adversity and discover their drive that pushes them to keep playing while staying true to their character.

“You’re gonna run into something that will either make you want to do it or not. You have to find that drive within yourself and connect with other people to become the best version of yourself on and off the field.”

For Garayzar, coming back home for his jersey’s retirement means more than just individual success, but also represents how far the school has come. Looking back, he says he would tell his younger self to stay determined and motivated for his goals.

“I would just say keep going. I was really motivated to do things by myself because I knew what my goals were and where I needed to be,” Garayzar says “Luckily, I had some really great coaches and opportunities. I’m really blessed to have lived this in my life, and I would just tell my high school self ‘Good Job.’”

With his accomplishment now etched in the history books, it symbolizes more than just one athlete's achievements. It marks a new chapter for young Hawks chasing their goals, standing as proof that having dedication and resilience can take you far no matter where your journey begins. As the #10 now stands forever in school history, it serves as a reminder that dreams that begin at Rio Rico are capable of reaching the highest level.