Puyallup Tribal Member Ryker Robinett competed at Truist Park in Atlanta on June 27 as one of 47 high school players selected for the fifth annual Native American All-Star Baseball Showcase.

Robinett, a rising senior at Kiowa High School in Colorado, was born in Yakima, Washington, moved to Hawaii at age 6, and relocated to Colorado at age 14. He visits his grandparents in the Tacoma area nearly every summer and planned to return in July.

He was the only player on the roster affiliated with the Puyallup Tribe of Indians.

Robinett plays center field, pitcher, and shortstop, with a fastball that tops out at 91 mph and a turbo sinker he calls his best pitch. His fastball consistently sits 83 to 85 mph.

Robinett learned of his selection in mid-May while fishing for trout on the Fraser River in Colorado. His mother, Valerie, called with the news.

"I guess I caught their attention and they wanted to give me a shot," Robinett told the Puyallup Tribe's news outlet. "That's all I need."

The two-day showcase, hosted by the Atlanta Braves in partnership with the Native American Athletic Foundation, brought together players representing 32 tribes from 19 states and Canada. Saturday featured pro-style workouts run by the Marquis Grissom Baseball Association covering hitting, fielding, throwing, and a Home Run Derby.

On June 28, players split into two teams for a showcase game that ended 10-4, coached by former MLB players Pete Smith, Jerome Walton, Bruce Benedict, and Ron Jackson.

The Braves used TrackMan analytics to capture statistics for college and professional scouts in attendance. Players dressed in the Braves clubhouse and received full big-league introductions before the game.

Robinett's individual stats from the showcase game were not publicly released. But the event put him on a major-league stage in front of scouts, and his next move points back toward the Pacific Northwest. After graduating in 2027, he said he hopes to play college baseball in Washington state, near his family and the Tribe.

"It's where I belong," Robinett said. "It's our people."