In two months, Boone Grove seniors Xavier and Davian Carrera could have decisions to make.
The twin brothers are Indiana baseball commits, giving them the chance to play together beyond this season. But they also could get selected in the MLB draft in July.
“It’s a constant thought,” Xavier Carrera said. “It’s something that I’m always going to be wrestling with in my mind.”
Davian Carrera said he’s trying to avoid thinking about it as long as the Wolves have games to play.
“I don’t really let it get to me,” he said. “I gave it some thought, but I want to focus more on this season and winning a state championship. I want to be really good at the game being played at the moment.”
Of course, the Carrera brothers have been really good already for Porter County Conference co-champion Boone Grove (16-6, 6-1), which also features standouts like seniors Seth Pitcock and Ben Truby and will play 21st Century in the first round of the Class 2A Whiting Sectional on May 28.
Xavier Carrera is the more dominant mound presence, featuring a fastball that can reach 97 mph. The 6-foot-3 right-hander is 2-3 with a 2.57 ERA in 32 2/3 innings. He plays shortstop when he isn’t pitching and is batting .438 with a home run, four doubles, three triples, 24 RBIs and 25 runs scored.
Davian Carrera has better offensive numbers. He’s hitting .493 with a home run, six doubles, a team-high four triples, a team-high 34 RBIs and 27 runs scored. The 6-3 left-hander also pitches and has a 4-1 record with a 3.73 ERA in 20 2/3 innings.
Boone Grove coach Sean Riley said the Carrera brothers spend as much time trying to one-up each other as they spend trying to beat opponents.
“They’re super, super competitive,” Riley said. “If we’re doing live at-bats and Xavier is pitching with Davian in the cages to hit, it can get pretty outrageous.”
In the days before a game against South Central on May 5, the Carrera brothers had argued about who would receive a set of Calloway golf clubs from their father, Manuel Carrera. The decided to settle it on the field. The brother with the better offensive performance against South Central would get the golf clubs.
As it happened, both shined during Boone Grove’s 16-0 win. Davian Carrera went 3-for-3 with three RBIs, and Xavier Carrera went 2-for-2 with a home run and was intentionally walked twice. Those numbers made it difficult to declare a winner.
“I felt like I did better because I hit the home run,” Xavier Carrera said.
Davian Carrera didn’t see it that way.
“Yeah, he hit a home run, but I went 3-for-3,” he said. “You can’t beat that.”
The golf clubs went to Davian Carrera, but they couldn’t even agree on that outcome. Xavier Carrera said he gave up the argument and let his brother win, while Davian Carrera maintained that his brother’s concession was an acknowledgement of the true victor.
“I was the rightful winner, easily,” Davian Carrera said. “He knew better.”
That sibling rivalry has pushed the brothers to the point that they’ve landed on MLB radars. After meeting with an agent earlier this year, Xavier Carrera was told that he could be picked between the fourth and sixth rounds of the draft, which begins July 13. Davian Carrera was told he could go between the seventh and 10th rounds.
As unlikely as it seems, they could be drafted by the same MLB team.
“Yeah, let’s hope for that,” Xavier Carrera said.
At the end of the day, the Carrera brothers have an unbreakable bond.
“We always have each other’s back,” Davian Carrera said.
“He’s been with me every day,” Xavier Carrera added. “It’s always competitive, but deep down, we always know that we’d support each other — no matter what.”
Dave Melton is a freelance reporter.
