“Each of you should use whatever gift you have received to serve others, as faithful stewards of God’s grace in its various forms..”
1 Peter 4:10
Royce Lewis, the number one overall MLB draft pick in 2017, has always had loads of excitement and anticipation next to his name. A star at JSerra Catholic High School in California, Lewis quickly rose to the top of all scouts lists. His elite athleticism and raw power made him a coveted pick in the draft. After being selected number one overall, Lewis immediately was put in the spotlight, and everyone began to know his name. For Lewis, the pressure and intensity caused him to focus on staying humble and lean on his faith.
A California native, faith has always been a part of the Lewis house. Royce’s mother, Cindy, says she has always emphasized making faith a priority and reminding her kids to stay true to who they are.
Cindy explains this through the idea of “Knowing there is a higher power, having grace, and the ability to put others before yourself.” The most important values that she has instilled in her children, as she says, are “Character and Integrity.” Those traits have been evident in the life of Royce as he has remained humble throughout his time in the minors and stayed grateful throughout the streaks that have accompanied his young career. To Cindy, character and integrity have caused her to create Humility Chains. Humility Chains is an Etsy shop featuring necklaces handcrafted by Cindy that consist of reminders to stay humble. Through her shop, Cindy inspires countless individuals by giving them the opportunity to keep humility at the forefront in whatever they do. Since beginning his career in baseball, Royce Lewis has kept faith a priority. He says that for him, faith is a backbone and helps keep him focused on what is most important. “It’s always been important to me…as I may not show publicly a lot it does mean a lot to me everyday. 
It’s a constant that allows me to lean on the fact that I’ll be ok no matter what with Him by my side.” That confidence has carried Lewis over to the field as he has become the Twins number 1 prospect and the number 7 overall prospect in baseball. Throughout all of the pressure and excitement that have coincided with his young career, he remains keen on staying grateful and appreciative. After all of his success at the high school level, Lewis quickly adjusted to the professional level and became a consistent contributor. Although the past year did not come with the experiences that Lewis had originally planned for, he says he remains grateful by counting his blessings even in times of change. “I have always believed in God but when I realized how blessed I was I started believing more then!” That gratitude for Lewis allowed for him to stay positive in all circumstances and trust in a greater plan even when it is difficult.
2020 did not bring with it the baseball season that Lewis had expected. Instead, it brought him extra time that he used to make a difference. In April, he started a YouTube channel to share his experiences in minor league baseball and give fans some insight into his life. He has continued to work to be better than before, not only on the field but off of it as well. As Lewis prepares for the day that his name is called to join the big league team, he is focused on remaining positive and humble in all circumstances.
