Standing atop the mound for one of the best high school baseball teams in the state of Georgia is no slight task; doing so as a sophomore is another matter entirely. Luke Yano bore the weight of those tremendous circumstances as one of the primary options for North Atlanta in the 2023 season, which earned him all-region honors. The then fifteen year old pitcher showed tremendous promise in his varsity debut season and proved to be a staple for the future of the Warriors’ baseball program. How has Yano gotten to the point where he is today and what does his future hold?
At just 4 years old, Yano started his playing career at NYO like so many other young athletes. An early standout, the skilled pitcher spent his summers on the travel ball circuit playing for NYO summer ball affiliate teams before graduating to play for the ATL lightning where he still plays today. Before his North Atlanta days, his career playing for school teams started in his 7th grade year at Sutton Middle School. However, his middle school career was over just as quick as it had started as it was cut short by the COVID-19 pandemic. “Those first couple of years really helped me grow my love for the game and find my way as a player,” said Yano.
Yano’s first two seasons as a Warrior were impressive to say the least and showed glimpses of what was soon to come. As a freshman playing for the JV team just trying to find his groove, #5 played with about as much poise as you can ask a fourteen-year-old to. Fighting to carve out a role, Yano played well with about a 3 ERA and quickly set himself apart from most of his counterparts. The following season, while many expected to see improvements, nobody outside of his close friends and family could have predicted the success he’d have. Before even being able to drive without adult supervision, Yano was top three in ERA on a team with title aspirations that went 18-0 in their division which was full of good competition. “You know I was super proud of him because we’ve grown up together,” said teammate Ben Mason, “Seeing him succeed like that was awesome.”
While North Atlanta is only one game into their season on the diamond, it is safe to say that there are big expectations for Luke Yano. An all-region honorable mention selection as well as being a candidate for region pitcher of the year during the 2023 season, the pitcher is predicted to make another big step this year. After all, with the absence of four graduated all region pitchers- including two current college pitchers Sims Delong and Gunnar Plante, Yano has some big shoes to fill. “Last year everyone knew he was the future; the future is now. We all believe in him,” said teammate Xaden Benson.
For anyone who has ever watched the 6’2” ace, it’s evident that the sky’s the limit and there is so much more to come. Despite a tough loss to one of the best teams in the state of Georgia, the Warriors still have lofty goals for this year and Yano is a key cog in those ambitions. Those around the school and in his camp know how good he is, but maybe after this season it’ll be in the cards for colleges to catch on as well. With so much experience already under his belt, it’s easy to forget that two full seasons of spring baseball lay in wait for Yano to continue to put his skills on display and put the state on notice. However, for now, everyone repping the black and silver are rooting for #5.
