'Thank you Jesus for this amazing moment': Minor league baseball player gets baptized by teammate on the field

Minor league baseball player Wes Clarke was baptized on the field by a teammate in Nashville, Tennessee.

Clarke plays first base for the Nashville Sounds, the Triple-A affiliate of the Milwaukee Brewers.

The baptism happened after a 4-1 victory against the Memphis Redbirds, with right-fielder Brewer Hicklen hitting a two-run homerun in the game.

'I just asked God.'

After the stellar performance, Hicklen then also fulfilled the duty of performing the baptism for his fellow Christian. Both men wore T-shirts that read "Jesus Won" as Clarke was baptized on the field at First Horizon Park.

"Had the privilege of being baptized yesterday on the field by one of my good friends [Brewer Hicklen] after our game," Clarke said on Instagram. "Thank you Jesus for this amazing moment in my life. I am incredibly blessed to be surrounded by so many supportive people. It was such a special night!" the first baseman wrote, with photos that included his pregnant wife, who was in attendance.

The 28-year-old Hicklen had a rather unique path toward performing the baptism ceremony for his teammate. After a six-game stint in the major leagues in 2022, Hicklen was traded from the Kansas City Royals to the Philadelphia Phillies organization in August 2023, Sports Spectrum reported.

Hicklen would opt for free agency that same November and thought to himself, and God, about where he might end up.

"I just asked God, 'Place me somewhere where You feel like I could have some influence and have some opportunity to make eternal connections with some teammates,'" Hicklen recalled.

He then signed with the Brewers organization just three weeks later. It was at that point he felt he could become a spiritual leader on the team. He joined the Bible study group that he said grew from 10-12 participants after it started with just four or five.

More professional athletes have become open about their faith with organizations increasingly including it within their ranks. For example, the NBA's Milwaukee Bucks made headlines with their prayer circles led by Kenneth Lock, the team's chaplain.

The chaplain said that a part of his role is to regularly ask players what they can do to be a better person, and players have responded.

As for Clarke, the 24-year-old Richmond, Virginia, native played at a Christian academy in high school followed by three seasons at South Carolina. He was drafted by the Brewers in the 10th round of the 2021 MLB draft.

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