Nearly four months after 12-year-old Xavier Taylor was critically injured by a baseball during warmups, his family has shared one of the most encouraging updates yet — saying he continues to make measurable progress even though he remains on a ventilator.

Xavier was struck in the neck by a baseball on May 26 before a championship game in Maple Shade, New Jersey. The impact triggered a cardiac arrest and left him unconscious, beginning a recovery journey that has now stretched across several months.

His father, Gregory Taylor, says Xavier has gained weight, is regulating his own body temperature and no longer needs several medications or extra electrolyte support. His lab results have also improved, which the family sees as another positive sign.

Xavier has now been moved from the hospital to a short-term care facility, marking an important step in his treatment. He still requires ventilator support, and his family has not announced that he has regained consciousness, but they remain hopeful.

In another emotional update, Gregory said the family believes Xavier can hear them, even as doctors continue monitoring his neurological condition. That belief has become a powerful source of hope for relatives and supporters who have stayed beside him throughout the recovery.

The Maple Shade community recently gathered again for a Prayer & Praise event in Xavier’s honor. Friends, teammates and neighbors filled the field wearing “Xavier Strong” shirts and praying for further recovery.

Support has also poured in financially. More than $100,000 has been raised for the Taylor family, and earlier this summer the Ben Franklin Bridge and Camden City Hall were illuminated blue in Xavier’s honor.

The newest verified update is not a sudden medical breakthrough, but continued improvement: weight gain, stable body temperature, fewer medications and transfer out of the hospital. For a family that has spent months waiting for signs of recovery, each of those changes matters.