Kade Edmonds has learned a lot of new ways to do things over the past year and a half.

In January of 2016, the teen found an unpopped firework near his home and lit it. The device exploded in his hand, causing him to lose three fingers on his dominant right hand.

He didn’t let it stop him, though.

He learned to eat, brush his teeth and write left-handed rather easily.

The soon-to-be eighth grader went out for basketball and had little trouble dribbling and shooting the ball. He continues to play second base for the Riverside metro team.

With a little determination, he learned new ways to catch, field and throw a baseball with his left hand, following the example of former major leaguer Jim Abbott, who starred professionally despite having been born without a right hand.

Sometimes Kade fields barehanded; sometimes he has to tuck the glove under his arm. He’s even trying to figure out how to pitch left-handed.

“Every once in a while the ball would slip and go crazy somewhere,” he said.

One thing he couldn’t do was wear batting gloves, although he did try.

“I would tuck the finger parts down onto the palm, but they would just pop out and get in the way,” he said. “I just wore one on the left hand.”

Riverside assistant coach Johnny Collins noticed the trouble and came up with an idea. He contacted Jeff “Rooster” Southall of Baton Rouge-based Marucci Sports to ask if anything could be done for the baseball-loving Kade.

“It was an easy decision,” said Collins. “I was happy to help. I emailed Rooster and it might have been a half hour before he got back to me. It was that quick.”

Southall was all too willing to help out.

“I got in touch with our product development guy and he said, ‘Sure,’” Southall said. “We got it done.”

Kade said Collins asked him for a sketch of his hand — “they told me to do, like, a kid’s turkey” — which was sent off to the factory, along with a set of pictures.

A few months later, Kade received an envelope from Marucci with a pair of custom-made gloves.

“They were like, so cool,” Kade said. “I felt like I was a super hero.”

It also helped him swing.

“Because I’m a righty, my left hand’s on the bottom so when I’d pull through, I’d have more grip with that one hand,” he said. “Now that I have two gloves, it’s a little bit better. It takes the sting away. Before I didn’t have anything so it would sting a lot.”

Southall wanted to help because he said it was the right thing to do and he is passionate about baseball.

“I’m an ambassador for baseball,” Southall said. “Marucci will get our share of the business if we just continue to grow the game.”

The custom-made gloves weren’t the only surprise Kade received.

Mom Nikki Edmonds said Kade received an academic scholarship to Riverside Academy in reward for his excellent academics.

“He’s in the Junior Beta Club and he’s always been an honor student,” Nikki said.

For Christmas, his grandmother gave him a copy of Abbott’s autobiography, “Imperfect: An Improbable Life.”

Then, a few weeks ago, Nikki got a call from an unfamiliar California number. Of course she didn’t answer it, but the caller left her a voicemail.

It was from Abbott, now a motivational speaker, who heard about Kade’s story.

Nikki called Abbott back (he didn’t answer, though) and now he and Kade have exchanged calls and texts.

“He just told me to keep on working and don’t let the fear of playing with no hand stop me,” Kade said. “He wants me to keep in touch and let him know how I’m doing.”