Braylon Hubbard named National Jr. Home Run Derby champion in 12U baseball division

LOS ANGELES— Texas Rangers Youth Academy athlete Braylon Hubbard competed in the MLB Jr. Home Run Derby Finals at Dodger Stadium today, where he was named national champion of the 12U baseball division.

Hubbard beat Missouri native Keelan Zumwalt in the final round, hitting 16 home runs off 25 machine-pitched balls to easily secure the title. Hubbard is the first Texas Rangers Youth Academy athlete to win the national finals and will be recognized alongside other 2022 winners before the T-Mobile Home Run Derby.

Also representing the Rangers Academy in today’s derby final were Maddox Johnson, Giovanca Frias, and Alyssa Summers. Johnson finished seventh in the 14U Baseball division with seven home runs, Summers finished sixth in the 14U Softball competition with two home runs, and Frias hit eight balls out of the park in the 16U Softball division, securing a third-place finish.

As part of MLB All-Star Week, the Rangers Youth Academy has an additional 28 athletes competing in the All-Star Commissioner’s Cup and Jennie Finch Classic tournaments.

Teams across the U.S. and Puerto Rico will compete in the four-day tournament that began yesterday, July 15, at the Compton Youth Academy.

The Rangers Youth Academy finished day one of pool play 1-0 in the Commissioner’s Cup, beating the Washington Nationals Youth Academy 10-4.

Rangers starting pitcher Casey Walls threw three complete innings striking out four batters and allowing only one run, and Ernesto Verdin had six strikeouts through three innings in his relief appearance. On offense, key contributors included Vicente Rosas (1-1, 2B, R), Ajani Lyons (3B), and Anthony Winters (3 R).

Rangers Youth Academy softball finished day one of the Jennie Finch Classic 0-1-1. The team lost to the Houston Astros Youth Academy 7-0 and tied New Orleans with a final score of 6-6.

Trenity Okedele, Dallas Christian High School’s 2022 Defensive MVP and All-District First Team member, hit a three-run homer in yesterday’s match-up with New Orleans. Softball legend Jennie Finch autographed Okedele's home run ball, creating a once-in-a-lifetime souvenir.

Texas Rangers Youth Academy tournament teams will look to add to their win total today and advance to the Commissioner’s Cup and Jennie Finch Classic championship games on Monday, July 18.