Kids from across North America to compete in MLB's Pitch, Hit & Run Finals during the 2025 World Series
Major League Baseball will give 40 youth a once in a lifetime chance to be part of the 2025 World Series through the 29th Pitch, Hit & Run Finals taking place at the 2025 World Series presented by Capital One. The Finals will include the top five baseball and softball participants from four age divisions (7-8, 9-10, 11-12 and 13-14).
The 2025 finalists are:
Age 7-8 Baseball
Michael Tacher, Naples, FL
Jase Walker, Maumelle, AR
Bennett Kust, Thornton, CO
Willard Hughes, West Des Moines, IA
Braden DeMarks, Branchburg, NJ
Age 9-10 Baseball
Devin-D Barrera, Fresno, CA
Cason Jessup, Bothell, WA
Aiden Woodley, Chula Vista, CA
Matthew Williams II, West Bloomfield, MI
James DeLucia, Estero, FL
Age 11-12 Baseball
Zayden Rucker, Van, TX
William McLelland IV, Oakville, Ontario, Canada
Jake Orser, Port Orchard, WA
Ian Bowman, Novato, CA
**Brayden Watkins, Vestavia, AL
Age 13-14 Baseball
Aiden Tomminelli, Yorba Linda, CA
Erik Estrada Jr, Wharton, TX
**Naden Anderson, Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada
Daniel Blankenhagen, Cochranville, PA
Colt Daugherty, Fisher, IL
Age 7-8 Softball
Izzy Gillespie, Delphos, OH
Presley Prelewicz, Krum, TX
**Caylacyn Sanford, Pell City, AL
Carlee Ray Revis, Stokesdale, NC
Rory Pope, Huntsville, TX
Age 9-10 Softball
Mersadys Merchant, Pearland, TX
Maggie Foust, Oshkosh, WI
**Penelope Milian, Parkland, FL
Ellery Freer, Chicago, IL
Anna Kelly, Okmulgee, OK
Age 11-12 Softball
**Piper Wade, Beavercreek, OH
**Tatum Frisby, Muskogee, OK
Haven Sanders, Fort Hood, TX
Makenzie Kellogg, Bellefonte, PA
Camilla DiFranco, Highland Heights, OH
Age 13-14 Softball
Aaliyah Marquez, Duncanville, TX
MacKenzie Mulligan, Westchester, CA
Hailey Smith-Young, Elmwood Park, IL
Isabella Pidgeon, Redondo Beach, CA
**Victoria VanAlmen, Brandon, FL
** Notes Multiple Time Participant in the Pitch, Hit and Run Finals
The 2025 finalists will compete on Sunday, October 26th at The Rogers Centre, home of the first two Fall Classic games in Toronto. The Finals will stream LIVE on MLB.com at 9:30 AM (EST). To qualify for this year’s competition, young athletes from around the world participated in local and regional competitions where the best-of-the-best competed to advance. The finalists and other young baseball and softball players, will have the chance to attend Game 2 of the World Series where they will be recognized for their accomplishments and have the experience of a lifetime.
Major Leaguers including Rhys Hoskins (MIL), J.P. Crawford (SEA), Nestor Cortes Jr. (SD), Joey Gallo (free agent), Andrew McCutchen (PIT), Adley Rutschman (BAL) and Spencer Torkelson (DET) are all alumni of the Pitch, Hit & Run competition.
Registration for the 2026 Pitch, Hit & Run competition is NOW OPEN. Local youth baseball and softball leagues, as well as individual community youth organization volunteers or leaders, are eligible to host competitions in their towns and cities by registering at mlb.com/pitch-hit-and-run. LeagueApps, MLB's youth baseball and softball digital partner, will provide its multi-platform technology to help securely collect and organize registration data for the skills competition. MLB will provide an official kit to all hosts for ease of set-up, while MLB Network will support both programs within its studio programming and across its social media platforms.
Pitch, Hit & Run is part of the MLB’s PLAY BALL initiative, which is the league’s collective effort to encourage young people and communities to engage in baseball and softball-related activities, including formal leagues, special events and casual forms of play. PLAY BALL events have become MLB’s signature youth engagement activity, demonstrating the positive way the game can serve as an outlet for physical activity, fun with friends and learning how to play the sport at its most basic levels.
Be one of the first to know when HOST registration goes live for 2026 Pitch, Hit & Run competitions by visiting online here (Pitch, Hit & Run).