Major League Baseball To Highlight Youth Initiatives Prior To Game Two of World Series Presented by Capital One

By | 10:13 AM EDT

Representatives From MLB Youth Academies, Nike RBI World Series Champions, Jennie Finch Empowerment Award presented by ARM & HAMMER Recipients, Finalists for the Pitch, Hit & Run presented by Firehouse Subs Finals and American Legion Winners to be Honored

David Hamilton and Chandler Simpson Representing MLB Develops Programming in World Series

Major League Baseball will highlight its youth initiatives prior to Game Two of the 2026 World Series presented by Capital One, honoring groups of athletes from across its youth programming. Representatives from MLB Youth Academies, Nike RBI World Series champions, recipients of the Jennie Finch Empowerment Award presented by ARM & HAMMER, finalists for the Pitch, Hit & Run presented by Firehouse Subs Finals and American Legion winners will all be honored on the field before first pitch between the Milwaukee Brewers and Tampa Bay Rays on Saturday night at American Family Field.

MLB’s youth initiatives, which fall under the PLAY BALL umbrella, are aimed at encouraging participation in all forms of baseball and softball, both casually and competitively. MLB Develops programming includes cost-free events such as the Breakthrough Series, DREAM Series, Hank Aaron Invitational, Trailblazer Series and more, designed to help young athletes excel both on and off the field. Eleven alumni of MLB Develops programming were on Postseason rosters in 2026, including Brewers infielder David Hamilton and Rays outfielder Chandler Simpson. Travis Bazzana, Justin Crawford, Michael Harris II, George Lombard Jr., Braden Montgomery, Carlos Rodón, Cam Smith, Dominic Smith and Taylor Trammell also participated in MLB Develops programming before going on to compete in the 2026 Postseason.

Prior to Game Two, one member of each Major League Baseball Youth Academy will be honored as Youth of the Year. Major League Baseball supports the operations of nine Youth Academies across the country, including the MLB Compton Youth Academy, celebrating its 20th anniversary this year. MLB Youth Academies, which are free to join, aim to set the standard for baseball and softball instruction, teach and educate youth, provide safe and organized recreational activities and prepare high school players for college and professional baseball and softball programs. The MLB Youth Academy Youth of the Year Award winners are chosen by academy directors and staff, honoring an athlete who is a loyal academy member who excels on and off the field. This year’s recipients include:

The Jennie Finch Empowerment Award presented by ARM & HAMMER, administered by Olympic Gold Medalist and USA Softball National Team legend Jennie Finch, is awarded to four softball athletes who best demonstrate leadership, integrity, motivation, commitment and humility on and off the field. Each year, an athlete is selected to win the award at the Breakthrough Series, All-Star Jennie Finch Classic, Elite Development Invitational and Nike RBI World Series. Along with the on-field recognition, the recipients received a $10,000 college scholarship courtesy of ARM & HAMMER. This year’s recipients include:

Select members from each of the three Nike RBI World Series champion teams will also be honored. At the historic Jackie Robinson Training Complex in Vero Beach, Florida in August, eight regional winners from across the U.S. and internationally competed in the Senior Baseball, Junior Baseball and Softball divisions. The winning teams and members being honored prior to Game Two are as follows:

Forty athletes who will be participating in the 2026 Pitch, Hit & Run Finals presented by Firehouse Subs will also be part of the on-field recognition. To qualify for the 2026 Finals, young athletes from around the world participated in local and regional competitions where the best-of-the-best competed to finish in the top five of their age division (7-8, 9-10, 11-12 and 13-14). Notable past participants of Pitch, Hit & Run–which is currently celebrating its 50th year–include former National League MVP Andrew McCutchen; former All-Star Joey Gallo; three-time All-Star Adley Rutschman of the Boston Red Sox; Gold Glover J.P. Crawford of the Seattle Mariners; Rhys Hoskins of the Cleveland Guardians; and Spencer Torkelson of the Detroit Tigers; among others. The athletes will compete in the Finals on Sunday, October 25 at American Family Field at 10:30 a.m. ET, streaming live on MLB.com. The list of 2026 Pitch, Hit & Run finalists can be found HERE.

Additionally, members from the American Legion World Series-winning Carpet Land Spartans sponsored by Lincoln Post 500 from Lincoln, Nebraska, will be honored on field as part of the ceremony. The Carpet Land Spartans won the eight-team American Legion World Series in August in Shelby, North Carolina.

MLB’s PLAY BALL initiative has resulted in a significant increase in youth baseball and softball participation. According to the most recent Sports & Fitness Industry Association (SFIA) report, casual participation in baseball for ages 6+ has increased +144%. In addition, in each of the last five years, baseball and softball combined to be the overall most participated team sport in the U.S. among kids aged 6-12.

More from MLB.com