Texas Rangers Academy Notebook for Oct. 17, 2025: South Grand Prairie freshman Anthony “AJ” Bazan represents Rangers Youth Academy at Perfect Game WWBA Freshman World Championship in West Palm Beach, Fla.

• Anthony “AJ” Bazan represents Rangers Youth Academy at PG WWBA Freshman World Championship
• Aaliyah Marquez advances to Major League Baseball Pitch Hit & Run Finals
• Softball legend Jennie Finch to host MLB Develops Ambassador Tour event at Rangers Youth Academy

Texas Rangers Youth Academy standout and South Grand Prairie High School freshman Anthony “AJ” Bazan competed in the Perfect Game WWBA Freshman World Championship tournament in West Palm Beach, Fla., last weekend as a member of the MLB Breakthrough Series National Team.

With the 14-year-old Bazan filling a dual role as an outfielder and pitcher, the MLB Breakthrough Series Team posted a 3-1 record at the annual wood-bat tournament featuring some of the most talented high school freshmen in the country.

Bazan described his selection to the Breakthrough Series team as a major milestone. "To finally be a part of the Breakthrough Boyz, that is a big accomplishment for me," he said. "I realized that all of my hard work, determination and love for the game got me to this point."

After already being tabbed to participate in this year’s Hank Aaron Invitational in July, the left-handed batter and thrower once again embraced the opportunity to measure his skills against high-level competition. "That is where you want to be, playing against the best," he said.

Over the weekend, Bazan received mentorship from a host of coaches with professional playing experience who expressed their belief in his ability: “I’ve always pictured myself going far in the game, but actually hearing it from the coaching staff, it really makes me believe I have a bright future to make it far, and to play the game I love for a very long time.”

QUICK HITS

Aaliyah Marquez advances to Major League Baseball’s Pitch Hit & Run Finals

• Moving on: Texas Rangers Youth Academy athlete Aaliyah Marquez advanced to Major League Baseball’s Pitch Hit & Run Finals after finishing tied for third place in the 13/14 U Softball division in the Team Championship round with a score of 1,240. MLB Pitch Hit & Run is the league’s official youth skills competition, designed to give boys and girls ages 7-14 a chance to showcase their baseball and softball abilities in a fun, competitive environment.
• World Series-bound: The 29th annual Pitch Hit & Run Finals will be held in conjunction with this year’s World Series, where finalists from each age and sport division will compete in a Major League Finals.
• More on Marquez: Marquez, a Duncanville native, has competed in both baseball and softball during her time at the Texas Rangers Youth Academy. This year alone, she has participated in the MLB Trailblazer Series, an annual initiative which promotes and celebrates youth girls’ involvement in the game of baseball, and the Jennie Finch Classic, a softball showcase featuring players from MLB Youth Academies and Jennie Finch programs.

Softball legend Jennie Finch to host MLB Develops Ambassador Tour event at Rangers Youth Academy

• GOAT in town: Softball legend Jennie Finch will headline an MLB Develops Ambassador Tour event at the Texas Rangers Youth Academy in West Dallas on Nov. 19 at 6:30 p.m. The evening will feature interactive clinics, mentorship sessions and a chance for local athletes to learn directly from one of the sport’s most decorated players.
• Finch’s legacy: A two-time Olympian, Finch helped Team USA capture gold at the 2004 Summer Olympics and silver in 2008. She’s also a three-time World Champion and two-time Pan American Games gold medalist. At the collegiate level, Finch led the University of Arizona to a Women’s College World Series title in 2001, earned National Player of the Year honors in 2002 and set an NCAA record with 60 consecutive wins.
• How to register: Youth softball players ages 10-14 years old can register to participate here.

Education & Buckner International programming

The Texas Rangers MLB Youth Academy goes beyond baseball and softball programming to benefit our community. With help from our partner Buckner International, the Academy hosts free education and enrichment courses for athletes and their families throughout the year. Register here for all Youth Academy classes.