Major League Baseball alums are slated to bring their talent to the Texas Rangers MLB Youth Academy at Mercy Street Sports Complex Presented by Toyota tomorrow, Saturday, July 7.
Rangers RBI and Academy participants ages 13-18 will have the opportunity to learn from their Big League heroes as part of the Major League Baseball Players Alumni Association (MLBPAA) Legends for Youth baseball clinic series. 
All-Star and Gold Glove winner Ellis Valentine and 11-year MLB veteran and former Texas Rangers player Pat Mahomes are expected to participate, along with fellow MLB alumni Bryan Clark, Choo Freeman, Donald Harris, Jack Hobbs, Ced Landrum, and Jimmy Serrano. MLB alumni participants are subject to change.
Alumni players will train at stations including pitching, catching, base running, and life skills on Oates Field. The clinic runs from 9:00 a.m. until 11:00 a.m., and the event will conclude with an autograph session and baseball giveaway for children in attendance. 
About MLBPAA's Legends for Youth Clinics: MLBPAA's mission is promoting baseball, raising money for charity and protecting the dignity of the game through its alumni players. The MLBPAA is headquartered in Colorado Springs, CO with a membership of more than 8,300, of which approximately 6,000 are alumni and active players. MLBPAA's Legends for Youth clinics impact more than 18,000 children each year, allowing them the unique opportunity to interact with and learn from players who have left a lasting impact on the game of baseball.
RBI Playoffs
RBI Playoffs wrapped up this week at the Academy. Playoff tournaments were designed to offer the squads an increased level of competition to wrap up the summer programming.  
The 2018 Rangers RBI Softball Champions were the Gators, who held off a late inning comeback by the Raiders to pick up a 10-8 victory on Monday, July 2.
On the baseball side, the Rangers RBI Junior Division finals saw the Generals face off against Lancaster, with the Lancaster Rangers becoming the 2018 Wood Bat Tournament Champions on Sunday, July 1.
The Academy team earned a come-from-behind win against the Cougars for the Rangers RBI Senior Division Championship on Thursday, July 5.
Approximately 350 players participated in the RBI League baseball and softball program at the Academy this summer, including 20 teams. The Jr. Division (15U) consisted of three teams, the Senior Division (18U) had seven teams, and Softball 18U included 10 teams.  
Academy All-Stars 
Practice is underway for the RBI Senior Division All-Star team that will represent the Academy at the RBI Southwest Regional Tournament in Austin, Texas. 
From July 26-29, the Academy will be represented by softball, junior division baseball, and senior division baseball squads competing against the Houston Academy, NOLA Academy, Austin RBI, and other RBI programs in the region. Winners in each division will advance to the RBI World Series played in Minnesota in August. 
All-Star tryouts for the softball squad took place Sunday, July 1. Junior division baseball tryouts conclude Monday, June 9.
Potential All Stars are nominated by their regular season RBI coaches, then evaluated by Academy coaches and staff during the tryouts. Athletes competed in a pro style workout for coaches to evaluate the group and select 15 players. 
Taking the Show on the Road
When All-Star Weekend festivities begin in Washington D.C. next week, the Academy will be represented by a baseball team in the inaugural Commissioner's Cup Tournament and a softball team in the inaugural Jennie Finch Classic, with games scheduled for Friday, July 13 through Monday, July 16. 
Athletes on both teams have participated in RBI league play and Academy programming this season.  
The softball team began practicing on June 18 with Rangers Director of Youth Academy & Baseball/Softball Programs Juan Leonel Garciga also serving as the head coach. 
Academy Roster for Commissioner's Cup
Name   Age   Hometown
Verdin, Adolfo   16   Dallas
De Leon, Matthew   15   Dallas
Cox, Kevin Daniel   15   Dallas
Sullivan, Carl   15   Arlington
Guerra, Jacob   14   Dallas
Malcomesius, Chance   17   Irving
Enriquez, Julian   16   Dallas
Gipson, Jonas   15   Duncanville
Deluna, Dominic   14   Irving
Martinez, Ruben   17   Irving 
Flores, Daniel   17   Dallas
Phillips, Austin   13   Fort Worth
Martinez, Vincent   17   Irving
Rangel, Ricky   15   Dallas 
Hernandez, Sebastian   16   Dallas
head coach: Roger Ibarra
assistant coach: Alex Thornton
Academy Roster for Jennie Finch Classic
Name   Age    Hometown
Schwartz, Mina   17   Irving
Rodriguez, Karina   14   Irving
Henderson, Melanie   16   Irving
Powell, Madison   16   Irving
Hernandez, Marlene   18   Dallas
Gonzalez, Alicia   16   Dallas
Ledesma, Erin   16   Dallas
Kidd, Kortney   15   Dallas
Zamarron, Ximena   14   Dallas
Cogburn, Destiny   18   Dallas
Hernandez, Sophia   15   Dallas
Rodriguez, Hannah   16   Irving
Rodriguez, Samantha   16   Dallas
Robinson, Ladaysha   17   Dallas
head coach: Juan Leonel Garciga
assistant coach: Ramon Burris

Summer Campers
The Academy's five-week summer camp program is set to wrap up on Thursday, July 12. 
Through the first four weeks, more than 800 athletes have participated in the free programming. Activities take place Monday through Thursday from 9:00 a.m. until 12:00 p.m.  
Baseball and softball players, ages 7 to 18, have worked on hitting, fielding, defensive strategies, throwing, and all aspects of their sport with member of the Academy coaching staff. 
Registration is available at https://texasrangersya.leagueapps.com/camps. 
While programming may be located inside due to weather, parents and guardians will be notified in advance if weather should interfere with camps.