MLB's 2026 PLAY BALL Weekend will kick off with some major star power.
At 4 p.m. ET on Friday, Hall of Famers Ken Griffey Jr. and CC Sabathia will join former All-Star Harold Reynolds from the Jackie Robinson Training Complex in Vero Beach, Fla., to co-host "Play Ball Live" on MLB's YouTube channel and X account.
The live stream, produced by MLB Network, is designed to engage young baseball and softball players around the world by giving them a chance to hear insights from some all-time greats. Griffey, Sabathia and Reynolds will offer tips on how to improve as a player and share memories from their playing days, along with lessons they learned during their careers.
But the insights won't be limited to those three. Guests will include 2018 AL MVP Mookie Betts of the Dodgers, pitcher Hunter Greene of the Reds and Play Ball Ambassador Bobby Witt Jr. of the Royals. Youth players and coaches will be encouraged to ask questions and interact.
"I want to keep sharing my knowledge and teaching the game to the next generation," said Griffey, who most recently served as a Global Ambassador for the 2026 World Baseball Classic, providing content for Classic and MLB Network platforms. "It's important for me to give back and try new things like this show on Friday. I'm a big fan of CC, both as a player and person, and Harold is one of my closest friends in baseball. We're going to have some fun and hopefully pass some things on to the kids who love our game."
Sabathia said he quickly agreed to participate in the stream when presented with the opportunity, especially because his son, Carter, will be playing in the MLB Breakthrough Series at the Jackie Robinson Training Complex.
"So to get the chance to help him and his teammates out while also giving back on the show will make for a great day," said Sabathia, who has contributed to MLB Network since 2021. "I really just want to find out how Junior developed one of the prettiest swings this game has ever seen."
Reynolds, an Emmy-winning MLB Network analyst, said Friday's stream figures to be one of the more fun broadcasts of his career.
"I can't imagine what it would have been like to be a kid and getting the chance to listen to two Hall of Famers talk ball and try to help me out," said Reynolds, who played parts of 12 seasons in the big leagues. "Ken and CC are two of the best ever to do it, so I intend to set them up and let them do their thing."
The stream will lead right into PLAY BALL Weekend, which has events scheduled all over the world in an ongoing effort to increase youth participation in baseball and softball. And the effort has paid off since its inception more than a decade ago.
According to a recent report from the Sports and Fitness Industry Association, baseball participation has increased by 144 percent in ages 6 and older since 2014, the year before PLAY BALL was established. The report also said that baseball and softball have combined to be the most-participated U.S. team sport among kids ages 6-12 in each of the past five years.