MONTGOMERY, Ala. -- On an overcast day in Montgomery, Ala., more than 65 young players on Sunday participated in the MLB Identification Tour, an event designed to evaluate players who may qualify to play in the many showcase summer programs hosted by MLB, such as the Hank Aaron Invitational and Breakthrough Series.  

Aimed at eighth- and ninth-grade baseball players, the tour gives an opportunity for a pro-style workout that generates professional feedback for the young athletes. 

The tour stopped in Riverwalk Stadium, home to the Montgomery Biscuits, the Rays’ Double-A affiliate. Players began their day with warmups and an introduction to the coaching staff, splitting off afterward to work through the day’s exercises. 

After getting warm, players worked through throwing and running drills to work on speed and accuracy. As they finished footraces and throwing warmups, players moved to work on fielding balls from left field and making throws to third. Then, the groups rotated, and participants worked on making plays at shortstop. 

Pitchers and catchers spent time in the bullpen, working with one another and the coaching staff. After their at-bat opportunity, players in each group received immediate, one-on-one instruction to discuss their form and ability. 

Ashton Yelder is a 15-year-old from nearby Lowndes Academy who pitches and plays third base and shortstop. Yelder has not committed to play in college but emphasized the importance of taking MLB’s opportunity to learn and improve. 

“It went good. I had a lot of fun getting to see kids my age compete for something big,” Yelder said. “I learned a little [fielding] stuff from watching guys and the coaches telling me stuff.” 

Since the Identification Tour's establishment in 2019, Sunday marked its first visit to Alabama, a state with two Minor League baseball teams but no Major League team. The Identification Tour provided an opportunity for athletes to be evaluated without the need for travel out of the state or join certain teams. MLB will come to you.

The Tour’s goal is to identify potential star athletes in underserved areas or communities, focused on showcasing young Black and Latino athletes. Montgomery is a predominantly Black city, and Sunday was an opportunity for the players to be the stars of the show. 

“It’s very, very nice, just to compete,” Yelder said of the opportunity to attend the tour. 

Ma’Kale Holden is a 15-year-old attendee of Birmingham-area Hoover High School who pitches as well as playing first and third base. Holden is committed to play at the University of Alabama and took advantage of the Identification Tour as a networking and educational opportunity. 

“Move through the ball fluidly. Always follow your throws and just go out and compete every day,” Holden said of lessons from Sunday's workout. “I think it helps because it gets your name out there and for the younger kids, it just helps them to learn from all these great guys.” 

Following the conclusion of the day, athletes were provided with the metrics from their performance. Diamond Kinetics, a youth development platform of the MLB, provided technology that generates data like bat speed and exit velocity. Attached to the end of players bats' for their individual batting portion, the technology will give individual metrics for each player’s swing. Players can use these numbers as concrete guidance in addition to the advice they gained throughout the day. 

Players were also be provided a yearlong subscription to MLB.TV, so in addition to receiving analytics on their own game, they will have endless opportunity to learn from the pros. 

The Tour makes its next stop at Riley Park in Charleston, S.C., on Saturday and will have five stops after that to conclude the 2022 tour.