The teams competing in the junior baseball division championship game of the Nike RBI World Series tomorrow, Saturday, August 5th, are now set following playoffs today at the Jackie Robinson Training Complex (JRTC) in Vero Beach, Fla.
Chicago White Sox Nike RBI (4-1) will take on Dodgers Dreamteam Nike RBI (4-1) at Holman Stadium at 9:30 a.m. ET, with the broadcast streaming LIVE on MLB.com and @MLBRBI on Twitter. MLB Network will produce the game with Brett Dolan and Candy Maldonado on the call.
Chicago White Sox Nike RBI is the reigning junior division champion. The program represented in both the junior and senior baseball divisions, the 16th time the city has accomplished this feat – the most in tournament history. Since 1997, a Chicago baseball team has been represented in the RBI World Series 23 out of 26 tournaments. The Chicago White Sox Nike RBI program has been Nike RBI World Series Champions in 2016 (junior), 2018 (senior), 2019 (Junior) and 2022 (senior and Junior).
The Dodgers Dreamteam Nike RBI program is making Los Angeles’ 53rd overall Nike RBI World Series appearance – the most of any city in the world. This is Los Angeles’ first appearance in the junior division since 2014. The city has been champions of the junio division four times (2000, 2001, 2003, 2005). Los Angeles, the birthplace of the Nike RBI program, and Atlanta (which is currently competing in the senior division championship) are tied for the most overall Nike RBI World Series championships in tournament history.
Nike RBI alumni who have appeared in the Major Leagues in 2023 include Jackie Bradley Jr. (currently a free agent), Taj Bradley (Tampa Bay Rays), who participated in the 2016 RBI World Series Jr. Division, Isaiah Campbell (Seattle Mariners), J.P. Crawford (Seattle Mariners), Chase DeJong (Pittsburgh Pirates), (Hunter Greene (Cincinnati Reds), Mike Harris II (Atlanta Braves), who participated in the 2016 RBI World Series Jr. Division and the 2017 and 2018 RBI World Series, Josh Harrison (Philadelphia Phillies), Eloy Jimenez (Chicago White Sox), Ramon Laureano (Oakland A’s), Anthony Rendon (Los Angeles Angels), Dominic Smith (Washington Nationals), Dillon Tate (Baltimore Orioles) and Alek Thomas (Arizona Diamondbacks). Bradley (Texas Rangers Youth Academy RBI – ‘16), Crawford (Venice Boys & Girls Club RBI – ‘09), Green (Venice Boys & Girls Club RBI – ’13), Harris II (Cincinnati Reds Nike RBI – ‘17), Jimenez (Dominican Republic RBI – ’12), and Smith (Venice Boys & Girls Club RBI – ‘09) have each played in the RBI World Series.
The Nike RBI program, which has served approximately 2 million young people since its inception, is administered by Major League Baseball and designed to give young people from underserved and diverse communities the opportunity to play baseball and softball, while also encouraging academic achievement and success and teaching the value of teamwork and other important life lessons. Nike RBI currently serves youth in over 150 programs in approximately 200 cities worldwide. MLB and its Clubs have designated more than $40 million worth of resources to the Nike RBI program, and all 30 Clubs support Nike RBI leagues. For more information about the Nike RBI World Series, please visit MLB.com/rbiworldseries.