Cleveland, OH – The Cleveland Guardians today announced the addition of Cleveland State University (CSU) Club Baseball to its 2024 Guardians Nike RBI program.

The Guardians Nike RBI program is part of Major League Baseball’s larger Reviving Baseball in Inner Cities (RBI) youth outreach program, designed to increase participation and interest in baseball and softball for underrepresented and diverse communities. While the Guardians Nike RBI program is comprised of a majority of Cleveland Metropolitan School District (CMSD) students, the Vikings addition to the 2024 Guardians Nike RBI program stems from the professional club’s desire to increase support for athletics at CSU and provide local Cleveland youth with the opportunity to play baseball beyond the high school level.

“Our Guardians Nike RBI program has made significant leaps over the last three years. Led by a team of devoted coaches, our RBI players commit to year-round programming where we emphasize not just cultivating strong on-field athletes but building resilient citizens ready to take on life’s challenges,” says Raphael Collins, Assistant Director of Community Impact and Diversity Initiatives. “We’re thrilled to add such a strong institution like Cleveland State University into our RBI family.”

CSU is an approved school in the Say Yes! Cleveland education program, which allows qualified CMSD graduates to attend eligible higher education institutions tuition-free. This partnership creates an additional pathway for local CMSD baseball players in the Guardians Nike RBI program to pursue higher education at a tuition-free rate and play baseball at the collegiate level.

“We look forward to seeing many young players climb through the ranks of the Guardians Nike RBI program and hopefully find a home here at CSU,” says Nicholas Petty, Associate Vice President of Student Belonging and Success at the university. “We believe in the purpose of [the Guardians Nike RBI program] and supporting these players so much that we will also provide housing grants to a limited number of eligible players who choose to attend CSU.”

The entirely student-run CSU Club Baseball team will take on a compelling game schedule this season, with Historic League Park in Cleveland serving as the Vikings primary home. League Park became the Cleveland Guardians first home in 1901, with the organization playing games at the historic location through 1946. The park has since been renovated with an artificial turf playing surface project completed in 2014. CSU Club Baseball games are free to attend. Fans of the team can also keep up with the Vikings by following the team on Instagram at @csu_clubbaseball, on X at @csu_clubbasebal or on Game Changer using the following link: http://web.gc.com/teams/LVBou6pnPYJS/live

For more information about the Guardians Nike RBI program, or any other Guardians youth baseball and softball initiatives, visit CLEGuardians.com/youthbaseball.