Over 120 Baseball and Softball Athletes to Learn and Participate in Three-Day Development Event at the Jackie Robinson Training Complex in Vero Beach, Florida
Coaching Staff to Consist of USA Women’s Baseball and Softball National Team Alumni, MLB Ambassadors and Former MLB Players
Major League Baseball today announced the rosters for the 12th annual ‘Elite Development Invitational,’ the joint girls’ baseball and softball development event held at the Jackie Robinson Training Complex in Vero Beach, Florida on June 24th-26th. Held last year at the Kansas City Urban Youth Academy and previously in Vero Beach, the event will host both girls’ baseball and softball for the third consecutive year. Over 120 elite female athletes are slated to participate, with over 60 participating each in baseball and softball.
Participants represent some of the top athletes from the MLB Youth Academy and Nike RBI network, including over 30 players on the softball side who are members of these respective programs and academies. This year’s event will also feature athletes from USA Softball and external programs. Overall, the event will host athletes from 26 states, Puerto Rico, and Canada, with both the baseball and softball divisions individually drawing from 21 states. Both full rosters can be found here.
Both the baseball and softball portions of the event focus on on-field development and gameplay. Additionally, participants in both will take part in identical off-field programming, including sessions on college recruiting, women in sports, position-specific development, strength and conditioning, and mental performance training.
Instruction throughout the week will be led by a coaching staff of 12 baseball and softball coaches, which include four MLB Ambassadors and over 10 USA Women’s National Team alumni, featuring Jennie Finch and Natasha Watley.
2026 Elite Development Invitational Baseball Coaching Staff
• Veronica Alvarez – MLB Ambassador, Athletics Player Development Coordinator – Latin America, Former USA Women’s National Team Manager and Player
• Karavin Dew – USA Baseball Women’s Training Camp Coach; Former Cincinnati Reds Affiliate Performance Coach
• Amanda Gianelloni – USA Baseball Women’s National Team Member, Current WPBL Player
• Alex Hugo – USA Baseball Women’s National Team Member, Two-Time USA Baseball Sportswoman of the Year
• Anna Kimbrell – USA Women’s National Team Member, Pan American Games Gold Medalist
• Calvin Pickering – 2026 USA Baseball Women’s National Team Training Camp Coach, Six-Year MLB Veteran
• Michael Kinkade – 2026 USA Baseball Women’s National Team Manager, Six-Year MLB Veteran
• Kylee Lahners – USA Baseball Women’s National Team Member, Current WPBL Player
• Meggie Meidlinger – USA Baseball Women’s National Team Member, 2024 USA Baseball Sportswoman of the Year
• Alex Oglesby – Former USA Baseball Women’s National Team Coach and Player
• Stacy Piagno – Former USA Baseball Women’s National Team Member, Current WPBL Player
• Kelsie Whitmore – USA Baseball Women’s National Team Member, Current WPBL Player
2026 Elite Development Invitational Softball Coaching Staff
• Casey Cromwell – Washington University of St. Louis Softball Head Coach, Returning MLB Develops Coach
• Taylor Edwards – Former USA Softball National Team Member, Former AUSL Athlete
• Jennie Finch – MLB Ambassador, 2X Olympic Medalist, Former USA Softball National Team Member
• Lauren Gipson (Chamberlain) – MLB Ambassador, Former USA Softball National Team Member
• Lauren Haeger – 2X Women’s College World Series Champion, 2X Collegiate All-American, 2015 USA Softball Collegiate Player of the Year
• Victoria Hayward – University of Nevada Softball Head Coach, Former AUSL Talons Player
• Chelsea Holliday – Bluefield State University Softball Head Coach, Returning MLB Develops Coach
• Jessica Jacobson – NJ Thunder RBI Softball Coach, Returning MLB Develops Coach, Former Collegiate Coach
• Ronnie Lopez – University of Nevada Assistant Director of Strength and Conditioning, Returning MLB Develops Coach
• Bella Norton – University of Missouri Softball Assistant Coach, Returning MLB Develops Coach
• Sami Reynolds – Up North Academy Founder, 2022 Canada Cup Champion
• Natasha Watley, MLB Ambassador, 2X Olympic Medalist, Former USA Softball National Team Member
• Brittney Williams – Southern University Softball Head Coach, 2026 SWAC Coach of the Year, Returning MLB Develops Coach