Two kids from the Seattle area are among 40 kids from across the U.S. and Canada who advanced to the national finals of Major League Baseball's youth skills competition, which will be held at Marlins Park in Miami in conjunction with MLB's All-Star events.
Jonathan Berus of Seattle will participate in the 11-12 Age Division of the baseball Pitch, Hit & Run skills competition, and Jakob Schulz of Mercer Island will compete in the 12-and-Under age division in the Jr. Home Run Derby. Both advanced to the national finals after the Pitch, Hit & Run Team Championships at Safeco Field on Sunday.
The Jr. Home Run Derby finals will be held at Marlins Park on Saturday, July 8. Winners will be recognized at the T-Mobile Home Run Derby at on Monday, July 10. The Scotts MLB Pitch, Hit & Run finals is scheduled for Monday, July 10, prior to the Gatorade All-Star Workout Day.
The finalists of both competitions will attend various All-Star Week activities including MLB All-Star FanFest at the Miami Beach Convention Center (July 7th-11th), All-Star Sunday featuring the SiriusXM All-Star Futures Game and All-Star Legends & Celebrity Softball Game (July 9th) and Gatorade All-Star Workout Day featuring the T-Mobile Home Run Derby (July 10th).
Pitch, Hit & Run is the official skills competition of Major League Baseball. The grassroots program is designed to provide youth across North America with an integrated competition that recognizes individual excellence in core baseball and softball skills. Boys and girls compete in four age groups: 7/8, 9/10, 11/12, 13/14.
Beginning in March, 625,000 youth participated I more than 4,500 competitions in baseball or softball throughout the U.S. and Canada. , and have the chance to advance through four levels of competition including the Local, Sectional, Team Championship and National Finals. Pitch, Hit & Run and Jr. Home Run Derby are part of MLB's PLAY BALL initiative, the sport's largest collective effort to encourage young people to participate in baseball or softball-related activities. PLAY BALL aims to highlight the fun and community-focused nature of the game at the Major League, professional, amateur and youth levels. In addition to flagship partnerships with USA Baseball and USA Softball, PLAY BALL is also supported by all 30 MLB Clubs, Minor League Baseball, the U.S. Conference of Mayors, and MLB Corporate Partners Chevrolet, Scotts and Nathan's Famous.
The 88th Midsummer Classic will be televised nationally by FOX Sports.
Jr. Home Run Derby National Finalists
12 and Under Age Division
Luziano Casados
Albuquerque, N.M.
Braylen Lee
Oakland, Ky.
RJ Ruais
McKinney, Texas
Dakota Thomas
Lincoln, Neb.
Hunter Tyson
Ocilla, Ga.
Jakob Schulz
Mercer Island, Wash.
KJ Scobey
Lakeland, Fla.
Nazier Mule
Paterson, N.J.
2017 Scotts MLB Pitch, Hit & Run BASEBALL Finalists
Ages 11-12
Jonathan Berus
Seattle, Wash.
Yonathan Hernandez
Roswell, N.M.
Devon MacDonald-Keeling
London, Ont., Canada