MLB GRIT girls turning the page for America's pastime

VERO BEACH -- Standing atop the green grass and orange clay of the Jackie Robinson Training Complex, 25 girls picked up their gloves and bats in preparation for a sunlit afternoon of Florida baseball workouts.

They talked and smiled as they soaked up the knowledge of professionals. They gritted their teeth as they concentrated on making tough plays.

And as the three-hour scene unfolded, one had to wonder how fitting it was that the sport's future was being forged in one of baseball’s vintage stadiums.

“Coming here and being surrounded by such great people, these supportive girls that I don’t know, I come here and it’s just like one big family,” said 15-year-old Leah Batterson.

Of the 25 girls, the MLB GRIT Girls ID Tour hosted hometown baseball players, those throughout the state of Florida, and athletes like Dakota Kuijer, who hailed all the way from Ontario, Canada.

While the wide age group ranged from 12-17 years old for those participating in the showcase on Sunday, the common goal for women’s success in a male-dominated sport colored the narrative -- as did the drive for positive change in America’s favorite pastime.

“We’re trying to build it so there’s programming for 11 years old on up and expose them, too, to females in the space, so they know, ‘Hey, there are opportunities for you here,’” said senior coordinator of baseball and softball development Sarah Padove.

Among those evaluating the girls were several trailblazers in their own right, including Alexandria Rigoli, professional scouting manager for the Marlins, and Sydney Malone, amateur scouting coordinator for the Tampa Bay Rays.

“I don’t necessarily see myself as a trailblazer because there have been so many women before me that I looked up to as role models, and they’re the ones that propelled me into this position,” Malone said. “I’m definitely in the role I am because of the women that came before me.”

While they were there to evaluate the talented girls taking the field in front of them, Rigoli also spoke on the larger-scale goals of events like MLB’s GRIT program, alongside other initiative-based programs like Girls Baseball Breakthrough Series and the Elite Development invitational.

“To just inspire the generation after us to know that if they’re interested in that and they’re passionate, and that’s what they want to do, the door is open to you. Go for it,” Rigoli said.

Sunday’s showcase was aided by former athletes like Bryan Augenstein, who pitched at the Major League level, Jesse Litsch, who played for the Blue Jays, and Kendrick Willis, president of MLB’s RBI program.

“It’s been amazing to actually have the opportunity to do this, and to actually get the recognition from people that have made it far in baseball is pretty awesome,” said 15-year-old A’lana Martinez.

“It’s not very far, but it’s come a long way since I was younger,” Martinez continued, speaking on the evolution of women in baseball. “It was always softball, softball, softball. And I never liked it. And now that there are opportunities like this, it’s growing the sport a lot for girls.”

Martinez ran a blazing time from home plate to second base in the speed drills.

Fellow high schooler Jordan Hartman made an impressive catch in the outfield, ranging backward to track the ball.

And alongside Batterson, Ava Zamora and Janelle Calvet both launched throws to home plate from the outfield, each rendering the cutoff unnecessary.

“I feel like a lot of people doubt right now,” Calvet said. “But as long as we come together and show what we’ve got . . . I take it very seriously. It’s a point I have to prove myself, and I’ve worked too hard not to.”

Her play on Sunday and the play of the talented girls around her impressed plenty, and while each of the girls came in to represent themselves, they also represented the future for women in baseball.

The girls had their individual heroes in the sport, those they could thank for inspiring them to take the path they have – and to continue along it, despite the difficulties.

For Martinez, it wasn’t any one person who filled that role.

“Honestly, the heroes are probably the people that I meet here,” she said. “To show that they cherish and are welcoming to the girls that play the sport of baseball.”