MLB Together celebrates mental wellness at RBI World Series

Even though all of the teams in the Nike RBI World Series were competing to win, the players also took some time to focus on their mental health and wellbeing through an activation put on by MLB Together earlier this week.

“We care about the whole kid,” said David James, Major League Baseball’s senior vice president of baseball and softball development. “Baseball isn’t everything that they are, and we want to make sure that we’re creating major league citizens with this program, regardless of whether they win or lose. Because as they start to mature in life, there are going to be times where it’s going to be hard and you may lose. [So], how do you handle that?”

The Nike RBI World Series, which features 24 baseball and softball teams from the United States, Puerto Rico and the Dominican Republic, kicked off on Monday at the Jackie Robinson Training Complex in Vero Beach, Fla. But before competition began, the young athletes were given the opportunity to take care of themselves.

The activation centered around overall mental wellness and finding ways to cope with stress. Activities included a petting zoo, cornhole and a gaming console with MLB The Show.

Some players found being around the animals at the petting zoo, which included small goats and pigs, to be a calming experience.

“I really like animals, especially baby animals,” said Steven Whittee, who had the chance to hold a baby goat. “It feels [really] natural. I feel like animals will listen to you. … I like it a lot, it’s [really] therapeutic.”

The reason for the wide array of activities was to allow athletes to find their own ways to deal with stress, according to April Brown, MLB’s senior vice president of social responsibility.

“We want to make sure that we introduce ways to reduce stress,” Brown said. “So for each person, that’s different.”

Brown and James also led a presentation for the athletes that featured an appearance by Dr. Jorge Aguilar, a consultant for MLB and team physician for New York City Football Club. Aguilar works with MLB’s Rookie Program and shared some advice with the Nike RBI World Series participants that he normally gives to Rookies.

“Your talents, your hard work and your love for the game helped you get here – helped you get here, right here, right now,” Aguilar said to the crowd of young players. “But, what’s going to really, really help you guys elevate your game, take it to the next level [and] see how good you could really get is your self care.”

Through the activation, MLB Together also found a way to give back to the community by partnering with Foster Love, a non-profit organization geared towards supporting foster children. Athletes packed special kits called “sweet cases” for children going to new foster homes. Players decorated bags before filling them with items such as teddy bears, blankets, baseballs and other items.

“It’s for a child that’s going to a new foster home to have something of their own,” Brown said. “[Something] that they can put their own things in and have to call their own when they step into a new environment.”

Jabril Shamsiddeen, one of the players who participated in the activation, explained why taking part in this initiative meant so much to him. He decorated one of the bags going to foster children with the phrase “Dream Big” painted on.

“I definitely relate to what they’re going through, you know?” Shamsiddeen said. “And I know at times it’s going to feel like they only have one certain path, you know? [Or] they’re limited to only being able to do so much. Hopefully it’ll resonate with them more when they get older, but dream big, you know? Dream big.”

While the focus for the players this week is on winning the Nike RBI World Series, Brown hopes that the young athletes were able to learn about ways to deal with challenges that not only arise on the baseball field, but in life as well.