Academy Notebook: Jason Flores to play in Baseball Factory All-America Game at Globe Life Field; Semien family food distributions conclude for summer; Hogg, Phillips shine in Hank Aaron Invitational Showcase
Jason Flores to play for National Team in Baseball Factory All-America Game at Globe Life Field
Jason Flores, one of Texas’ top-ranked Class of 2024 pitchers, was announced to the Baseball Factory All-America Game National Team roster.
The prestigious event, which features a collection of the top 40 high school players from across the country, will take place at Globe Life Field on Sunday, Aug. 13. Activities will begin at noon CT, and the game will be broadcast live on ESPNU.
Baseball Factory All-Americans were selected by a committee of scouts and will compete in workouts, a home run derby and the American vs. National team game as part of the event. The Baseball Factory All-America Game, powered by Under Armour, has produced more than 100 first-round draft picks.
Flores, a right-handed pitcher out of Naaman Forest High School, trains at the Texas Rangers Youth Academy and most recently played for the Rangers All-Star Commissioner’s Cup 17U team, where he showcased his power on the mound and at the plate in their second-place finish.
In his 2023 Perfect Game scouting reports, Flores has seen an increase of six MPH in his fastball velocity year over year, topping out at 96 MPH on June 15.
Semien and teammates participate in final food distribution of the summer
Marcus Semien and family, with help from his Texas Rangers teammates, participated in the last summer food distribution at the Texas Rangers Youth Academy.
The program coincided with Youth Academy summer baseball and softball programming and saw more than 1,500 boxes packed with fresh produce and non-perishables distributed to Academy athletes every Friday over the last 10 weeks.
For the grand finale of the 2023 Semien Family Food Distribution, fellow Rangers Josh Jung, Corey Seager and Will Smith, along with their significant others, distributed food alongside Semien, his wife Tarah and their three sons.
“It's great to have all my teammates here today and their wives,” said Semien. “It's important to not only me but our whole team to help the community and help these young men and women have good nutrition. Good baseball comes with good nutrition. That's what my wife Tara and I always talk about, and I’m glad we can help.”
It was an exciting conclusion to summer programming for the Academy athletes as they collected food, took photos and received autographs from their favorite Texas Rangers.
Austin Phillips, David Hogg get starting nod from manager Lou Collier in Hank Aaron Invitational Showcase
Texas Rangers Youth Academy infielders David Hogg II and Austin Phillips were selected among the top 44 athletes in Week 2 of the Hank Aaron Invitational (HAI) in Vero Beach, Fla., earning themselves a spot in the HAI Showcase game at Truist Park, home of the Atlanta Braves.
The pair started for Team Aaron in their 4-3 win over Team Robinson last Sunday, July 30.
Hogg played short and batted second in Lou Collier’s Team Aaron lineup, while Phillips played third and batted eighth.
Hogg was active on both sides of the ball with two singles, one RBI, one walk, four assists and four putouts in the seven-inning contest. Phillips had a pair of assists at the hot corner but was quiet in his three plate appearances.