Academy Notebook: Texas Rangers Youth Academy 12U Wood Bat Classic; Texas Rangers Youth Academy fifth anniversary

Texas Rangers Youth Academy 12U Wood Bat Classic

The Texas Rangers Youth Academy will host a three-team 12U Wood Bat Classic baseball tournament Saturday, Dec. 10, and Sunday, Dec. 11.

Three Rangers Youth Academy teams, the Rough Riders, Crawdads and Wood Ducks, will compete against one another to be named the 12U Wood Bat Classic Champions. Each team’s roster will be comprised of the Academy’s top 12U ball players, drafted by coaches following tryouts in late November.

The tournament will begin Saturday, Dec. 10, with round-robin games to determine seeding for Sunday’s semi-final and championship games.

Games throughout the weekend will take place on Kershaw’s Challenge Field, with the complete schedule outlined below.

Texas Rangers Youth Academy to celebrate fifth anniversary in 2023

Nearly six years ago, the Texas Rangers MLB Youth Academy at the Mercy Street Sports Complex, presented by Toyota was officially opened.

After months of construction to revamp the existing Johnny Oates Field and build the new state-of-the-art indoor Globe Life Training Center, the Texas Rangers Youth Academy opened with a ceremonial ribbon cutting Dec. 19, 2017.

Entering its sixth full year in operation, the Rangers and Rangers Foundation will celebrate the fifth anniversary of the Texas Rangers Youth Academy throughout 2023.

Since its completion, the Youth Academy has impacted tens of thousands of student-athletes ranging in age from 7 to 18 years old, not only in the West Dallas community but across the entire Metroplex.

“In five years, we have built something that the community can be incredibly proud of,” said Juan Leonel Gárciga, Senior Director of Youth Academy & Baseball Development. “It’s a place that young people can look to as a second home where they can receive the support and encouragement needed to help them achieve their full potential. It has been an incredible collaboration between donors, corporate sponsors, community leaders, volunteers and the amazing staff that believes in the mission of developing Major League Citizens.

“Seeing the impact that we’ve had in just five years serves as fuel for our team to continue the work we are doing and generates excitement for what the next five years will bring. There are countless stories of young people who have had the trajectory of their lives changed for the better through their involvement with the Rangers Youth Academy and the support they have received from adults who are passionate about working with young people.”

The Rangers Youth Academy continues to grow, with nearly 7,500 athletes participating in programming in 2022 compared to less than 2,000 in 2018.

Additionally, over the past several years, $110,000 of college scholarships have been distributed to Rangers RBI participants, and 79 Rangers Youth Academy athletes have either signed or committed to playing college baseball and softball.

Off the field, thousands of families have benefitted from educational programming through Buckner International courses and the dozens of annual events hosted at the Youth Academy, including back-to-school and food distributions.

The Texas Rangers Youth Academy will celebrate the anniversary through special initiatives throughout 2023, but most importantly will continue to be there for its athletes through year-round baseball and softball programming and off-field development opportunities.