Academy Notebook: Texas Rangers Youth Academy PLAY BALL Weekend activities; Two academy athletes selected to attend Breakthrough Series

Texas Rangers PLAY BALL Weekend

The Texas Rangers and Texas Rangers Youth Academy will host PLAY BALL Weekend from Friday, June 10 to Sunday, June 12, as part of Major League Baseball’s PLAY BALL initiative. The Rangers will host several events for North Texas youth over the weekend that focus on celebrating the game and encouraging kids to play ball.

Youth Academy summer training

On Friday, June 10, the Texas Rangers Youth Academy will host a special summer programming session with fun competition-style drills and PLAYBALL giveaways.

Youth Academy graduation ceremony

On Friday at 7 p.m., the Youth Academy will hold a graduation ceremony for the 16 senior student-athletes in the Class of 2022. Students will receive Youth Academy diplomas and custom baseball cards with highlights from their time playing at the Academy.

Youth Academy RBI Takeover

On Saturday, the Academy will host an RBI Takeover that will include a full day of baseball and softball games beginning at 9 a.m. Texas Rangers alumni Steve Buechele and Mark McLemore will toss the ceremonial first pitch and coach opposing teams for the first Rangers RBI 18U Baseball game between the Vikings and Panthers.

MLBPAA Legends for Youth Clinic

The Major League Baseball Players Alumni Association (MLBPAA) will host a Legends for Youth Clinic from 9 a.m. to noon at the Texas Rangers Youth Academy. Former MLB players expected to participate include Jeff DeWillis, Chris Gissell, Dan Smith, Choo Freeman, Jimmy Serrano, Pedro Villarreal, Bill Bordley and Jack Lazorko.

PLAY BALL Clinic at Globe Life Field

The weekend will conclude with a free PLAY BALL clinic at Globe Life Field on Sunday, June 12. From 3-5 p.m., athletes ages 6 to 14 will take the field like true major leaguers and participate in activities like hitting, throwing, base running and more.

Austin Phillips and David Hogg selected to attend MLB Develops Breakthrough Series

Texas Rangers Youth Academy athletes Austin Phillips and David Hogg were selected to participate in the invitation-only MLB Develops Breakthrough Series. The Breakthrough Series brings together top athletes from the MLB and USA Baseball diversity pipeline for a unique program that focuses on developing players on and off the field.

Phillips and Hogg left for the Jackie Robinson Training Complex earlier this week on June 6 and will return to DFW on June 10. During the five-day program, athletes receive high-level instruction, attend seminars, gain mentorship from coaches and former MLB players, compete in gameplay and showcase their skills in scout evaluations and video coverage.

Breakthrough Series participants will leave Florida with new skills, friends and connections with college scouts and coaches, setting them up for continued advancement in baseball and life.

Rangers RBI baseball & softball schedule

More from MLB.com