Academy Notebook: Texas Rangers Youth Academy voter registration; Julie Gonzalez advances to Pitch, Hit & Run National Finals; Whataburger Rising Stars

Voter registration and education event

The Texas Rangers Youth Academy is partnering with the Dallas League of Women Voters to hold a voter registration and education event at the West Dallas academy on Tuesday, Oct. 4.

The event will take place from 5:30-7 p.m. and is open to any unregistered voters looking to cast a ballot in the upcoming Texas elections or anyone interested in receiving information on when, where, and how to vote.

Registrants will be able to fill out printed voter registration forms on-site at the Youth Academy, which will then be processed and delivered to the appropriate local election offices.

The last day to register to vote for the 2022 Texas elections is Tuesday, Oct. 11. For more information on voter registration, visit lwvdallas.org.

Julie Gonzalez advances to MLB Pitch, Hit & Run National Finals

Texas Rangers Pitch, Hit & Run Regional Team Champion Julie Gonzalez has secured her place in the national finals, making her the first Rangers Academy athlete to advance to the last round of the Pitch, Hit & Run competition.

Gonzalez competed in the 12U softball division, taking first place at the Rangers Youth Academy local competition this summer with a score of 890 points. She and four of her Rangers Youth Academy teammates advanced to the Regional Team Championship last month at Globe Life Field, where Gonzalez again won her division, scoring a personal best of 1,110 points.

Gonzalez will compete in the final round of the competition against top performers from across the U.S. before Game 2 of the World Series later this month.

She will also be recognized for her accomplishments during pre-game ceremonies before the Rangers-Yankees 7:05 p.m. match-up on Tuesday, Oct.4.

Whataburger Rising Stars

Each year the Texas Rangers Youth Academy partners with Whataburger for the Whataburger Rising Stars Program, highlighting exceptional moments from the Rangers RBI season as well as summer programming and competitions.

This summer, Rangers Youth Academy coaches nominated athletes who displayed incredible performances on and off the field. Nine athletes were selected as the Rangers Whataburger Rising Stars of the summer and will be recognized on-field before the Rangers-Yankees series opener on Monday, Oct. 3 at 6:05 p.m.

Texas Rangers Youth Academy 2022 Whataburger Rising Stars:

Armando Valdez, Patriots: Armando was nominated for being a great teammate and willing to help those around him. He is a prime example of hard work paying off.

Shaun Williams, Express: Shaun was nominated for his outstanding performance during RBI games in May. He was dominant on the diamond and eventually selected to play for the Rangers Negro Leagues Museum Invitational team.

Syenna Pasillas, Vikings: Syenna was nominated for her incredible on-field performance during her team’s 3-1 victory over the Express in May.

Jackie Stone, Aztecas: Jackie was nominated for being an incredible teammate and displaying tremendous sportsmanship throughout the entire RBI season.

Maddox Johnson, Hickory: Maddox was nominated for consistently exerting maximum effort and displaying humility regardless of on-field performance. He was also the only player in the Rangers RBI junior baseball division to hit a home run over the fence this summer and was the youngest player named to the RBI Regional All-Star team.

Braylon Hubbard, Hickory: Braylon, the youngest player in the Rangers RBI league this summer, was nominated for his national championship-winning performance during the Jr. Home Run Derby Finals at MLB All-Star Week in Los Angeles.

Luciano Lopez, Summer Competitions: Luciano was nominated for his dominant performance during the Jr. Home Run Derby and Pitch, Hit & Run competitions this summer. He took first place in his age division in both local competitions.

Abigail Maldonado, Summer Programming: Abigail was nominated for her dedication and hard work during the Rangers Youth Academy summer programming session. In addition to attending scheduled 18U programming, she was active in the weight room and added additional agility training to improve her game.

Jax Brashear, Hard Hitters: Jax was nominated for his successful season on the mound and for being a great teammate in every situation. He was also named to the Rangers RBI Regional All-Star team, where he again proved to be a reliable arm.