The New York Yankees, in partnership with their High-A affiliate, the Hudson Valley Renegades, will host the Bhutan Baseball & Softball Association (BBSA) for an afternoon and evening of activities at Yankee Stadium on Wednesday, August 21. Delegates and 12 players from the organization will take a tour of Yankee Stadium, sit in on Aaron Boone’s pregame press conference, watch batting practice from the field, meet Yankees players, and then take in the team’s 7:05 p.m. game vs. Cleveland. Prior to their arrival at the Stadium, Major League Baseball will host the group for a tour of their offices in Manhattan.

The Bhutan Baseball & Softball Association’s visit to Yankee Stadium is part of a larger six-day trip to New York City and Dutchess County, which was arranged by the Renegades. After Hudson Valley General Manager Zach Betkowski learned about the BBSA from this MLB.com article, he reached out to BBSA’s co-founders Matthew DeSantis of Wilton, Conn., and Karma Dorji of Bhutan to see how Hudson Valley could help the BBSA grow. Conversations eventually turned from making a donation to the BBSA to making arrangements for their visit to the United States.

After arriving in New York yesterday, the group’s itinerary today will include a baseball clinic with Renegades coaches and players, followed by a business of baseball panel discussion at Hudson Valley’s Heritage Financial Park.

Tomorrow, Tuesday, August 20, the group will take a sightseeing tour of Dutchess County in the morning, then take part in “Bhutan Night” at the Renegades’ ballpark during Hudson Valley’s 6:35 p.m. game vs. Wilmington. During the game, the Renegades will wear special Bhutan-themed jerseys featuring the Druk, or “Thunder Dragon,” which is the national symbol of Bhutan. These jerseys, along with other unique items, are being auctioned off at this website, with proceeds going toward paying for the trip and providing further support for grassroots efforts to grow baseball in Bhutan.

“The Yankees are excited to welcome the Bhutan Baseball & Softball Association to Yankee Stadium, and we look forward to providing them an unforgettable experience,” said Yankees Senior Vice President and General Manager Brian Cashman. “Their joy of the game reminds me of how I felt about baseball when it was first introduced to me, and it also speaks to how many parts of the world still have room for our game to take root.”

Located on the eastern edge of the Himalayas in Southeast Asia, Bhutan is home to nearly 800,000 people. The BBSA currently features four baseball and four softball leagues for children ages 6-15, along with free grassroots clinics for individuals with any level of experience. Information about the BBSA may be found on the web at bhutanbaseball.org and on social media (@bhutanbaseball) on X, Instagram, Facebook and LinkedIn.