The All-Star Commissioner’s Cup and Jennie Finch Classic presented by ARM & HAMMMER is back at the Midsummer Classic, with competition between teams from around the country and Puerto Rico set to take place throughout Seattle. For the first time ever, a team from Seattle – Baseball Beyond Borders Nike RBI – will compete in the Commissioner’s Cup, while The Players Alliance has compiled a team of elite-level softball players from around the country named in home of Negro Leagues Legend Toni Stone (Toni’s Promise).  Below is the full round-up of teams representing their communities in this year’s All-Star tournaments, including those from various MLB Youth Academies around the U.S.:

Baseball – Commissioner’s Cup

• ‘Baseball Beyond Borders Nike RBI’, Seattle, WA
• Compton MLB Youth Academy, Compton, Calif.
• DREAM, Harlem, N.Y.
• P&G MLB Cincinnati Reds Youth Academy, Cincinnati, Ohio
• Texas Rangers MLB Youth Academy, Dallas, Texas
• Houston Astros MLB Youth Academy, Houston, Texas
• Kansas City Royals MLB Urban Youth Academy, Kansas City, Mo.
• New Orleans MLB Youth Academy, New Orleans, La.
• Philadelphia Phillies MLB Urban Youth Academy, Philadelphia, Pa.
• MLB Development Program Puerto Rico, San Juan, PR
• Washington Nationals Youth Baseball Academy, Washington, D.C.

Softball – Jennie Finch Classic presented by ARM & HAMMER

• MLB Youth Academy, Compton, Calif.
• DREAM Bronx & Harlem, N.Y.
• P&G MLB Cincinnati Reds Youth Academy, Cincinnati, Ohio
• Texas Rangers MLB Youth Academy, Dallas, Texas
• Finch’s Aces, Flemington, N.J.
• Houston Astros MLB Youth Academy, Houston, Texas
• Toni’s Promise by The Players Alliance, [various locations in U.S.]
• Kansas City Royals MLB Urban Youth Academy, Kansas City, Mo.
• New Orleans MLB Youth Academy, New Orleans, La.
• Philadelphia Phillies MLB Urban Youth Academy, Philadelphia, Pa.

The games of both tournaments, which are FREE and open to the public, will be played throughout Seattle beginning on Friday, July 7^th.  Commissioner’s Cup games will be primarily played at Lower Woodland Park Ballfields, which were renovated as part of the 2001 All-Star Legacy initiative the last time the Mariners hosted the Midsummer Classic. The Jennie Finch Classic games also will be played at Lower Woodland Park Ballfield as well as Seattle University’s Logan Field. Championship Game for both tournaments will be played on Monday, July 10^th at the University of Washington’s Husky Ballpark (Commissioner’s Cup) and Husky Softball Stadium (Jennie Finch Classic). Full game schedule for both Jennie Finch Classic and Commissioner's Cup events are included as a separate attachment.

In addition to the on-field excitement, players will also be treated to unique experiences during MLB All-Star week, including the HBCU Swingman Classic presented by T-Mobile and powered by the MLB-MLBPA Youth Development Foundation, Capital One PLAY BALL PARK, the MLB-USA Baseball High School All-American Game, All-Star Saturday and the T-Mobile Home Run Derby at T-Mobile Park. They’ll also take in some sights, including the Pike Place Market.  

The All-Star Commissioner’s Cup features 11 teams of youth baseball players (ages 17 and under) from MLB Youth Academies and Reviving Baseball in Inner Cities (Nike RBI) programs from around the country and in Puerto Rico. Seattle’s Baseball Beyond Borders annually competes in the Nike RBI program. In 2021, they clinched their first-ever berth to the Nike RBI World Series.

The All-Star Jennie Finch Classic presented by ARM & HAMMER, named after the legendary Olympic Gold Medal Winning softball player and MLB Youth Softball Ambassador, features 11 teams of youth softball players (ages 17 and under) from MLB Youth Academies, Nike RBI programs, and Jennie Finch softball programming. The Toni’s Promise team was a collaborative process by The Players Alliance, Minority Baseball Prospects, and MLB’s Baseball & Softball Development team, with the intention of putting together a team of young women of color to represent the entire Nation under the inspiration of the great Toni Stone. A particular focus was placed on young women who lived outside of main MLB markets in order to demonstrate the widespread appeal and passion for softball in communities everywhere.

All MLB Youth Academies provide educational programming, such as SAT/ACT preparation and tutoring. Each Academy’s goal is for 100 percent of the youth it serves to graduate high school. MLB Youth Academies also operate baseball vocational programming, offering its participants and members of the local community the opportunity to attend free seminars on umpiring, athletic field management, scouting and player development, sports and broadcast journalism, public relations and statistics, as well as athletic sports training. Major League Baseball is committed to providing opportunities through baseball and softball to young people from all backgrounds, particularly those from underserved communities, through the MLB Youth Academies. There are now 11 operational Academies in Bronx (New York), Chicago (Illinois), Cincinnati (Ohio), Compton (California), Dallas (Texas), Gurabo (Puerto Rico), Houston (Texas), Kansas City (Missouri), New Orleans (Louisiana), Philadelphia (Pennsylvania), Washington D.C.; with more in consideration. For additional information regarding the MLB Youth Academy, visit the website at: MLB.com/YouthAcademy