Athletes at the Texas Rangers MLB Youth Academy at Mercy Street Sports Complex, Presented by Toyota, were treated to a surprise when they arrived for their regularly scheduled winter programming last week.
 
Texas Rangers players, in town for their own mini-camps which were also held at the facility, served as coaches for Academy participants on Wednesday, January 23, and Thursday, January 24. 
 
Rangers Major Leaguers and prospects worked with the budding baseball and softball players at the Academy by throwing batting practice, hitting fungo, working on throwing, and providing insight on their own experiences with many of the drills.  
 
Players who volunteered to participate in the event included infielder Patrick Wisdom, catcher Jose Trevino, and pitchers Connor Sadzeck, Ariel Jurado, Taylor Hearn, Jonathan Hernandez, Yohander Mendez, Kyle Bird, Brock Burke, Miguel Del Pozo, Wei Chieh Huang, Yoel Espinal, Ariel Hernandez, Emerson Martinez, Richelson Pena, Jordan Romano, Phillips Valdez, and Eli White.  
 
"As an organization, we preach the importance of giving back to the community from the minute the player puts on a Rangers uniform," said Paul Kruger, the Rangers Assistant Director for Player Development. 
 
"The opportunity that our players had to teach and coach young players at the Youth Academy regarding the proper fundamentals of becoming a better player and person on and off the field is something that goes beyond a box score. It helps the individual player and the community as a whole learn what it means to become a championship level person, which is our goal to create as Rangers."

Back in Season

Pinkston High School plays its first home game of the season Wednesday, February 6, hosting H. Grady Spruce High School on Hamilton Field.
 
The Vikings will play all their home games at the Academy for the second straight year in 2019. The facility will also support some scheduling for David W. Carter High School and Pinkston Middle School, in addition to hosting the Dallas ISD Middle School Softball Tournament in May. 
More High School Baseball at Academy this Season

After practicing and playing their home games at the Academy in 2018, Pinkston High School will once again call the facility home in 2019. The Vikings will take Oates Field for the first time of the season on Tuesday, February 5, hosting H. Grady Spruce High School at 5:00 p.m. 
 
The facility will also support scheduling for David W. Carter High School, Sunset High School, and other Dallas ISD games. High school baseball season will officially get underway tomorrow, Saturday, February 2, when Carter hosts Justin F. Kimball High School on Oates Field. 
 
Stacey Segal, Assistant Director of Athletics for Dallas ISD, schedules baseball and softball games for the district and said the Academy has been especially vital for this season.
 
"The year has been particularly challenging due to the number of fields we have lost due to bond improvements. Dallas ISD is currently renovating two of our high school baseball fields with lights and facilities have been hard to come by. Additionally, our three field softball complex went under construction. After moving 111 games, the Rangers Youth Academy has been a wonderful partner," Segal said.
 
New Pinkston Head Coach Cortez Cole, who saw the Academy from the visitor's dugout as an assistant with North Dallas High School last season, is excited to be part of the Pinkston team defending home field there. (Video of Cole discussing the pride of defending home field at the Academy is available here). 
 
"I'm familiar with it, but it's just surreal for it to be our home field," Cole said. "It's the focal point of the city, so everybody wants to play here. And just for it to be our home field, we get to day after day see it, it's amazing."

Camp Time
Through the first two weeks of the Winter Academy Training Session, 597 baseball and softball players have participated. 
 
Training is available for baseball and softball players ages 7 through 18 through Thursday, February 28.
 
Camp for the 18U athletes runs on Monday and Wednesday nights from 6:00-8:00 p.m. 
 
On Tuesday and Thursday nights, training will be available to the 12U athletes, also from 6:00-8:00 p.m.
 
Registration is available at https://texasrangersya.leagueapps.com/camps.