Expanded pool of teams to participate in 2023 Nike RBI Southwest Regional; Winners advance to World Series in August

DALLAS — For the third consecutive year, the Texas Rangers MLB Youth Academy at Mercy Street Sports Complex, presented by Toyota, will act as the host site for Major League Baseball’s Nike RBI Southwest Regional Tournament from July 21-23.

MLB’s Nike Reviving Baseball in Inner Cities (RBI) program operates worldwide and is designed to provide young people from underserved and diverse communities the opportunity to play baseball and softball while teaching the value of teamwork and encouraging academic success.

Nike RBI All-Star teams from across the region will travel to West Dallas to participate in the three-day tournament, including programs from Arkansas, Colorado, Louisiana and Texas.

Prior to the tournament tomorrow, Wednesday, July 19, former professional softball player and U.S. Olympian Jennie Finch will host a pitching clinic for 20 Texas Rangers Youth Academy softballers.

As part of Finch’s pitching tour, which stops at eight MLB Youth Academies across the country, tomorrow’s clinic begins at 5:30 p.m. at the Texas Rangers Youth Academy’s Kershaw Field. Athletes will work closely with Finch on pitching skills, including wind-up mechanics, spin and power, and goal setting.

Select Texas Rangers Youth Academy pitchers participating in Finch’s clinic will compete for the Rangers in the softball division of the Southwest Regional Tournament.

The Rangers will host all three divisions for the Nike RBI Southwest Regional— 15U baseball, 18U baseball and 18U softball.

Teams will compete in pool play Friday, July 21, and Saturday, July 22, with the top two teams in each division advancing to the championship games Sunday, July 23.

Softball games will be played on Kershaw’s Challenge Field and Josh “Hambone” Hamilton Field at the Texas Rangers Youth Academy. Baseball games will take place on Johnny Oates Field and the Field of Dreams at the Rangers Youth Academy, in addition to the Dallas Independent School District’s Higgins Baseball Field.

All tournament games will be open to the public at no cost, beginning at 8 a.m. Friday, with regional winners advancing to the MLB Nike RBI World Series at the Jackie Robinson Training Complex in Vero Beach in August.