The Texas Rangers MLB Youth Academy at Mercy Street Sports Complex, Presented by Toyota, is set to host PLAY BALL events tomorrow, Friday, June 7 with help from a few special Texas Rangers guests.

Outfielder Willie Calhoun, RHP Kyle Dowdy, and LHP Jeffrey Springs will join campers at the Academy’s Summer Training Program from 11:30 a.m. to 12:00 p.m., then enjoy lunch with the young athletes until approximately 12:30 p.m.

Activities will be held on Oates Field, Adrián Beltré Field inside the Globe Life Training Center, and Kershaw’s Challenge Field.

The event is part of MLB’s PLAY BALL Weekend initiative, aimed at growing youth participation in baseball and softball.

Media is invited to attend Friday’s activities. Parking is available behind the Globe Life Training Center at 2303 Bickers Street, Dallas TX, 75212. Please contact the Communications Department at (817)273-5203 with any questions.

Pitch Hit & Run at Globe Life Park

The MLB Team Championship round of the Pitch Hit & Run competition comes to Globe Life Park in Arlington on Saturday, June 8, and several Academy participants will be among the competitors.

Aaliyah Ramirez (Dallas, Inspired Vision Academy) will compete in the 7/8 Softball Division, Ernesto Verdin (Duncanville, Moline High School) will compete in the 13/14 Baseball Division, Enrique Ojeda (Dallas, Eduardo Mata Elementary School) will compete in the 9/10 Baseball Division, and Andrew Paradez (Dallas, Withers Elementary School) will compete in the 11/12 Baseball Division.

Each advanced through the Local Competition round this spring to the Sectional Competition round where they were All-Around Champions for their division. Their scores were then compared to all other Sectional Round champions from the market, with only the top three Sectional All-Around Champions from each market advancing to Saturday’s MLB Team Championship.

In order to advance from the Team Championship to the National Finals during MLB All-Star week, participants must place first in their age group. The top three scores in each division age group out of all 30 MLB Team Championships will advance to the National Finals.

The Rangers edition of the MLB Team Championship round of competition comes to the field at Globe Life Park on Saturday beginning at 7:45 a.m. and lasting until approximately 9:30 a.m.

Joey Gallo’s Academy Athletes of the Month for May Honored

Angel Gomez and Rihanna Ramirez, the first two recipients of the new Joey Gallo’s Academy Athletes of the Month award, attended batting practice and were honored on the field at Globe Life Park in Arlington on Friday, May 31.

Each month from May through August, Academy coaches will select one female 12U participant and one male 12U participant who stood out, demonstrating great sportsmanship and character. The Joey Gallo Academy Athletes of the Month will meet Gallo during batting practice at a game at Globe Life Park, and receive a Joey Gallo Academy Athlete t-shirt and an autographed baseball. Honorees will also be recognized during a pre-game presentation that night.

Go Time

The Academy’s Summer Training Program is underway. Session A runs through June 28, and Session B will run from July 23 through August 16.

Programming is Tuesday through Friday mornings from 9:30 a.m. until 12:00 p.m.

Registration is available at https://texasrangersya.leagueapps.com/camps.

Marco Garcia Wong Invited to Hank Aaron Invitational

Marco Garcia Wong (junior, North Dallas High School) is set to join the list of Academy athletes participating in MLB showcase events across the country this summer. Wong was invited to participate in the Hank Aaron Invitational in Vero Beach, Florida from July 27 through August 2.

Other showcase events are on the horizon for Academy athletes, too.

Tatyana Beltran (sophomore, Life Waxahachie) will participate in the inaugural Girls Baseball Breakthrough Series in Vero Beach, Florida from June 15 through 18. The event is a joint effort on behalf of USA Baseball (USAB) and Major League Baseball designed to serve as a platform for players looking to pursue baseball at the next level.

Beltran plays baseball in the Rangers Academy RBI League and in March was selected for the first ever MLB Grit Invitational for high school girls to play baseball.

Ricky Rangel (junior, Duncanville high school) and Joshua Marcellus (junior, Sachse High School) will participate in the Breakthrough Series at the Compton Youth Academy in Compton, California from June 21 through 23.

Destiny Castillo (eighth grade, Reed Middle School), Miranda Lopez (sophomore, Woodrow Wilson High School), and Samantha Rodriguez (junior, Townview High School) were selected for the Elite Development Invitational, which will be held July 12 through 16 in Vero Beach, Florida. EDI is a five-day camp serving as an extended version of the Breakthrough Series. The intense program mirrors the USA Softball Women's National team's training camps.

Colin Moore (eighth grade, Rogers Middle School) and Austin Philips (eighth grade, Young Men’s Leadership Academy) have been invited to participate in the re-branded Hank Aaron Invitational, formerly known as the Elite Development Invitational. The unique amateur development event is a youth-oriented, on-field diversity initiative aiming to help high school-age players from diverse backgrounds to the next levels of the game. It will take place July 21 to 25 in Vero Beach, Florida.

Melanie Henderson-Lopez (junior, Irving High School) and Erin Ledesma (junior, Irma Rangel Young Women’s Leadership School) having represented the Rangers at the Softball Breakthrough Series at the Kansas City Royals Youth Academy from May 23 to 27.

RBI Rolling

The 2019 Texas Rangers Youth Academy RBI Summer League kicked off May 6. The Rangers Academy RBI League fields 10 senior division baseball teams, three junior division baseball teams, and 10 softball teams.

Athletes who participate in the RBI program also have the opportunity to work towards trying out to become Academy RBI All-Stars, traveling to represent the Academy in the RBI Southwest Regional and potentially beyond.

RBI baseball and softball schedules are below. Scheduling is subject to change. Changes will be posted to the @RangersYA Twitter and social media platforms.