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MLB

MLB

MLB Pitch Hit & Run finalists to compete at World Series

The annual MLB invitational will showcase young athletes before a worldwide audience as part of the Fall Classic.

Jeffrey May
Jeffrey MayJeff_DiarioAS
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Queens (United States), 17/10/2024.- Los Angeles Dodgers Max Muncy hits a solo home run off a pitch by New York Mets relief pitcher Tylor Megill during the ninth inning of the Major League Baseball (MLB) American League Championship Series playoff game three in Queens, New York, USA, 16 October 2024. The League Championship Series is the best-of-seven games and is tied 1-1. The winner of the National League Championship Series will face the winner of the American League Championship Series to advance to the World Series. (Liga de Campeones, Nueva York) EFE/EPA/CJ GUNTHER
CJ GUNTHEREFE

This Sunday, nearly four dozen kids from across the U.S., Canada, and Puerto Rico will step onto the same field as the pros at Dodger Stadium, taking part in something they’ve only dreamed about. It’s the 2024 MLB Pitch, Hit & Run Finals - a chance for young athletes, ages 7 to 14, to show what they’ve got during the World Series.

After months of local competitions, where thousands of kids competed, these finalists have earned their shot. The top five participants in both baseball and softball from each age group will battle it out, trying to prove they’ve got the best arm, bat, and legs in the game. And for a handful of them, this isn’t their first rodeo. Tatum Frisby, for instance, won last year in the 9-10 softball division, and she’s back again, hungrier than ever.

These young athletes - like 8-year-old Kaleb Gotay from Puerto Rico, 10-year-old Garin Fisher from New Jersey, and 14-year-old Carlos Ortiz, also from Puerto Rico - represent not just their hometowns but their countries and families, too. From Foster City, California to Ponce, Puerto Rico, they’ve all followed a similar path: practice, perseverance, and that nagging hope that this could be their moment.

It’s no small feat. The competition tests three core baseball skills: pitching accuracy, hitting power, and pure running speed. On Sunday morning at 9:00 a.m. PT, these kids will be under the spotlight, with a live stream on MLB.com showing every throw, swing, and sprint. For them, this isn’t just a fun outing - it’s the kind of moment they’ll tell stories about for the rest of their lives.

The 2024 Pitch, Hit & Run finalists

Age 7-8 Baseball

  • Dean Simpson, Durango, CO
  • Ozzie Thomason, Kansas City, MO
  • Gabriel Fer, Frederick, MD
  • Paixton Phan, Foster City, CA
  • Kaleb Gotay, Aibonito, Puerto Rico

Age 7-8 Softball

  • Penelope Milian, Parkland, FL
  • Sawyer Phillips, Coeburn, VA
  • Caylacyn Sanford, Pell City, AL
  • Mollie MacIntosh, Haverhill, MA
  • Sabella Rivera, Comerio, Puerto Rico

Age 9-10 Baseball

  • Garin Fisher, Jackson, NJ
  • Mason Fortman, Olathe, KS
  • Samuel Emmons, Santan Valley, AZ
  • Tanner Lund, Grand Forks, ND
  • Justin Cherbonneau, Bridgewater, NJ
  • Yashiam Arias, San Juan, Puerto Rico

Age 9-10 Softball

  • Piper Wade, Beavercreek, OH
  • Zoe Weinmann, Schaumburg, IL
  • Gianna Mollerdino, Arlington Heights, IL
  • Jordan Leonard, Fulshear, TX
  • Sid Thomas, State College, PA
  • Shanelle Cruz, Ponce, Puerto Rico

Age 11-12 Baseball

  • Kason Mann, Chambersburg, PA
  • Evan James, London, Ontario, Canada
  • Noah Henshaw, Holly Springs, NC
  • Samuel Klosowski, Newark, DE
  • Ronan Bobiles, Surrey, BC
  • Kinsler Farmer, Crandall, TX
  • Joal Sánchez, Aguas Buenas, Puerto Rico

Age 11-12 Softball

  • Tatum Frisby, Muskogee, OK
  • Emi Takekawa, Ankeny, IA
  • Madison Smith, Springboro, OH
  • Victoria VanAlmen, Tampa, FL
  • Kenzie Scott, Tucson, AZ
  • Alexandrea Johnston, Nassau, NY
  • Jireimy Texidor, Ponce, Puerto Rico

Age 13-14 Baseball

  • Andrew Brown, Gates, NC
  • Gunner Miller, Liberty, Indiana
  • Lucas Kreider, Parkesburg, PA
  • Matthew Passantino, Mount Sinai, NY
  • Carlos Ortiz, Yauco, Puerto Rico

Age 13-14 Softball

  • Victoria Budarz, Manchester CT
  • Kendall Hom, Foster City, CA
  • Kelsie Crowder, Greenfield, OH
  • Elise Peffly, El Dorado, KS
  • Brichnelix Centeno, Caguas, Puerto Rico

Being part of the World Series is special in its own right. The finalists will get to soak in the atmosphere of Game Two, being recognized for their achievements alongside their peers and the pros. And for some of these kids, they may be following in the footsteps of big-league stars who once stood where they are now. Players like Adley Rutschman, Andrew McCutchen, and Joey Gallo all started out just like them, in this very same competition.

Pitch, Hit & Run is just one part of MLB’s larger effort to get more kids involved in the game. Their PLAY BALL initiative is a way of making sure that kids everywhere have the chance to pick up a bat, glove, and ball - whether in leagues, at special events, or just by playing catch with their friends. Baseball can be as simple or as serious as you want it to be, and the beauty of it lies in those first moments when you start loving the game.

For the finalists, though, Sunday is all about taking their shot. The grass will be freshly cut, the crowd buzzing, and Dodger Stadium itself will feel larger than life. When the day is over, some will walk away champions, others with memories they’ll carry forever, and all of them knowing they’ve had the experience of a lifetime.

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