Academy Notebook: Whataburger Rising Stars of July?

A trio of athletes from the Texas Rangers MLB Youth Academy at Mercy Street Sports Complex, presented by Toyota, were honored for their play during the Academy’s summer RBI league by being selected as Whataburger Rising Stars for July.

Caleb Richardson led his team in hitting and was also a threat on the basepaths. Richardson (2024, Carter High School) also earned a spot on the 15U team in the Rangers Academy RBI All-Star Game at Globe Life Field on Aug. 5.

Margarita Nava (2023, Pinkston High School) played anywhere she was needed and used her track speed to beat out infield singles and steal bases at will, also earning a Whataburger Rising Stars nod for the month.

At 14 years old, Ana Gonzalez was the youngest player selected to participate in the RBI All-Star games at Globe Life Field. She was also named a Whataburger Rising Star for July.

Showcasing Prospects

High school baseball players from Texas, Oklahoma and neighboring states were on the field at the Academy from Aug. 7-9 for the 20th annual Perfect Game South Prospect Showcase.

Daniel Cox, Matthew De Leon, Anthony Winters and Danny Deaver are Academy regulars who participated in the event.

Cox (Skyline High School, 2021) was a member of the Rangers 2018 and 2019 teams in the Commissioner’s Cup Tournament as part of All-Star weekend. The pitcher and third baseman logged a top 15 exit velocity of the 250 plus participants. In the Perfect Game Showcase on Aug. 7, he fanned four over three innings of work.

De Leon (2021, Skyline High School) is a shortstop and second baseman who competed in the Senior Division Baseball Academy RBI All-Star game at Globe Life Field.

Winters (2022, Lake Ridge High School) is a centerfielder who competed in the Baseball Junior Division All-Star game at Globe Life Field. Winters turned in a 1.67 during the showcase to finish in the Top 10-Yard Split Times.

Deaver (2023, Allen High School) is a pitcher and outfielder who competed in the Baseball Junior Division All-Star game at Globe Life Field.

Perfect Game works to promote amateur baseball players by providing scouting reports, grades, and video clips.

Backpack to School

The third annual Comerica Bank Backpack Distribution event takes place at the Academy today, Friday, August 14, from 5:30 – 7 p.m. Activities will be hosted in the Kershaw parking lot located at 3500 Goldman Street.

In support of back to school season, Comerica Bank and the Texas Rangers Baseball Foundation will donate 400 backpacks to West Dallas Youth.

Every backpack will be filled with several beneficial school supplies for primary school and secondary school age youth. Vouchers for the backpacks have already been distributed to Academy participants, as well as youth in the West Dallas area.

“We are honored to partner with the Texas Rangers Baseball Foundation on its Back to School event again this year,” said Brian Foley, Comerica Bank Texas Market President. “Serving and supporting our community during this unique time in history is of critical importance to Comerica. We remain committed to providing much-needed resources to underserved families as we strive to raise expectations of what a bank can be in the communities we serve.”

NOTE TO MEDIA: Media outlets are welcome to cover Friday’s backpack distribution at the Academy. Media will be required to follow the Academy’s safety protocols, which include wearing face coverings and maintaining proper social distancing. The Academy is located at: 2303 Bickers Street, Dallas, TX 75212.

Lunch Distribution

The Texas Rangers Baseball Foundation kicked off a series of eight lunch distributions at the Academy on Monday, Aug. 11.

“We love providing baseball and softball instruction for our West Dallas families and our Academy families, but we know that, beyond that, our families are facing some really challenging times during this COVID epidemic. So we are handing out lunches to the kids every Monday and Friday for the next four weeks, just to give them a chance to take a break and also have some fun meals from some of our partners,” said Texas Rangers Vice President of Community Outreach and Executive Director of the Texas Rangers Baseball Foundation Karin Morris.

To-go meals for West Dallas youth will be distributed via a drive-thru outside the Globe Life Indoor Training Center with meals provided by several Rangers sponsors, including Food for the Soul, 7-11, Chick-Fil-A and Papa Johns.

7-11 has also contributed a $20,000 check to aid in the Foundation’s efforts to assist those impacted by COVID-19.

The second in the series of distribution events occurred today, Friday, Aug. 14. Six additional distributions are scheduled for Monday, Aug. 17; Friday, Aug. 21; Monday, Aug. 25; Friday, Aug. 28; Monday, Sep. 1; and Friday, Sep. 4.

The first 200 kids will be served, while supplies last.

Buckner Virtual Programming

Academy athletes are continuing to take part in virtual classes offered by Buckner International’s Family Hope Center at the Rangers MLB Youth Academy. Online summer classes in both English and Spanish began four weeks ago, while in-person classes will resume once the Academy’s indoor facilities reopen.