Academy Notebook: Rangers Nike RBI Scholarship, presented by Nathaniel Lowe; Rangers Nike RBI Opening Day & season preview

Youth Academy accepting applications for Rangers Nike RBI Scholarship, presented by Nathaniel Lowe

With the start of the Rangers Nike RBI season, the Texas Rangers Youth Academy has opened applications for the Rangers Nike RBI Scholarship, presented by Nathaniel Lowe.

Texas Rangers first baseman and 2022 American League Silver Slugger award-winner Lowe has committed to sponsoring the Youth Academy’s two $5,000 college scholarships for Rangers Nike RBI student-athletes this summer.

Graduating seniors who will play in the Rangers Nike RBI League this season are encouraged to apply for the scholarships designed to support student-athletes who will not receive a full athletic scholarship but possess a desire to continue their academic education.

Applicants must provide two letters of recommendation, information on extracurricular activities, a copy of an official high school transcript and one or more college acceptance letters.

Before submitting their applications by mail or via email, students must also answer the following short essay prompts:

• Pick an experience from your own life and explain how it has influenced who you are today. (500 words)
• How has the Rangers RBI program affected your life? (200 words)
• Identify and describe one quality that you believe sets you apart from your peers. (200 words)

The Rangers Nike RBI Scholarship Advisory Committee will review the applications and make their decisions based on several criteria, including the contents of the submitted written materials, overall academic achievement and financial need.

The parents or guardians of all registered Rangers Nike RBI participants received an emailed scholarship application in the pre-season materials. Applications may be submitted through Friday, June 2.

Major League Baseball has also extended its application period for the $20,000 RBI for RBI Scholarship through Saturday, June 3. Details on the MLB RBI for RBI Scholarship are outlined in the Rangers Academy Notebook from March 10.

Rangers Nike RBI Opening Day

Opening Day for the Texas Rangers Nike RBI summer league will take place this Saturday, May 13, with a full slate of baseball and softball games.

As part of Major Leagues Baseball’s Nike Reviving Baseball in Inner Cities (RBI) program, the Rangers Nike RBI League is designed to give youth from underserved and diverse communities the opportunity to play baseball and softball.

The eight-week season will continue through July as teams practice and play competitive seven-inning games every week at no cost, saving families hundreds of dollars in summer league registration fees and travel expenses.

This year, the Rangers Youth Academy has nearly 500 area youth ages 13-18 registered to play on 31 teams across the four junior and senior baseball and softball divisions.

Senior Baseball season preview:

The senior baseball division will feature a record-setting 11 teams playing weeknight games on Johnny Oates Field and the Field of Dreams.

Teams to watch this season include the Crawdads, Hard Hitters, Down East and RoughRiders.

The Crawdads will look to top their 2022 second-place finish with key returners Nikolas Smith and Esteban Machuca, while the Hard Hitters roster will include powerhouse middle infielder David Hogg II, who is currently committed to LSU.

Down East will have a strong presence at the plate with Jr. Home Run Derby sensations Braylon Hubbard and Maddox Johnson on the team alongside several 2020 12U Andre Dawson Classic alumni.

The RoughRiders super team will feature Grambling State University catcher Chris Marcellus in his last year of eligibility and seven college commits, including Wesley Grant, Ajani Lyons, Austin Phillips, Steven Ramos and others.

Junior Baseball season preview:

Nine junior baseball teams will face off in doubleheaders scheduled every Saturday, and per league rules, batters will start with a 1-1 count.

The 2022 championship-winning Seahawks hope to repeat their dominant performance as Hickory looks for redemption after a second-place finish last season.

This year the junior division will feature two female baseball players on the Outlaws, Daisy Armendariz and Jordan Gilreath, alumni of the MLB Develops Trailblazer Series in 2022 and 2023, respectively.

Additionally, two stand-out 12-year-olds, Mason Berry and Joshua White, will play with the high schoolers this summer after a pair of stellar performances in the Jr. Home Run Derby in April. Berry will play for the Wood Ducks and White will play for Hickory.

Senior Softball season preview:

The senior softball division will include seven teams competing in weeknight doubleheaders on Kershaw and Hamilton Fields.

Last year's runner-up Aztecas, will look to claim the elusive championship trophy with help from 2022 Rangers All-Star Gio Frias and Paris Junior College shortstop Ximena Zamarron, returning for her last year of eligibility.

The RoughRiders, Wood Ducks, and Hickory will all feature impressive rosters that look to rival the Aztecas.

The RoughRiders roster includes stand-out players Savanna Vargas and Shantia Haymer, while the Wood Ducks have college commits Trenity Okedele and Briana Rodriguez and three former Rangers All-Stars. A young Hickory team will include power hitter Abigail Oliver and two seventh-graders with the skills to compete in the senior division.

Junior Softball season preview:

The junior softball division will consist of four teams playing Saturday doubleheaders with an automatic 1-1 count, per league rules.

Two former Rangers Youth Academy athletes turned coaches will lead their own teams this year. Erin Ledesma will coach the Crawdads, while Gigi Garcia leads the Express with several players to watch, including Kayla Clemmons, Lily Amezaga Sanchez and Jayleen Ramos.

To conclude the season, the four teams will face off in a double-elimination post-season tournament to crown the 2023 Rangers Nike RBI junior softball champion.