Texas Rangers Youth Academy athlete and Woodrow Wilson High School freshman Savannah Vargas helped lead Team Mexico to a 4-1 record and second-place finish at the World Baseball Softball Confederation U-15 Pan American Championship hosted in Acapulco, Mexico from March 22-28.
She batted .435/.500/.739/1.239 (10-for-23) with a tournament-leading seven doubles and eight RBI across eight games over the course of the week-long event, including a 1-for-3 showing as Mexico¡¯s catcher and cleanup hitter in a 5-0 loss to Team USA in the Gold Medal game last Friday.
The left-handed batter and right-handed thrower finished the event ranked among tournament leaders in doubles (first), total bases (third, 17), RBIs (fourth), hits (Tied-sixth) and slugging percentage (10th).
By placing among the top four teams in the tournament, Vargas and Team Mexico secured a spot in WBSC U-15 Women¡¯s Softball World Cup 2025, which is set to be played in Legnano, Italy, from June 27 to July 5.
Earlier this month, Savannah was also selected to represent the Texas Rangers Youth Academy as a member of the program¡¯s roster for the 2025 Jennie Finch Classic in Atlanta this July.
QUICK HITS
Texas Rangers Youth Academy athlete selected to participate in MLB Develops Breakthrough Series
What it is: Established in 2008, the Breakthrough Series focuses on growing MLB¡¯s pipeline of diverse talent by developing players on and off the field through seminars, mentorship, gameplay, scout evaluations and video coverage, while providing a platform for the players to perform for scouts and college coaches.
Why it Matters: Academy athlete and Mois¨¦s E. Molina High School junior Santos Salinas was selected to attend the invitation-only amateur training camp event hosted at the Jackie Robinson Training Complex in Vero Beach, Fla. from June 4-7. Santos was one of nearly 80 high school players from across the United States and Canada chosen to participate in this exclusive experience.
Prospect Pedigree: Just under 300 alumni of the Breakthrough Series have gone on to be selected in the Major League Baseball Draft since the program¡¯s inception in 2008, including current MLB stars such as Atlanta Braves outfielder Michael Harris II, Athletics outfielder Lawrence Butler and Pittsburgh Pirates third baseman Ke'Bryan Hayes.
Texas Rangers Youth Academy and Nike to host all girls camp on April 12
What it is: The Texas Rangers Youth Academy is teaming up with Nike¡¯s Dallas-Forth Worth Area Community Ambassadors to host a free, two-hour all-girls sports camp beginning at 10 a.m. on Saturday, April 12. Girls ages 7-12 can register to participate here.
The Details: To encourage the discovery of their passions, participants will get the opportunity to rotate through various stations with exciting drills and games related to baseball and softball, as well as flag football.
Snapshots
Longtime academy athlete George Rodriguez receives surprise scholarship at fifth annual TEX Gala
Education and Buckner international programming:
The Texas Rangers MLB Youth Academy goes beyond baseball and softball programming to benefit our community. With help from our partner Bucker International, the Academy hosts free education and enrichment courses for athletes and their families throughout the year. Register here for all Youth Academy classes.