Yasmin Burrell of Silver Spring, Md., is the winner of the 2024 Breakthrough Series Softball Invitational Jennie Finch Empowerment Award. Burrell is a catcher in the class of 2025 and also plays for the Washington Nationals Youth Academy.
The 2024 Softball Breakthrough Series took place at the Kansas City Urban Youth Academy in Kansas City, Mo. More than 30 elite-level high school-aged softball players from diverse backgrounds across the country took part in the three-day event.
The series' primary focus is on developing players on and off the field through gameplay, scouting evaluations and mentorship access to some of the most respected names in softball.
Since 2019, MLB, in partnership with Arm & Hammer, has presented the JFEA annually to four young female athletes at MLB Develops events, recognizing their achievements as players on the field and as people off the field.
The award is presented to the player who best exemplifies the pillars of leadership, motivation, commitment, dedication, humility and integrity.
To those watching from the sideline at the Breakthrough Series, Burrell certainly exhibited many of these qualities. The organizers and coaches of the event who made the decision felt she deserved the JFEA.
“I really uplift others because that's my main goal,” said Burrell. “At the end of the day, we play a game that's full of failure. It’s not just a single-person game, it’s a team game.”
An award as prestigious as the JFEA is not presented to just any player with a strong voice, but to someone who stands out without trying to, simply by doing her job.
“Every time that I get into one of these events, the first person I’m always seeing is usually Yas,” said Monica Harrison, head softball coach at Carnegie Mellon University and one of the coaches for the BTS. “And that’s just who she is.”
The award was presented to Burrell by Jennie Finch, an MLB Youth Softball Ambassador, USA Softball Hall of Famer and two-time U.S. Olympic softball medalist. Yasmin is also one of the four recipients of an impressive $10,000 college scholarship check, along with a trip to the 2024 World Series, a dream for any young player.
For Burrell, this reward comes as a happy surprise, but also a reminder of the positive backing she has in her life.
“This year in itself, I had a lot of adversity,” she said. “It’s going to really help my mom the most. … It shows people care. It’s not just us two; we have a whole huge support system.”
While difficult times happen for us all, on and off the field Burrell knows that keeping a positive attitude can only help her and those around her. It is certainly felt by those individuals in her life.
“Yas is such a caring person,” said Keamani Fujimoto, Burrell’s Nationals Youth Academy teammate and fellow BTS participant. “She’s the friend that is going to keep you grounded, hold you responsible and be there when you need her.”
Fujimoto is not the only one of Burrell's teammates who feels the benefits of her calming presence behind the plate.
“She definitely does a good job of controlling the game,” said Kennedi Godsey-Fisher, also a BTS invitee and another Nats Youth Academy teammate. “Whenever we get flustered, she brings us back into huddle and gets us all calmed down and ready to go.”
While Burrell exhibits many of the other JFEA pillars, being a catcher she exhibits natural leadership skills above all else. She’s a vocal and powerful engine behind the plate, a necessity for any successful team.
The Jennie Finch Empowerment Award is presented at all MLB Develops softball events throughout the year: the Breakthrough Series, the Jennie Finch Classic, the Elite Development Invitational and the RBI World Series.
Burrell is one of many winners who will likely go on to inspire many others, whether as a player on the field or a person off it.
“I just really strive to uplift my teammates and uplift myself so everyone is up and excited,” Burrell said. “I make sure everyone just knows, ‘Hey, I got your back.’”