Hank Aaron Invitational Highlights 44 Youth Baseball Players Striving To Become MLBbros

Towards the end of July, about 250 players (ages 13-18) from across the United States got the opportunity to receive “elite-level” training from former Major League players and coaches at the Hank Aaron Invitational.

 

 

A lot of notable former players and coaches have attended the event in the past, such as Ken Griffey Jr., Marquis Grissom, Dave Winfield, and Tom Gordon, to name a few.

 

 

What Is Hank Aaron Invitational? 

 

The Hank Aaron Invitational was held at the Jackie Robinson Training Complex in Vero Beach, Florida.

 

This event started in 2015 and was originally named the Elite Development Invitational and in 2018 it was renamed at the World Series to honor the legacy of Hank Aaron.

 

Not only did the players who attended the event receive coaching from former big league players and coaches, they sat in on presentations about college eligibility and other information regarding the collegiate and professional levels of baseball.

 

The event went on for multiple weeks. From July 23-26, players from the class of 2027 and 2028 attended the event and from July 28-August 1, players from the class of 2025 and 2026 were at the event.

 

Hank Aaron Invitational 44 Best Players Compete At Truist Park 

 

On Aug. 3rd, 44 of the top players who attended the event during the second week had the opportunity to play in a showcase game which was held at Truist Park, home of the Atlanta Braves.

 

 

“We’ve had a lot of great opportunities to host young kids here that don’t normally get to come to Atlanta and play at Truist Park,” said Braves senior director of alumni relations & growing the game Greg McMichael. “We’re proud that this is one event that has Hank’s name on it, and we’re able to get to see some of the great talent across the country.”

 

Not too many young players get a chance to play at a major league stadium, and for the high school players who had a chance to play in the game, it’s a once in a lifetime opportunity.

 

Rookie Shephard, a class of 2026 University of Miami commit, talked about his experience getting the opportunity to play at Truist Park.

 

 

“Being at the Hank Aaron Invitational has been unforgettable,” Shepard said during batting practice. “It’s incredible being out here [and] being able to play on the Braves’ field. I’m sharing the field with guys like Ronald Acuña Jr., Orlando Arcia, Ozzie Albies; guys like that who I really look up to. Being able to get this great coaching and learning a lot every day, it’s an unforgettable experience.”

 

Dusty Baker, former big league player and manager and 2022 World Series winner, was in attendance and was glad he got the opportunity to attend the game and see so many talented young players.

 

“I’ve heard about it a lot,” Baker said. “My godson [MLB vice president of baseball development Del Matthews] is one of the leaders of this. This is the first time I’ve been able to attend it because I’ve been off. I had to come for two reasons. One, it’s Hank Aaron Week. And second, to see these kids and let some of them see me. They probably heard about me from their dads or grandfathers.”

 

 

The Hank Aaron Invitational continues to open doors for young players and exposes them to advanced training and instruction.

 

Players from inner-city communities need to continue to be exposed to these types of opportunities and this will certainly grow the game of baseball even more.