Jazz Chisholm Jr. Makes Special Friend At LLWS

Jazz Chisholm Jr. Makes Special Friend At LLWS

Even though he didn’t play in the Little League Classic game on Sunday, New York Yankees star Jazz Chisholm Jr. made a significant impact during the day.

He made a special bond with a Little League player that will last forever. When the Yankees arrived in Williamsport, Penn.,, they were greeted with the players participating in the Little League World Series.

A player from the Henderson, Nev., team ran up to the Yankees third baseman and told him that he is his best friend’s favorite player.

And guess what happened after?

Chisholm got the chance to sit with Russel McGee on the bus ride to the complex in Williamsport and Chisholm found out that McGee wears a neck chain with the No. 2 on it because of him. During his time with the Miami Marlins, Chisholm wore that number.

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Right before they got off the bus, Chisholm told McGee something that he will never forget.

“I’m going to be your big brother from here on. … I’ve got you; just give me a call.”

For a kid to hear these words from an MLB player–it doesn’t get much better than that at all.

“He’s just a bright-eyed kid,” Chisholm said. “He reminded me so much of myself when I was younger when I first got into professional baseball.”

Playing in the Little League World Series is a once in a lifetime opportunity for these kids, and then on top of that, you get a chance to meet and interact with MLB players.

Trust The Process: Jazz Chisholm Joins 20-20 Club For First Time In His Career

Chisholm wants to make sure that McGee knows he can reach out to him for anything and it made Chisholm think about the players who had his back when he was younger.

“Me and him were talking and I was like, ‘Man, I remember when JP, Dom and CC really made me their little brother and made sure I was good,” he said.

“Any time I called them, they would answer, even with CC just retiring around that time and being a Yankee great. Even with Dom Smith and JP, just having guys like that in your corner and as friends, it helps a lot.”

Relationships like this are so important and it’s great to see players like Chisholm wanting to be a part of young kids’ lives.

And Chisholm had a blast being a fan watching his team take on the Detroit Tigers.

“I had a lot of fun, especially when I sat with Russell,” he said. “I sat with him for like three or four innings. It was just a lot of fun getting to react like a kid. I’m screaming at the guys on deck. I’m pointing at them. I did a Roll Call with the crowd. It was just reminding me of days of when I was in Little League and just meeting the guys that I’ve met in my life with the way they’ve taken care of me and seeing Russell out there. It just made me feel that way again.”

Jazz Chisholm Already Proving Doubters Wrong With Great Attitude and Play With Yankees

It’s a great experience for both the Little League players and MLB players to be a part of and it will be exciting to see how Chisholm and McGee’s relationship grows overtime.

“He’s A Gamer”: Andrew McCutchen Returns To Pittsburgh Pirates Lineup Bro Bombing

“He’s A Gamer”: Andrew McCutchen Returns To Pittsburgh Pirates Lineup Bro Bombing

Andrew McCutchen arguably had his best offensive performance of the season on Sunday against the Los Angeles Dodgers.

And here’s the catch–he wasn’t even 100 percent healthy.

Despite a close 6-5 extra inning loss to the Dodgers, McCutchen did his absolute best to put his team in a position to win the game.

At the plate, he went 2-for-5 with two homers and four RBI. It was his first multi home-run game of the season.

This was McCutchen’s first game since August 7. During that game, he suffered a minor injury aggravating a left quad strain while trying to score the tying run against the San Diego Padres.

 

Through 98 games this season, he’s hitting .234 with 16 home runs and 38 RBI.

 

Our MLBbro is a competitor and will do whatever it takes to get on the field, even if he’s not feeling his best.

 

“It shows the caliber of player he is,” Pirates manager Derek Shelton said. “Two huge homers, I mean we get down by four early and he gets us on the board, and then comes back in the eighth and gets a pitch. It just shows you how good of a player he actually is because of the fact that he is grinding.”

 

His teammates have a lot of respect for him and they know when he is in the lineup, he’s going to leave it out on the field.

 

“He’s a gamer,” Michael A. Taylor said. “He’s gonna go out there and give us whatever he’s got. Anytime we can have him on the field, we feel good about that.”

 

‘I’m Doing Something Right’: Andrew McCutchen Still Has Gas Left In The Tank

At 37, McCutchen has played in a lot of games and has seen a lot of success. He’s also seen his fair share of struggles.

 

The extra-inning loss to the Dodgers on Sunday was the seventh consecutive loss for the Pirates and the team continues to dig themselves in a deep hole regarding their playoff hopes.

 

Despite his big performance at the plate against the Dodgers, McCutchen was not satisfied with the outcome.

 

“I don’t feel great,” McCutchen said. “We lost. It was nice to hit two homers, but homers or not I would’ve rather won the game. That’s where we are. We just gotta fight through it.”

 

While the Pirates have struggled recently, McCutchen understands it’s part of the game and that the team has to continue to go out there and be ready to play each day.

 

“You can’t feel bad for yourself,” McCutchen said. “This game doesn’t feel bad for anybody. The game doesn’t care who you are. The game doesn’t care what you did last year. The game doesn’t care if you were an MVP or an All-Star. You’ve got to be ready to go the next day. That’s what I’ve learned.”

 

 

No matter what the team’s record is, McCutchen is going to show up and put the work in and get his teammates on the same page.

 

He is a true leader and is a player who deserves his flowers.

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

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.

JC Gamble meets his idol Ken Griffey Jr. for the second time at MLB’s Hank Aaron Invitational In Vero Beach, Florida.

 

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.

Xavier Edwards Hitting For The Cycle Is Just The Beginning to His Miami Marlins Career

Xavier Edwards Hitting For The Cycle Is Just The Beginning to His Miami Marlins Career

July 28th, 2024 will be a day that Miami Marlins infielder Xavier Edwards will remember for the rest of his life.

 

On Sunday, he did something only one other Marlins player has done and that was hit for the cycle.

 

 

Edwards joined former Marlins player Luis Arráez, as the only two to achieve the milestone. Not only did Edwards hit for the cycle, but he also hit his first career home run as well.

 

What a day the 24-year-old had at the plate against the Milwaukee Brewers.

 

“It means a lot,” Edwards said. “I don’t think it’s really set in yet, but it’s pretty cool that I got my first homer to start the game, and then I got to cap it off with a single. I would have been pretty upset with myself if I didn’t hit a single. I usually spray a lot of singles, so I would’ve been pretty upset about not getting a single, so I’m really glad I did.”

 

It came down to the last out of the game for Edwards to get the cycle. On a 1-2 count from Brewers closer Devin Williams, Edwards hit a liner to the shortstop and utilized his speed to beat the throw for an infield single.

And Edwards led off the game, launching a solo shot to right field.

Read More: “I Want To Get Back To My Game” | Marlins Second Baseman Xavier Edwards Hoping To Make 26-Man Opening Day Roster | mlbbro.com

His teammate and MLBbro Josh Bell was proud of Edwards’ performance against the Brewers.

The Marlins placed Bell on waivers, according to the New York Post’s Jon Heyman. Should his $16.5 million contract go through waivers unclaimed, he will remain in Miami. Heyman further notes that he has not been designated for assignment and could still be traded by Miami before the MLB Trade Deadline.

The 31-year-old Texas native has spent parts of the last two seasons with the Marlins. Bell is currently slashing .239/.305/.394 with 14 home runs, 49 runs batted in, and a .699 OPS in nearly 400 plate appearances. Additionally, the veteran first basemen has a negative WAR through 104 games this season.

 

 

“I couldn’t be happier for him, especially establishing himself as an everyday big leaguer, getting a chance and wanting to make the most of it,” Bell said. “I feel like he’s officially established with that.”

 

Edwards has been impressive at the plate this month as well. Through 78 at-bats, he’s hitting .397 with nine RBI.

 

In 25 games so far this season, he is carrying a .375 batting average and making a case to be an everyday player throughout the remainder of the season, especially now that Jazz Chisholm Jr. is no longer with the team.

 

Going into the season, Edwards had a good chance of making the Opening Day roster, but was sent to the injured list due to a left foot infection.

 

He made his season debut on June 7th against the Cleveland Guardians and went hitless in three at-bats. Edwards would then follow up with a hit in back-to-back games against the Guardians and went on an eight-game hitting streak.

 

 

 

The infielder made his MLB debut last season with the Marlins, and he appeared in 30 games, finishing with a .295 batting average. It was then that he started to gain some attention and display his talents on the big stage.

Edwards has the opportunity to make Miami his home and go on to have a productive career with the Marlins.

We will get to see if he can continue to build on this success he’s having at the plate, and he will certainly be a player to keep an eye out for as the season progresses.