Baseball Australia in partnership with Major League Baseball (MLB) are excited to announce the first Australian MLB Invitational will take place between the 26th of August and the 2nd of September at the Albert Park Baseball Complex in Lismore, NSW.
The Australian MLB Invitational is designed to allow the best 13 and 14 year old players in the country to play competitive games under the guise of both local and international coaches on home soil, and will be heavily subsidized by MLB to maximise player attendance.
MLB Front Office Staff will be in attendance at the invitational, which is to be structured akin to the MLB Australian Academy Program (U15-U17), a longstanding program that has produced Major Leaguers like Brad Harman, Luke Hughes and Liam Hendriks.
Baseball Australia’s Head of High Performance Glenn Williams is excited to continue the already strong relationship with MLB.
“MLB’s support in Australia has been long standing, and the fact we get a chance to put in a program in place for another age group of athletes is excellent,” Williams said.
“The MLBAAP has produced some of the best baseball players to leave our shores. The fact we get to see and work with players at age 13 and 14 will no doubt help accelerate the development of the next generation of Australian stars.”
Selected players came highly recommended from state staff following their performances in Little League/Junior League programs as well as the recent Australia MLB Showcase, which saw nearly 500 participants take part from all over the country.
MLB’s Senior Manager of International Baseball Operations Giovanni Hernandez has identified a need for an event like the MLB Invitational in Australia.
“Australia has done a really great job with the U12 age group,” Hernandez said.
“With the MLB Academy also an important tool for developing the 16/17 year olds in Australia, this Invitational gives the players coming out of Little League the chance to bridge the gap before they hit that MLB Academy age group.”
The Australian MLB Invitational will consist of a combination of player development workouts and high intensity gameplay.
Lismore Mayor Isaac Smith is delighted to bring another exciting baseball event to the city.
“To have the best 13 and 14 year old baseballers in the country in Lismore for a week is a great outcome for the city,” Smith said.
“We look forward to welcoming players and officials to Lismore which will see economic benefits flow back into our business community.”
Stay tuned to baseball.com.au and the Baseball Australia Social Media pages for more information regarding the Australian MLB Invitational.