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FORT MILL, S.C. - Ten-time Women's National Team alum Anna Kimbrell hosted a Homegrown Clinic as part of the USA Baseball Homegrown program at Pleasant Knoll Middle School on Saturday, April 22. A combined 56 kids across two sessions participated in the event, as Kimbrell led them through numerous baseball stations and a scrimmage, held a Q&A session, and took a group photo. Additionally, every participant received a signed poster at the end of the clinic.

“By hosting this clinic, I wanted to be able to give the kids in Fort Mill an opportunity I didn’t have," said Kimbrell. "I was fortunate to have some really great coaches as a kid, but I never got the chance to have instruction from someone or a group of people who have played baseball all over the world. I’m really glad USA Baseball came out to do this because it gives these kids a chance to see someone who has lived here their whole life and was able to get out and chase a dream. I hope that today gives them belief in themselves to go out and do something they really love to do.”

“I hope the kids took something positive away from today. I heard a lot of them say they learned a new way to do a relay, but maybe others took something from one of us about a change to make in their swing to help them get better. I hope they had a good time for one, but that they were also able to take away one good thing to help them improve their game. There were a lot of great coaches with a ton of knowledge here.”

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CHESAPEAKE, Va. - Two-time USA Baseball national team alum, 2021 18U National Team assistant coach, and former MLB All-Star Michael Cuddyer hosted a USA Baseball Homegrown Clinic in his hometown of Chesapeake, Virginia, on Sunday, May 15.

Hosted at his alma mater, Great Bridge High School, with the support of the Southern Chesapeake Athletic Association, over 100 kids from the greater Chesapeake area gathered for an opportunity to have fun learning and playing the game of baseball. The chance to create memories with one of their hometown's best was an experience they will never forget.

During the event, participants went through various stations including baserunning, catching/throwing, fielding, and hitting. Additionally, they played in a modified scrimmage with Cuddyer serving as the designated pitcher. Cuddyer had the opportunity to connect with kids one-on-one giving autographs and taking pictures.

"This was very informative for our relatively young player," said one parent. "The connection that Mr. Cuddyer made to his hometown roots put perspective to these young boys that their dreams are attainable if you put in the hard work necessary on a daily basis."

For Cuddyer, hosting the clinic where his love for baseball started meant the world to him. There was no better place than Chesapeake.

“For me, the name of the clinic, Homegrown, really speaks to me because I never left Chesapeake,” said Cuddyer. “It was really important for me to be able to come back and do this clinic in this city, at this high school. It really means a lot to me for USA Baseball to accommodate that and allow me to come and do this clinic.”

“We want to grow the game. We want to grow the sport. Do we want to create big leaguers? Sure. Do we want to create the future Team USA? Of course we do. The reality is we’ve got to create the passion before any of that can happen and I think that’s what we wanted to accomplish today.”

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APEX, N.C. -- Two-time USA Baseball national team alumnus and Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games silver medalist Tim Federowicz hosted a USA Baseball Homegrown Clinic in his hometown of Apex, North Carolina, on Saturday. Hosted at the ball field of his alma mater, Apex High School, nearly 150 youth from the area joined in on the fun, getting to play baseball with a hometown hero.

Before turning the event over to Federowicz, kids were welcomed to the event by members of the Apex High School baseball team, USA Baseball's mascot Freedom, Apex High School Baseball Coach Lane Olive, and Apex Mayor Jacques Gilbert.

“Tim understands he comes back and pours into the community to bring up the next person,” said Mayor Gilbert. “There is another young Tim that is ready to also move forward and achieve much success, and they can use Tim as an inspiration. I think that is what we all should do, inspire others through our success. I think that is what Tim is going to continue to do for many. They can see him and say ‘Wow, I can accomplish this same thing!’.

Attendees were split into groups and participated in baseball stations, such as base running, throwing, and home run derby, before playing a modified baseball scrimmage where Federowicz served as a designated pitcher.

The event concluded with a question-and-answer session with the participants. There, they learned that Federowicz’s favorite baseball player growing up was Derek Jeter, and his favorite team was the Atlanta Braves. Each kid then got to meet him one-on-one and received an autographed poster before heading home.

“I love any chance to give back to the community, especially the one I grew up in,” said Federowicz. “I remember coming to camps like this growing up. It’s just cool to get out there and see the younger generations and how excited they were to come out here and play. Interacting with the kids, getting to pitch, and getting to see them smile and have fun diving all over the place... it’s just awesome.”

CARY, N.C. – USA Baseball today announced that Tokyo 2020 Olympic silver medalist and three-time USA Baseball alum Tim Federowicz will host a Homegrown Clinic at Apex High School in Apex, North Carolina, on Saturday, November 13, 2021 from 1-3 p.m.

The event is free and open to 150 kids aged 5-12 from the greater Triangle area. Parents can register their kids for the Homegrown Clinic here.

USA Baseball Homegrown Clinics are designed to introduce kids to the fundamentals of baseball and softball in a fun, non-competitive, community-based environment. Participants will get outside to learn and play America's pastime alongside a Team USA alum from their hometown.

Federowicz played for the Apex High School Cougars from 2002-2005 before moving on to the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill where he was named a First-Team Freshman All-American. After playing for the Collegiate National Team in 2006, he was drafted by the Boston Red Sox in the seventh round of the 2008 MLB First Year Player Draft, played eight seasons in Major League Baseball, and earned a silver medal for Team USA at the Olympic Games Tokyo 2020 in August.

During the event, participants will go through various stations manned by members of the Cougar’s baseball and softball programs, including baserunning, catching/throwing, fielding, and a home run derby. Additionally, they will participate in a Q&A session and play in a modified scrimmage with Federowicz. Every child who attends will also receive a t-shirt and a poster commemorating the event.

USA Baseball will implement the COVID-19 protocols mandated by the local government for all participants and attendees during the Homegrown Clinic. 

Members of the media are invited to attend and will be required to follow the required COVID-19 protocols. To RSVP for the event, members of the media may fill out a credential application here.

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- MLB.com: Adley gives back to hometown kids via camp

PORTLAND, Ore. -- Adley Rutschman hosted the first ever Homegrown Clinic as part of the USA Baseball Homegrown program at Charles B. Walker Stadium on Saturday, October 9. Joined by 125 kids from the Portland area, Rutschman led them through numerous baseball stations, held a question and answer session, played "Over the Line," and had one-on-one time with each participant, signing autographs for every attendee.

"I’ve been wanting to do something back home ever since I got drafted," said Rutschman. "I think the biggest thing when it comes to being a professional baseball player and having the opportunities that we have is the ability to give back. I’ve always been looking for that opportunity. The Homegrown program allowed for that and for me to interact with the community of Portland and Oregon in general. It’s something I’ve dreamed of. It means a lot to me just seeing all of the people that came out, all of the organizations that came out to help. I think that has had a bigger impact than we realize now and this can continue to build and grow.

"There is a sense of satisfaction that comes with giving back and that is definitely a benefit and it is a reason you do it; but, I think you reshape your mind in order to think that this is having a bigger impact than just you giving back. It’s really about the kids' experience and giving them something they can remember and build off of and just trying to make sure they have a good time. Even that hour, or two hours, that you give, hopefully, goes further than just today."

USA Baseball and Rutschman also partnered with Friends of Baseball, the Portland Pickles, and the Corvalis Knights to put on this event.

CARY, N.C. – USA Baseball today announced that Baltimore Orioles catching prospect Adley Rutschman (2018 Collegiate National Team alum, 2019 Golden Spikes Award winner, 2019 MLB Draft 1^st Overall Pick, current No. 1 prospect in baseball by MLB.com) will host the first-ever Homegrown Clinic at Charles B. Walker Stadium at Lents Park in Portland, Oregon, on Saturday, October 9, 2021.

Supported by Friends of Baseball and the Portland Pickles, the event is free and open to 150 kids aged 5-12 from the greater Portland area. 

USA Baseball Homegrown Clinics are designed to introduce kids to the fundamentals of baseball and softball in a fun, non-competitive, community-based environment. Participants will get outside to learn and play America's pastime alongside a Team USA alum from their hometown.

“Youth baseball is very important to me, particularly in Oregon,” said Adley Rutschman.  “The game has given me so many gifts–the friends I’ve made and the lessons I’ve learned playing the game are essential to who I am. I’m so excited to help expose young athletes to the joys of playing baseball, and I’m grateful to USA Baseball and Friends of Baseball for their time and effort in helping create this opportunity. I’m looking forward to a fun day of baseball with Oregon’s young athletes.”

“It is exciting to work alongside Adley Rutschman to host our first-ever Homegrown Clinic,” said USA Baseball Assistant Director of Youth Programs Anthony Cangelosi. “Adley has been a friend to USA Baseball since he played on the Collegiate National Team in 2018. His desire to give back to the community that helped mold him into the person and baseball player he is today, as well as positively impact the youth from his hometown, is admirable. We are thrilled to co-host this event for the kids of Portland.”

During the event, participants will go through various stations manned by members of the University of Portland and George Fox University baseball programs, including baserunning, catching/throwing, fielding, and a home run derby. Additionally, they will play in a modified scrimmage with Rutschman serving as the designated pitcher. Every child who attends will also receive a t-shirt and a poster commemorating the event.

The Homegrown Clinic is one of many free developmental offerings by USA Baseball and continues the organization’s outreach into the city of Portland. The Portland Public School system adopted the Fun At Bat program in 2018 and has since reached 68 schools and over 34,000 kids. Fun At Bat is a joint initiative between USA Baseball and Major League Baseball designed for physical education classes to promote fun and active lifestyles for children while teaching the fundamental skills of bat-and-ball sports.

USA Baseball will implement the COVID-19 protocols mandated by the local government for all participants and attendees during the Homegrown Clinic.

Members of the media are invited to attend and will be required to follow the required COVID-19 protocols. To RSVP for the event, members of the media may fill out a credential application here.

CARY, N.C. – USA Baseball today announced the launch of its Homegrown program to provide youth participants with a unique opportunity to learn and grow with athletes from their hometown in fun and interactive settings. The program features two different initiatives – Homegrown Clinics and Homegrown Connections – that will allow Team USA alumni to give back to their hometowns and youth-based organizations that hold personal meaning or supported their overall personal or professional development.

In addition to welcoming USA Baseball alumni back into their communities, the Homegrown program also allows the organization to continue its efforts to increase participation in the sport at the grassroots level. Participants will be connected with USA Baseball National Member Organizations to learn about local league registration opportunities and schools participating in the Homegrown program that are not already part of the USA Baseball Fun At Bat program will be able to incorporate the free initiative into their educational curriculum going forward.

Fun At Bat is part of Major League Baseball’s PLAY BALL initiative–the sport’s largest collective effort to encourage young people to participate in baseball- or softball-related activities. The Fun At Bat program reaches nearly 3.5 million children across all 50 states, Washington D.C., Puerto Rico, Mexico, London and Brazil. The program is available in English, Spanish and Portuguese, and also includes a literacy component focusing on character development and teaching traits such as leadership, teamwork and responsibility.

“The Homegrown program is an exciting chance for our athletes to give back to the places where their baseball journeys began,” said USA Baseball Executive Director/CEO Paul Seiler. “Both the Homegrown Connections and Homegrown Clinics will present unique opportunities for USA Baseball alumni to stay connected to the places that helped them as they started their careers, and we look forward to helping create impactful interactions between these young participants and their hometown heroes.”

The USA Baseball Homegrown program will begin in the fall of 2020 with Homegrown Connections, a virtual, webinar-like experience that will provide youth with a rare opportunity to connect with national team alumni from their community in a personalized setting. Students from elementary schools and youth-based or youth mission-driven organizations will get to know their hometown heroes through these live, interactive events.

The first Homegrown Connections webinar featured two-time Team USA alum Michael Cuddyer on November 17. The webinar consisted of an interactive discussion before concluding with a question and answer session featuring questions submitted by participants from his hometown of Chesapeake, Virginia.

Cuddyer was a member of the 1996 and 1997 18U National Teams. In 1997, he led Team USA in home runs (3), runs scored (8), total bases (15) and stolen bases (3), and tied for the lead in RBIs with six, helping the 18U National Team win the 1997 USA Baseball Team of the Year Award.

He was selected ninth overall in the 1997 MLB June Amateur Draft by the Minnesota Twins and made his major league debut with the club on September 23, 2001. He went on to play 15 seasons in the big leagues, finishing with a .277 career batting average, two All-Star selections and a Silver Slugger Award. After playing 11 seasons with the Twins, Cuddyer was inducted into the Minnesota Twins Hall of Fame in 2017. 

In addition to Homegrown Connections, the USA Baseball Homegrown program will also include Homegrown Clinics, which are in-person baseball events for youth from elementary schools and youth-based or youth mission-driven organizations between the ages of 5-12. Set to begin in the fall of 2021, this initiative will allow participants to be given a chance to get outside to learn and play alongside USA Baseball alumni.

For more information on the Homegrown program, Fun At Bat and all USA Baseball Development initiatives, visit USABDevelops.com or follow @FunAtBat and @USABDevelops on Instagram and Twitter.