Texas Rangers Academy Notebook for Aug. 8, 2025: Academy athletes Dominik Harper and Nicholas Smith participate in Hank Aaron Invitational 44 Showcase Game at Rickwood Field in Birmingham, Alabama
Texas Rangers Youth Academy athletes Dominik Harper and Nicholas Smith represented the organization in the annual Hank Aaron 44 Showcase Game at historic Rickwood Field in Birmingham, Ala., last Friday. This marked the first year in which the development-focused exhibition was hosted at Rickwood Field, the oldest existing professional baseball stadium in the United States.
The contest featured two teams comprised of the top 44 players, a nod to the late Hank Aaron’s uniform number, out of the 112 attendees at this year’s Hank Aaron Invitational camp at the Jackie Robinson Training Complex in Vero Beach, Fla.
Harper, a Grand Prairie native currently enrolled at Mansfield Lake Ridge High School, was rostered on Team Hank Aaron, while Arlington resident and Mansfield Timberview High School rising senior Nicholas Smith suited up for Team Jackie Robinson.
Both Rangers Academy athletes saw action in the event, as Harper retired two of the five batters he faced in the top of the fourth (1.0 IP, 2 H, 1 R-ER, 1 BB, 1 SO), while Smith tossed a scoreless frame in the bottom of the sixth (1.0 IP, 1 SO, 1 HBP).
Both squads were managed by former big leaguers, with 2019 NLCS Most Valuable Player Howie Kendrick captaining Team Aaron and six-year Major League veteran Jemile Weeks skippering Team Robinson.
The game was streamed live on MLB.com, MLB.TV and the MLB App, and was re-aired on MLB Network in primetime last Saturday. Click here to watch a replay of the contest in its entirety.
QUICK HITS
Texas Rangers Youth Academy hosts New Zealand-based baseball club at West Dallas Facility
- What it is: The Texas Rangers Youth Academy and several of its athletes hosted 16U, 14U and 12U teams from Baseball Pathways New Zealand at its facility in West Dallas on Saturday, Aug. 2.
- Friendly affair: As part of the visit, athletes from the Rangers Youth Academy participated in a series of scrimmages against the Baseball Pathways players. The New Zealand-based club will use these exhibitions as preparation for the 2025 Babe Ruth World Series in Missouri, which it is set to compete in later this month.
- Cultural exchange: Following the exhibition contests, the Rangers Youth Academy athletes were treated to a traditional Haka performance by the New Zealanders.
SNAPSHOTS
Texas Rangers Baseball Foundation and Youth Academy organize annual Back to School Distribution presented by Comerica Bank
Education & Buckner International Programming
The Texas Rangers MLB Youth Academy goes beyond baseball and softball programming to benefit our community. With help from our partner Bucker International, the Academy hosts free education and enrichment courses for athletes and their families throughout the year. Register here for all Youth Academy classes.