Macon baseball team headed to the Nike RBI World Series after going undefeated in tournament

A Macon team will head to Florida next month to compete in the Nike RBI World Series.

The Macon RBI 15U team went undefeated in the Nike Southeast Regional Tournament over the weekend. The team went into extra innings to win the regional championship 10-9 in the bottom of the eighth inning.

“Watching our 15U win the tournament was very exciting. This is a major step for our community as well,” said Macon RBI president Freddie Stewart. “Several of the teams participating are coached and funded by former major league players and programs.”

Jeff Battcher, Macon RBI program founder , said Bryce Talley scored the winning run on a passed ball.

The local program had three teams competing in the tournament, including 18U baseball, 15U baseball and 13-18 softball.

The RBI program, started in 1989, is a Major League Baseball youth initiative to provide baseball and softball opportunities for young people in underserved communities.

The program has provided a path for many players to enter the college and professional game. More than 200 RBI participants have been drafted by MLB Clubs throughout the program’s 26-year history, and many others were given the opportunity for higher education through baseball and softball scholarships, according to the United Way of Georgia Macon RBI page.

Stewart said this is the first time a Macon RBI team has won the regional tournament.

“We are very excited for these kids,” he said.

The Macon program has been in existence for nine years and plays in the Tom Fontaine Complex located behind Hartley Elementary School, according to Stewart.

He said several of the players come from single-parent households and the program must seek individuals to sponsor players.

“We want the community to support these players,” he said. “We ask the community and businesses to join in and support this program. Without their support and participation we will not be able to continue to support these players.”

In April 2023, Major League Baseball and Nike, Inc. announced Nike as the presenting sponsor of the RBI Program.

In a press release, Tony Reagins, chief baseball development officer of MLB said Nike’s support of the the RBI program is a game-changing opportunity for young athletes all over the world.

“Nike’s influence in sport brings the program to another level in the eyes of our leagues, players, and families,” he said. “We look forward to partnering to provide more access to baseball and softball while amplifying the voices of student-athletes to grow our sport.”

RBI currently serves approximately 225,000 young men and women in over 300 programs established in approximately 200 cities worldwide. MLB and its teams have designated nearly $40 million worth of resources to the RBI program, and all 30 clubs support RBI leagues, according to the website.

Players for the Macon RBI 15U team are Lewis Cheney, Amir Harris, Jake Hendley, Kaelix Marcus, Kyle Howard, Jayden Reese, Bryce Talley, Peyton Nauss, Westin Griffin, Jeremiah Reiss, Teyton Braswell, Kevin Durr, Chris Frazier, Myles Burke, and Justice Morrison.

The Nike RBI World Series will be held Aug. 5 through Aug. 10 in Vero Beach, Florida, at the Jackie Robinson Complex.