Players Trust

The Players Trust extends a heartfelt congratulations to one of our Ambassadors, Will Benson, on his recognition as the National League Player of the Week. His outstanding performance on the field is matched by his unwavering commitment to community engagement and making a difference beyond the game. 👏 👏 👏

Congratulations, Aaron Nola, on being named May's Most Valuable Philanthropist! During the 2024 season, Nola donated $1,000 per strikeout to Team Red, White and Blue, contributing a total of $197,000 for his 197 Ks. Nola has also helped raise $250,000 for ALS research with Strike Out ALS bowling tournaments around the country, and in 2025, the ALS Association honored him with its annual Volunteer Impact Award. The “MVP” award is given six times throughout the season to a Player who demonstrates an altruistic spirit and positive social impact beyond the diamond. Congratulations, Aaron!

And the award for the first Most Valuable Philanthropist of the 2025 season goes to... Zach McKinstry! 👏👏👏 The Players Trust will award a $10,000 grant in McKinstry’s honor to support his work with BBQ Mission, a Phoenix-area nonprofit that feeds unhoused members of the community, and NW Futures School of Development, an organization helping young players in the Pacific Northwest grow their skills on the diamond regardless of economic status. The “MVP” award is given six times throughout the season to a Player who demonstrates an altruistic spirit and positive social impact beyond the diamond. Congratulations, Zach!

Jon Gray is a World Series champion and elite pitcher on the field. Off the field, he’s so much more. The 2024 Players Trust Most Valuable Philanthropist sat down with Tony Fama to talk about his charitable efforts supporting disabled veterans, homeless children and more. Watch the full episode now on Amazon Prime: https://lnkd.in/e6fXsJY4

Fresh off the success of the inaugural MLB Players STEM League tournament in Japan during the Tokyo Series, the 2025 STEM League Global Tournament brought together the brightest young “mathletes” from across the U.S. and around the world for the competition of the year in Arizona! Students from the United States, Colombia, Brazil, and the Dominican Republic gathered in the Valley for a once-in-a-lifetime experience—competing, collaborating, and celebrating their love for baseball and STEM! As part of the unforgettable weekend, students had the incredible opportunity to spend an afternoon at the ballpark, shaking hands with Major League Baseball Players Association Executive Director Tony Clark and Texas Rangers’ catcher Kyle Higashioka, while also receiving words of encouragement from teammate Jon Gray and Diamondbacks outfielder Corbin Carroll! Congratulations to the multi-national duo of Christian representing Brazil, and Rafael representing the Dominican Republic. Christian and Rafael not only emerged victorious but also earned the opportunity to travel to Atlanta now this summer for All-Star ‘25! A huge thank you to our longtime partner and sponsor Overfly Sports for supporting this impactful program. Want to bring the MLB Players STEM League to your youth development program? Learn more about this innovative, baseball-inspired educational program—developed in partnership with Learn Fresh—by contacting us at [email protected].

A congratulations and thank you to a special group of students, educators, parents, and partners who made this year’s MLB Players STEM League Global tournament a great success. Well over 25,000 students currently participate in the STEM League program. This past weekend 24 hardworking and dedicated middle schoolers convened in Arizona for the title of Global Champions! Here are to the many people and organizations who made this a success, our STEM League program creator Learn Fresh, our nonprofit and corporate partners Overfly Sports, Project Beisbol, Baseball Island, as well as the Players who lent their time and voice to the weekend Kyle Higashioka, Jon Gray, and Corbin Carroll.

These lucky students got the surprise of a lifetime when Corbin Carroll officially announced they were chosen to compete in the STEM League Global Championship! This signature program brings together the energy of baseball while cultivating students’ math and social-emotional skills. Congratulations to the students who will be participating in the Global Championship this weekend!

What an incredible experience in Tokyo! The Players Trust welcomed over 100 guests to ABeam Consulting’s office for a regional MLB Players STEM League tournament. Forty students from across the Kanto area put their math, strategy, and teamwork skills to the test—bringing their passion for baseball to life. Participants heard a recorded message from players Yuki Matsui and Shinnosuke Ogasawara, who offered words of encouragement and emphasized the importance of teamwork and sportsmanship. The tournament winners representing Kaisei Academy received a once-in-a-lifetime experience meeting with Dodgers and Hanshin Tigers players at the Tokyo Dome. Thank you to our sponsors ABeam Consulting, Ametek, Spark Catch and Overfly for your support!

An incredible evening in Tokyo! The Players Trust welcomed over 100 guests to ABeam Consulting’s office for a regional MLB Players STEM League tournament. Forty students from across Japan put their math, strategy, and teamwork skills to the test—bringing their passion for baseball to life. Participants heard a recorded message from Shinnosuke Ogasawara, who offered words of encouragement and emphasized the importance of teamwork and sportsmanship. The tournament winners will get a once-in-a-lifetime experience at an upcoming game. Thank you to our sponsors ABeam Consulting and Spark Catch for your support! 東京での素晴らしい夜となりました。プレイヤーズトラストは、MLBプレイヤーズSTEMリーグの地域トーナメントに向けて、100名を超えるゲストをABeam Consultingのオフィスに迎えました。日本全国から集まった40名の練習生達が、分析、戦略、チームワークのスキルを試し、野球への熱意を披露しました。激励の言葉に加え、チームワークとスポーツマンシップの重要性を強調した小笠原慎之介選手からの録音メッセージを参加者達は受け取りました。トーナメント優勝者は、これから開催される試合で一生に一度の経験をすることになります。スポンサーであるABeam Consulting様、およびSpark Catch様に心より感謝申し上げます。

A HUGE thank you to all of our incredible sponsors for making the 2025 Playmakers Classic a reality! Your support helped us create unforgettable moments for athletes, fans, and the community. We couldn't have done it without you, and we're beyond grateful for your dedication to making this event a success!