Nearly every child who has stepped onto a Little League® field has dreamed of one-day playing Major League Baseball. For countless Little League grads, that dream has come true – from Allen “Sonny” Yearick, who played on one of the very first Little League teams in 1939 and went on to play professionally in the Boston Braves organization, to rookie sensations Aaron Judge and Cody Bellinger, and home run leader, Giancarlo Stanton.
From Hall of Famers to Home Run Derby champions, Little League grads have had great success in the Major Leagues and many even had the chance to play in the Little League Baseball World Series growing up.
With the MLB Postseason now upon us, it’s time to take a look at the confirmed Little League graduates who will be taking the field in the playoffs this October.
NOTE: If you know of a player that we have missed, please e-mail the information, including name, current Major League team and the name of the city or town where they played Little League, to [email protected].
Arizona Diamondbacks
- Jorge De La Rosa
- Brandon Drury – Grants Pass (Ore.) American Little League
- Zack Greinke – Conway Little League (Orlando, Fla.)
- Mike Hazen (General Manager) – Abington (Mass.) Little League
- Jake Lamb – Queen Anne Little Leauge (Seattle, Wash.)
- Torey Lovullo (Manager) – Encino Little League
- Dave McKay (1B Coach) – Little Mountain (Canada) Little League
Boston Red Sox
- Xander Bogaerts – Aruba South Little League – Played in the 2009 SLBWS
- Rajai Davis – Willimantic (Conn.) Little League
- Dustin Pedroia – Woodland (Calif.) Little League
Chicago Cubs
- Jake Arrieta – Plano (Texas) Baseball Association
- Kris Bryant – Peccole Little League (Las Vegas, Nev.)
- Justin Grimm – Eastern Little League (Bristol, Va.)
- Joe Maddon (Manager) – West Hazelton (Pa.) Little League
- Anthony Rizzo – Parkland (Fla.) Little League
- Jose Quintana
Cleveland Indians
- Jay Bruce
- Edwin Encarnacion
- Brandon Guyer – Reson (Va.) Herndon Little League
- Bryan Shaw – Livermore (Calif.) National Little League
- Giovanny Urshela
Colorado Rockies
- Nolan Arenado – Lake Forest (Calif.) Little League
- Bud Black (Manager) – Western Longview (Wash.) Little League
- Carlos Gonzalez – Maracaibo (Venezuela) Little League
- DJ LeMahieu – East Madison (Wisc.) Little League
- Jonathan Lucroy – Eustis (Fla.) Little League
- Pat Neshek – Brooklyn (Minn.) Center American Little League
Houston Astros
- Carlos Beltran – Jose Maria Rodriguez Little League (Manati, P.R.)
- Alex Bregman – Eastdale Little League (Albuquerque, N.M.)
- Tyler Clippard – Palm Harbor (Fla.) Little League – Played in the 2001 SLBWS
- Carlos Correa – Villa Blanca Little League (Caguas, P.R.)
- Brian McCann – Huntington (W.V.) Little League
- George Springer – Walicki Little League (New Britain, Conn.)
- Justin Verlander – Tuckahoe (Va.) Little League
Los Angeles Dodgers
- Austin Barnes – Magnolia Little League (Riverside, Calif.)
- Cody Bellinger – Chandler (Ariz.) National Little League – Played in the 2007 LLBWS
- Andre Ethier – Clarendon (Ariz.) Little League
- Josh Fields – Madison County (Ga.) Little League
- Adrian Gonzalez – Otay Little League (Tijuana); San Ysidro Little League
- Curtis Granderson – Lynwood (Ill.) Little League
- Kenley Jansen – Pabao Little League (Willemstad, Curacao) – Played in the 2003 SLBWS
- Joc Pederson – Palo Alto (Calif.) Little League
- Chase Utley – Long Beach (Calif.) Little League
- Tony Watson – Grimes-Dallas (Iowa) Little League
Minnesota Twins
- Jose Berrios
- Jason Castro
- Eddie Rosario
- Kennys Vargas
New York Yankees
- Todd Frazier – Toms River (N.J.) American Little League – Played in the 1998 LLBWS
- Jacoby Ellsbury – Jefferson County (Ore.) Little League
- Jaime Garcia
- Didi Gregorious
- Aaron Judge – Linden (Calif.) Little League
- CC Sabathia – North Vallejo (Calif.) Little League
Washington Nationals
- Howie Kendrick – Callahan (Fla.) Little League
- Trea Turner – West Boynton Beach (Fla.) Little League
- Ryan Zimmerman – Virginia Beach (Va.) Little League