For Cliff Floyd, baseball has always been about more than what happens on the diamond, from the lessons he learned to the relationships he built. Long before the big-league lights, postseason moments, and a newfound career in front of the camera, the foundation of Floyd’s career and character was built on a Little League® field.
As a proud graduate of Markham Manor (Ill.) Little League, now known as Markham (Ill.) LL, Floyd credits his former coach and mentor, Coach Moses Harris, as an instrumental figure throughout his baseball journey. The lessons he learned from Harris built the foundation of what it meant to be a good teammate, thrive under pressure, and navigate through adversity.
“Moses Harris was instrumental as far as just getting us from point A to point B, and how to make us better as opposed to just playing every Saturday,” said Floyd. “Once we got outside of our comfort zone, that was the most significant part of us being able to adapt to our surroundings and take on accountability and responsibilities at such a young age.”
Floyd’s early experiences taught him more than the mechanics of hitting or fielding. He learned that baseball is a game of failure, but being able to keep a positive mindset while also striving to be the best, most composed version of himself is what would give him the long career in the Major Leagues. While his career was full of lots of positive moments, Floyd knows he is far from perfect.
“I’ve made a ton of mistakes in life, but that doesn’t stop me from trying to be perfect every day. The goal is to be perfect 24/7, but obviously, challenges and mistakes come with that,” said Floyd. “You can fail, breathe, and get a little closer tomorrow, but don’t give up. That mindset is everything.”
Even today, years after he hung up his cleats for the last time, the lessons Floyd learned on the Little League diamond continue to guide him. Whether he is breaking down a play on MLB Network, sharing stories about his playing days, or mentoring the next generation of youth athletes, he never forgets the place where he found his love for the game.
“Throughout my career as a broadcaster, I always remind myself to not forget that I was a player at one point, too,” said Floyd. “This is a game of unfortunate failure, but it’s one of those things that if you can understand failure, you can have longevity in this sport.”
In 2025, Floyd joined Major League Baseball during their annual Winter Meetings Charity Auction to help give back to the program that kick-started his journey. Proceeds from the auction were directed to the Little League Disaster Relief Fund, which was established to help leagues impacted by disaster receive the support they need to rebuild, recover, and continue providing children with the life lessons learned through youth baseball and softball.
Little League sat down with Floyd for a special “Six Innings Conversation” – six questions for the six innings in a Little League game – to learn more about his journey from Little League to MLB and to offer advice for the next generation of Little Leaguers®.
First Inning: What impact did your Little League playing days have on your childhood? Do you have a favorite Little League memory?
Little League had a tremendous impact on my childhood, even if I didn’t understand it at the time. As kids, we just showed up and played and never really thought about those who took the time away from their personal lives to coach us. Looking back now, I realize how much those coaches poured into us. We adapted to our surroundings, learned accountability, and took on responsibility at a young age. You don’t realize it then, but those experiences stick with you.
Second Inning: What lessons did you learn from Little League that you have carried into your professional career and beyond?
Even though Little League was a long time ago, it still takes me back. When I hear the names of the guys I played with, I remember their character and who they were as people. I really wanted to be the best back then; I wanted to be the guy that the team could always count on. I don’t know how I got to that point mentally at such a young age, but I felt that responsibility. You look over at the dugout, and everything feels close, almost like a Wrigley Field effect, where everyone is locked in and depending on you to come through. That pressure doesn’t go away as you go through your career; it is the same feeling. Little League is where you learn how to deal with expectations, how to handle pressure, and how to respond when people are counting on you.
Third Inning: At the MLB Winter Meetings, you were presented with your Little League roster. What did it mean to you to receive this and have time to reflect back on your days as a youth athlete?
It immediately made me think about the guys I grew up playing with. You remember who those guys were, the memories you shared, and how competitive everybody was. Even later in life, whether it’s teammates from the big leagues or kids you played with growing up, the moment you hear their name, it all comes back. You remember how good they were, how competitive it was, and how much it mattered in that moment.
Fourth Inning: You saw firsthand during the MLB Winter Meeting Auctions the importance of Little League’s efforts to give back through its Disaster Relief Fund. How important do you think philanthropic giving is to help support local leagues and communities in today’s world?
That is where opportunity comes in. Giving back is not just about giving for the sake of giving. It is about helping people through real trials and tribulations. Without that support, we’re not playing the game we love. When something catastrophic happens, or even when families face unexpected challenges, you hope the right people are in place to help guide and educate them on what resources are available. It is also important for kids to understand the value of what is being given and how it is received. That awareness matters because it teaches gratitude and responsibility beyond the game.
Fifth Inning: What impact do you think local Little League programs have on communities around the world today?
The biggest impact Little League has is shaping the future generation. You’re doing something you love, even if it’s not something you do for a living. It gets kids off the couch, the streets, and into something constructive. It teaches kids how to be part of a group, how to work together, and how to support one another. When I played Little League, it wasn’t just baseball. We shoveled snow, raised money, sold candy, and washed cars. All those things taught us accountability, which has carried into my real life. Everything I know now about these lessons all started in Little League.
Sixth Inning: What advice would you give a youth athlete who is stepping out onto the diamond for the first time?
The first thing I would tell a kid is to breathe. Take a deep breath, look around, and really take in your surroundings. Do your best, leave it all on the field, and understand that tomorrow is a new day. Reflect on what happened, then throw it away and move on. Little League is the starting point. The best way to explain it is to learn to crawl before you walk. Everybody is crawling together, even if some crawl faster than others. If you’re going to start somewhere in life, this is where you start. Little League teaches you how to grow, how to fail, how to try again, and how to enjoy the journey.
Structured with six questions for the six innings in a traditional Little League® game, “Six Innings Conversations” features Little League® alumni and their journey from the baseball or softball diamond to their career today, where they continue to make a positive impact. If you know of a notable Little League graduate missing from this list, please complete the above Little League Alumni Submission form.