Bat flips, Championships and Sour Patch Kids: Aces Share Their Favorite Little League Memories

Before they became professional baseball players, every member of the Reno Aces began their baseball journey somewhere on a little league field, playing alongside their friends and enjoying the pure fun of baseball.

For Corbin Martin, the hurler began playing in the Waller County Little League based in Hempstead, Texas. It was a family affair for Martin playing baseball as a kid. He played alongside his brother with their stepfather as a coach and every gameday; he could count on his grandmother for snacks.

“My grandma used to always bring me a pack of the watermelon Sour Patch Kids and a dark blue Gatorade, so those were the days when I used to get away with eating candy during the game.”

Infielder Buddy Kennedy’s fondest baseball memory as a kid took place in the East Vineland Little League in his home state of New Jersey.

“I never hit a home run in little league until the last game of the season when I was on the All-Star team. I hit two of them back-to-back, flipped the bat both times and it’s my favorite moment playing as a kid.”

Growing up in Caguas, Puerto Rico, infielder Yadiel Rivera enjoyed learning the game of baseball from his father and shared the experience of winning a championship with him as a kid.

“When I was five or six, my team and I represented Puerto Rico and we won our championship. It was special because my dad was one of the coaches, and it’s one of my favorite memories as a kid playing baseball.”

Infielder/outfielder Camden Duzenack also had the opportunity of having his dad as a coach when he was growing up in Melissa, Texas.

“One of my best memories was the fact that my dad was one of our coaches so not only learning the game of baseball but allowing my dad to be around it was cool. “

As a kid, reliever Caleb Baragar enjoyed playing with his friends, classmates and neighbors in his hometown of Jenison, Michigan.

“I think just playing with my friends, living in the same neighborhood and going to school and seeing the guys that I played with was a fun experience. The camaraderie that comes with playing in your area was fun as a kid,” Baragar said.

Although the game of baseball has ups and downs, players can always look back on where they got their start to remind themselves why they play the game of baseball.