RaysUp the Future is Now & the Florida Bolts head to Barclay

• Reflection on Tony Saladino – Tampa Baseball icon
• Tampa Bay Rays Youth movement:
• Carson Williams – first MLB home run, strong defensive presence, potential long-term answer at shortstop
• Ian Seymour – lefty starter showing promise
• Everson Pereira – solid defense, working into outfield rotation
• Brian Van Belle – strong Durham performance, early success in MLB debut
• Junior Caminero – chasing 50+ home runs at age 21, comparisons to Evan Longoria’s early career stats
• Chandler Simpson – speed threat, but struggling at the plate
• Yandy Díaz & Brandon Lowe continue to mentor and produce 
•  Trop update: new roof construction underway
• 2026 - Rays building around Williams, Caminero, Seymour, Simpson, Curet, & others
•  Jays' Bo Bichette’s free agency may reshape shortstop market; Rays could leverage Ha-Seong Kim’s contract 
• Little League World Series Experience
• Mark’s trip to Williamsport with his brother Chris:
• 4 games in a single day (U.S. and international brackets) 
• Emotional highs and lows: kids’ joy in victory, heartbreak in defeat 
• Memorable sportsmanship amongst teams
•  Chinese Taipei & Korea producing strong talent; ties to Australian Baseball League
• Would the LLWS ever move overseas
• Brooke Mrozek, Team Manager of the Florida Bolts Girls Baseball Team
• All-girls baseball organization serving ages 7–18 across Florida
•  Teams compete in national tournaments, including Sparks, Nevada where:
• 12U team won 1st place (minor division)
•  16U team finished 2nd place (minor division)
• Brooke’s daughter served as a coach for the 12U team
• 10 collegiate women’s teams (e.g., Cal Poly) 
• Launch of the (WPBL) in 2026 
• Bolts Player Development
• Continue with local rec/travel teams and unite for monthly practices
• Practices emphasize both skill-building and fun (e.g., slip-and-slide sliding drills)
•  Being a mentor beyond parents—“I believe in you. You belong.”
• Funding Challenges
• Florida Bolts is a nonprofit, relying on donations, fundraisers, & sponsorships
• Past support included the Tampa Bay Rays, funding has decreased in recent years
• Current fundraiser: 50/50 raffle 
• Upcoming Opportunity: The Barclay Cup in Australia
• Bolts are the first international team invited to this prestigious tournament happening next month
• Historic opportunity to bridge U.S. and Australian girls’ baseball
•  Sponsorships and donations needed to cover travel, lodging, tournament fees, and uniforms
• Support the Florida Bolts
• Facebook & Instagram: Florida Bolts Baseball
• Email: FloridaBoltsBaseball@yahoo.com
• Donations/Sponsorships: via Venmo, Cash App, or PayPal (details on Facebook page)
• 50/50 raffle currently active
• Closing Message from Brooke -  Goal is to create opportunities and support girls in baseball
• Sponsorships, donations, and even sharing posts online make a difference
• “Baseball isn’t just for boys anymore—girls can do this.”

You can find Mat at @matgermain.bsky.social or reach Mark at  baseballbizondeck@gmail.com BaseballBiz on Deck, at iHeart Apple, Spotify, Amazon Music, and at www.baseballbizOnDeck.com 
Special Thanks to Scott Holmes for the music Stomps & Claps