Congratulations to Vallejo, California, Babe Ruth League alum Carsten Charles (CC) Sabathia on achieving one of baseball’s greatest honors—induction into the Hall of Fame! CC wasn’t just a force on the mound; he was also a dedicated supporter of Babe Ruth League for many years. We’re proud to count him among our legendary alumni!

Cleveland selected Sabathia in the first round of the 1998 MLB Draft when he was just 17 years old. He debuted in the major leagues as a 20-year-old phenom and quickly evolved into an All-Star and Cy Young Award winner before becoming the ace of a World Series winner.

Along the way, Sabathia carved out a legacy as one of the most durable and effective left-handed starters the game has ever seen.

Sabathia went 17-5 for Cleveland in 2001, leading the AL with a mark of 7.4 hits per nine innings and finishing second in the American League Rookie of the Year voting. He was named to his first All-Star Game in 2003, then hit his stride in 2007, winning the AL Cy Young Award after going 19-7 with 209 strikeouts in an MLB-best 241 innings.

But with his contract set to expire after the 2008 season, Sabathia was traded to the Brewers midway through that campaign. He proceeded to put up numbers that would make him one of the best deadline acquisitions in history – going 11-2 with a 1.65 ERA in 17 starts while leading the National League in complete games (seven) and shutouts (three).

After becoming a free agent, Sabathia signed a nine-year deal with the Yankees. He quickly proved to be the ace New York was looking for, going 19-8 with a 3.37 ERA. Sabathia started Game 1 of each of the Yankees’ three postseason series, winning ALCS Most Valuable Player honors and leading New York to the World Series title.

Sabathia followed his World Series campaign with three straight All-Star seasons, leading MLB with 21 wins in 2010. His impressive workload – 13 straight seasons with at least 180 innings pitched, including eight years with at least 200 innings – began to take their toll on Sabathia midway through the 2010s, but Sabathia continued to pitch through his age-38 season. He retired after the 2019 campaign with a 251-161 record, a 3.74 ERA and six All-Star Game selections as well as 11 Opening Day assignments.

Sabathia’s 3,093 strikeouts ranked 16th on the all-time list at the time of his retirement, and he was just the third left-hander to join the 3,000-strikeout club. He retired as one of only five pitchers with at least 250 wins, 3,000 strikeouts and a .600 winning percentage.

In 26 postseason games, Sabathia was 10-7 with 121 strikeouts in 130.1 innings.

Maybe the baseball world remembers him in pinstripes more than a Cleveland uniform, but Sabathia knows this moment wouldn’t have been possible without his original organization.

It was a fun moment for Guardians fans to celebrate, despite the Yankees logo that will be on the Hall of Famer’s hat in Cooperstown. When it came to Sabathia, there was no question. It’s why the Guardians were quick to induct the lefty workhorse into their own Hall of Fame last August, beginning the year of celebrations of Sabathia’s illustrious career that spanned 19 seasons.

Los Angeles Dodger (outfielder, shortstop, and second baseman) Mookie Betts, a Babe Ruth League graduate from Nashville, Tennessee, was named outfielder to the 2024 All-MLB First Team. This was his fifth All-MLB selection and his third consecutive First-Team selection.  The versatile superstar shifted to shortstop to begin the season before moving back to right field for the eventual World Series champion Dodgers. Through it all, he slashed .289/.372/.491 (.863 OPS) with 19 home runs, 75 RBIs, and 16 stolen bases.

In addition, Betts won the 2024 National League Silver Slugger Award for utility players.  This was his seventh Silver Slugger Award and his fourth with the Los Angeles Dodgers. 

In addition to Betts 2024 accolades, he is an eight-time All-Star, a six-time Gold Glove Award recipient, a three-time World Series champion, and was named the Most Valuable Player in the American League in 2018. He is also second in Wins Above Replacement (WAR) among active position players, behind Babe Ruth League graduate Mike Trout.

Betts is often regarded as one of the greatest players of his generation and of all time.

Betts was drafted by the Red Sox in 2011, and made his MLB debut in the 2014 season, splitting time between second base and the outfield. He became the Red Sox centerfielder in 2014, before moving to right field in 2016.  After six seasons with Boston, he was traded to the Dodgers in 2020 and later signed an extension with the team through the 2032 season.

2024 was also a magical season for another Babe Ruth Alumnus, Christopher Allen Sale, a Babe Ruth League graduate from Lakeland, Florida.  Sale is a pitcher for the Atlanta Braves.  He previously played for the Chicago White Sox and the Boston Red Sox.

Chris Sale is the first pitcher ever to have five top-five finishes in Cy Young voting before winning the award for the first time. He's also just the sixth pitcher to win the award for the first time after turning 35. 

Sale, who led National League pitchers in victories (18-3 record) is the ninth “triple crown” winner in the league to capture the Cy Young Award.  He led the National League in wins, strikeouts, and earned run average in his first season with Atlanta.

In addition, Sales was selected to the 2024 All-MLB First Team, won his first Gold Glove Award, and was named the NL Comeback Player of the Year.

Sale attended and graduated from Lakeland Senior High School, where he played baseball and basketball.  After his senior year, Sale was drafted in the 21st round of the 2007 MLB Draft by the Colorado Rockies, but chose not to sign and instead attended Florida Gulf Coast University. 

The Chicago White Sox selected him 13th overall in the  2010 MLB draft, and he made his MLB debut on August 6, 2010. He was traded to the Boston Red Sox before the 2017 season and was a key member of their pitching rotation that helped the team win the 2018 World Series. 

Sale was an MLB All-Star for seven consecutive seasons from 2012 to 2018 and led the American League in strikeouts in 2015 and 2017. After reaching 300 strikeouts in a single season for the first time in 2017, he was selected as the AL Sporting News Starting Pitcher of the Year.  Sale was the quickest to reach 2,000 career strikeouts in the fewest innings pitched (1,626). After a string of injuries derailed his final few years in Boston, Sale was traded to the Braves following the 2023 season and was later named to his eighth All-Star Game in 2024. 

Sale relies on four pitches — a fastball he throws between 93–101 miles per hour, a changeup at 85–89 miles per hour, a sinker at 90–94 miles per hour, and a slider at 77–84 miles per hour.  

Sale throws with a "funky" sidearm throwing motion, a modified motion he learned while he stayed in college after being drafted in 2007.  He is nicknamed “The Condor" because his unorthodox delivery makes him resemble a California condor.

Corbin Burnes, a Babe Ruth League graduate from Bakersfield, California, is a pitcher for the Arizona Diamondbacks. He previously played for the Milwaukee Brewers and Baltimore Orioles.

Burnes was selected by the Brewers in the fourth round of the 2016 MLB draft and made his MLB debut with them in 2018. He is a four-time All-Star and won the National League (NL) Cy Young Award in 2021, after leading the NL in ERA. He led the NL in strikeouts in 2022.

On February 1, 2024, the Orioles swung one of the biggest blockbuster trades of last offseason. They needed an ace for the top of their rotation, and they acquired one of the best in baseball in a deal with the Brewers.  Expectations were high for Corbin Burnes upon his arrival in Baltimore. And he met them.

Burnes made 32 starts for the Orioles in 2024, pitching to a 2.92 ERA and a 15-9 record with 181 strikeouts across 194 ¹⁄₃ innings pitched.  He also made his fourth consecutive All-Star team.

The 30-year-old right-hander was recognized for his strong 2024 campaign with the Orioles when Burnes was named to the 2024 All-MLB First Team. The All-MLB Team recognizes the best players at each position across the big leagues, with fans voting to determine who will be placed on the First and Second Teams.

Burnes was the lone representative for the Orioles, who went 91-71 and reached October as an American League Wild Card for their second consecutive postseason appearance.

Burnes is a power pitcher who has thrown six different pitches: a four-seam fastball between 94–97 miles per hour,  a sinker between 95–97 miles per hour, a changeup between 88–91 miles per hour, a slider between 86–89 miles per hour, a curveball between 80–83 miles per hour, and a cut fastball between 93–96 miles per hour. 

After the 2024 season, Burnes became a free agent.  On December 30, 2024, he signed a six-year, $210 million contract with the Arizona Diamondbacks.  For the Diamondbacks, this is a massive splash for a team that has been very good the last few years. They will now have a true ace at the top of their rotation, which will be important in the National League West.

Michael King, a Babe Ruth League graduate from Providence, Rhode Island, is a pitcher for the San Diego Padres.  He previously played for the New York Yankees, making his MLB debut in 2019.

King was named to the 2024 All-MLB Second Team after his first full season as a starter for the Padres. He had a 2.95 ERA in 31 appearances, including 30 starts. King also struck out 201 batters in 173 2/3 innings. 

King was acquired by the Padres from the Yankees in December 2023. He went from relief pitcher with the New York Yankees to starting rotation member with the San Diego Padres as part of a seven-player trade in December 2023. It proved a blessing for the right-hander – seventh place in the National League’s Cy Young Award voting, career highs in innings pitched, strikeouts, and wins above replacement. King added two playoff victories for the Padres, including a dominant outing against Atlanta in the NL Wild Card round. 

His accomplishments in 2024 set the stage for a one-year contract renewal with the Padres. 

King was one of the top pitchers in baseball in 2024. 

He attended Bishop Hendrickson High School in Warwick, Rhode Island.  He played for the school's baseball team as a pitcher and an outfielder, and helped the team win the Division I state championship in 2012, his junior year. In 2013, he was named the Gatorade Baseball Player of the Year for Rhode Island after pitching to a 7–0 win-loss record and a 0.30 ERA.  He also had a .469 batting average

King graduated from Bishop Hendricken in 2013 and enrolled at Boston College, where he played for the Boston College Eagles.  In 2015, he played collegiate summer baseball with the Hyannis Harbor Hawks of the Cape Cod Baseball League. 

While playing for the Arizona Diamondbacks, Christian Walker won the 2024 Gold Glove Award for first base. This was the third consecutive season that Walker won the award.  He also won the 2024 Heart and Hustle Award.

Walker is a Babe Ruth League graduate from Norristown, Pennsylvania.  He played in 130 games for the Diamondbacks in 2024, batting .251/.335/.468 with 26 home runs and 84 RBI.

Walker's 13 outs above average were the most among National League first basemen.  He is considered one of the best defensive first basemen in the majors,

On December 23, 2024, Walker signed a three-year contract with the Houston Astros.  He previously played for the Baltimore Orioles before joining the Arizona Diamondbacks.

Walker played college baseball for the South Carolina Gamecocks and won the College World Series in 2010 and 2011. The Orioles selected him in the fourth round of the 2022 MLB draft and he made his MLB debut with the team in 2014. He was later claimed off waivers in 2017 by the Diamondbacks and became their regular first baseman in 2018. Walker helped the Diamondbacks win the National League pennant in 2023.

A winning record in his first managerial season wasn’t enough. An American League Central title wasn’t enough. A run to the AL Championship Series wasn’t enough. Stephen Vogt, a Babe Ruth League graduate from Visalia, California, also had to make history.  Stephen Vogt was named the 2024 American League Manager of the Year by the Baseball Writers' Association of America. This was Vogt's first season managing the Cleveland Guardians. 

Vogt had played. Quite recently. (Vogt was selected by the Tampa Bay Rays in the 12^th round of the 2007 MLB draft.  He played for the Tampa Bay Rays, Oakland Athletics, Milwaukee Brewers, San Francisco Giants, Arizona Diamondbacks, and the Atlanta Braves. He was an MLB All-Star with the Athletics in 2015 and 2016.)

The two-time All-Star catcher hung ‘em up in 2022, worked as bullpen coach for the 2023 season and then took on manager duties. This is the fastest any skipper has gone from player to Manager of the Year.  He won the award just 397 days after finishing his playing career with the A's in 2022 

Vogt played college baseball at Azusa Pacific University, where he was a two-time All-American selection and set multiple school records. He spent six years in the minor leagues in Tampa Bay and was named the franchise's Minor League Player of the Year in 2011, before debuting with the Rays in 2012 at age 27. Vogt led American League catchers in most offensive categories for the first half of his 2015 season, and his .277 batting average in 2016 was ranked in the top five among catchers heading into the All-Star break that year.

Vogt was born into a baseball family: his father, Randy,  had been a pitcher at Fresno State, and two of his uncles played at the University of California, Davis, including Mike Vogt, a member of the UC Davis Aggies All-Time Century Team.  Vogt began playing t-ball at age four, and his dad coached him and his brother Danny through Little League and Babe Ruth League. 

Vogt participated in both baseball and basketball, joined the Associated Student Body, sung in choir, played trumpet and baritone horn through his sophomore year of high school, and participated in plays and musicals all throughout high school. He also performed in church musicals since his youth, and dreamed of performing on Broadway if he could not have a baseball career.

At 39 years, 334 days old on the final day of the regular season, Vogt is the fifth-youngest Manager of the Year winner.

Pat Murphy was named the 2024 National League Manager of the Year for leading the Milwaukee Brewers to an NL Central title, despite significant injury troubles and starting pitching woes.  Murphy is a Babe Ruth League graduate from Chandler, Arizona, and the first Brewers manager to win the award.

The first-year manager guided the Brewers to a 93-69 record, winning the NL Central division by 10 games over the Cardinals and Cubs. The team was in first place every day beginning April 30. The Brewers finished tied with the Padres for the fourth-best record in the Major Leagues, trailing only the Dodgers (98-64), Phillies (95-67) and Yankees (94-68).

Murphy spent eight seasons (2016-23) as bench coach with the Brewers before becoming manager.

Before joining Milwaukee, Murphy served as interim manager of the Padres in 2015.  In addition to his Major League experience, Murphy managed in the Padres farm system from 2011-15 at Class-A Eugene (2011-12), Triple-A Tucson (2013) and Triple-A El Paso (2014-15), going 273-230 (.543). He served San Diego as special assistant to baseball operations in 2010.

Murphy has also had a distinguished career in the college coaching ranks, spending 25 years as a head coach at Maryville College (1983), Claremont-Mudd-Scripps Colleges (1986-87), the University of Notre Dame (1988-94) and Arizona State University (1995-2009). He went 1,000-457-4 (.686) as a college coach and was on pace to become the winningest coach in NCAA history at the time he transitioned into professional coaching. Along with his head coaching experience, he was assistant coach at Florida Atlantic University (1984-85).

Murphy attended Florida Atlantic University (FAU) and played college baseball for the Florida Atlantic Owls as a catcher and infielder.  He also pitched on occasion.  He was honored on FAU's 20th Anniversary Team as a pitcher and utility player, and in 2008 was inducted into the school's Baseball Hall of Fame.

Murphy signed a professional baseball contract with the San Francisco Giants in 1982 and played four years in the minor leagues for the Giants, San Diego Padres, and two independent teams.