FORT MYERS, Fla. — Last weekend, some of the country’s best high school baseball players showed what they can do for the world.
The fourth annual Hank Aaron Invitational was held at Truist Park in Atlanta and featured one Southwest Florida product — Fort Myers High School’s Madrid Tucker.
“It definitely felt good because most kids don’t get that opportunity to have all the cameras around them until they make it to the major leagues,” Tucker said.
Tucker was one of over 100 high school baseball players who tried out for the showcase event. The larger group began in Vero Beach, FL, with a four-day training camp. After that, the coaches and scouts cut the list down to the top 44 players — an ode to Hank Aaron’s famed number.
“Having that experience early on definitely gave me a perspective of what I’m going to experience later on in life,” Tucker said.
Tucker was one of the 44 players selected. This was a moment he was waiting for for a while. Tucker and the other players then traveled up to Atlanta. They were split into two teams and went head to head in an exhibition game on national television. Tucker had participated in the training camp portion of the event for years prior but wasn’t old enough for the actual Hank Aaron Invitational game. This year he was.
“It was definitely an exciting moment because I’m finally old enough to finally be on the big stage with all the bigger kids,” Tucker said.
Playing in the game and on national television helps Tucker get his name out there. Plus, throughout the entire experience he was coached by some former MLB pros.
“We have a huge A-list of coaches,” MLB-MLBPA Youth Development Foundation Executive Director Jean Lee Batrus said.
The list of former pros included Willie Banks, Pat Mahomes Sr., and even Madrid’s father — Michael Tucker.
The Hank Aaron Invitational is run by the MLB-MLBPA Youth Development Foundation, which provides opportunities and makes baseball more accessible for all people. The group made sure the event was not just some practices and a game. They also provided Tucker and the other players with off-the-field instruction, such as cultural experiences, mental health training, and business lessons.
“That experience is really holistic,” Batrus said. “Development on and off the field.”
Now, Tucker is focused on getting back to the Hank Aaron Invitational next year.
“I’ll be able to go again if I can make it there,” he said. “I definitely want to get some hits, steal some bags, show them what I can really do on the bases.”
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