DATE: AUGUST 3, 2025
HOT SPRINGS NATIONAL PARK, Arkansas — The young men who will represent Hot Springs as the host team in the upcoming Babe Ruth League World Series for 14-year-olds have a wide spectrum of favorite activities and sports heroes.
The World Series will be played August 8 – 16 at Hot Springs’ Majestic Park baseball complex, where the immortal Ruth himself played and trained in the early 20th Century.
“These youngsters will have the time of their lives when they meet and play with young men from all over the world,” Majestic Park General Manager Derek Phillips said. “Our host team is a great group of kids who will represent our city well when they face off against the best young players on earth.
“Hot Springs will open play in the Series At 7 p.m. August 8 in the kickoff game between Hot Springs and Nigeria at Majestic Park. Everyone in Hot Springs should come out to see these youngsters compete at the highest level while representing our city on the world stage.”
The youngsters on Hot Springs’ team are:
• Bentley Jester, who plays pitcher catcher and shortstop and likes to duck hunt and do projects around the house. His favorite athlete is Jarren Duran.
• Luke Layton, who plays catcher. His favorite player is Yadier Molina and he likes to fish and hunt.
• Pike Thaxton, who plays outfield and pitcher. Pike once threw an 11-strikeout complete game to win a tournament and likes to play basketball and golf. His favorite athlete is Kobe Bryant.
• Alfie Thompson, who plays catcher, pitcher and first base. He likes basketball and standup paddleboard. His favorite players are Mike Trout and Rich Thompson.
• Luke Dishongh, who plays second base and likes to golf and play ping pong. His favorite athletes are Scottie Scheffler and Dansby Swanson.
• Max Moncrief, who plays pitcher and shortstop. His favorite athlete is Cooper Flag, and he likes to fish and listen to country music.
• Jake Gaston, who plays first base and shortstop. He likes to hunt and fish and once threw a no-hitter. His favorite player is Fernando Tatis Jr.
• Easton Major, who plays catcher and pitcher. He likes to fish and duck hunt, and his favorite player is Yadier Molina.
• Caine Hollyfield, who plays outfield, first and third base and catcher. He likes to play video games and hunt, and his favorite athlete is Bo Jackson.
• Easton Duke, who plays outfield and second base. He likes to hunt, fish and kayak. His favorite baseball memory is coach Rich Thompson getting sick in the dugout when player Preston York got sick at the 2023 Cal Ripken World Series.
• Preston York, who plays pitcher and third base. He likes to swim and play video games. His favorite athlete is Matt Chapman.
• Bryce Quinton, who plays pitcher and first and third base. His favorite athlete is Yadier Molina, and he likes to hunt, fish and play golf.
• Cline Schumann, who plays outfield. His favorite athlete is Nolan Arenado, and he likes to play video games and wiffleball.
• Price White, who plays first and third base and pitcher. His favorite athletes are Tarik Skubal and Ronald Acuna Jr. He likes to hunt and fish.
The host team’s coaches are Kevin White, Rich Thompson, Eric Major and
Tommy Duke. This coaching staff coached the 2022 Cal Ripken Southwest Regional winners at Majestic Park and the 2023 Cal Ripken World Series in Branson, Mo.
Phillips said the opening ceremonies for the series will be held at noon August 8 at Magic Springs Theme and Water Park. All of the 15 teams playing in the World Series will have lunch at Magic Springs and then play in the park until the World Series Village opens at 5 p.m. That will be followed at 7 p.m. by the kickoff game between the host Hot Springs team and Nigeria at Majestic Park.
Although admission to the World Series Village will be free, tickets are needed to watch the games themselves. Tickets for the World Series are available now at www.majesticpark.org. Tournament passes are $50 for adults and $30 for kids 7-17. Daily admission tickets are $10 for adults and $8 for kids 7-17.
Tournament competition starts in earnest at 9 a.m. August 9 with all 15 teams taking the fields at Babe Ruth Field at Majestic Park and at Lakeside High School Baseball Field. World Series games will be played daily from 9 a.m. to
10 p.m. through August 16.
Phillips said tournament updates will be posted on www.majesticpark.org.
“Our city, The Birthplace of Major League Baseball Spring Training, will be hosting teams from all across the United States and the world,” Phillips said. “These young athletes and their support personnel — and lots of their fans — will be in Hot Springs for 10 days of top-level baseball competition.”
The teams that will play in Hot Springs are:
Hot Springs host team; New England Champion; Middle Atlantic Champion; Ohio Valley Champion; Southeast Champion; Midwest Plains Champion; Southwest Champion; Pacific Northwest Champion; Pacific Southwest Champion; Arkadelphia invited team; Puerto Rico; Nigeria; New Zealand; Philippines, and Mexico.
“The spotlight will be on our city and our top-level baseball facilities,” Phillips said.
“Having the young athletes play at Majestic Park will be especially meaningful for them since this is the very spot where Babe Ruth trained and played in the early years of the 20th Century. They’ll enjoy playing on Babe Ruth Field and our larger-than-life bronze statue of The Babe, one of only three like it in the world.
“Adding to the excitement, Hot Springs Baseball Weekend will take place August 8 – 9, featuring legendary players Johnny Bench, Bill “Spaceman” Lee, Fergie Jenkins, Bret Saberhagen, Steve Garvey and Al Hrabosky.”
For more information contact Derek Phillips at 501-359-2414.