March 23, 2025
Scottsdale, AZ - The 2025 MLB Players STEM League Global Championship wrapped up on Sunday, March 23, in Scottsdale, AZ after a full weekend of competition, learning, and, of course, baseball. Cristian S. from Brazil, representing Project Biesbol, and Rafael S. from the Dominican Republic, representing the Baseball Island Foundation, secured the title of Global Champions in an exciting final round. Participants in this year's event hailed from the U.S., the Dominican Republic, Colombia, and Brazil.
Cristian, a native Portuguese speaker, and Rafael, a native Spanish speaker, overcame their language barrier as an unstoppable force in the tournament. Remaining undefeated throughout the competition, the two showcased the skills and hard work they put in to reach the championship – a testament to the unifying power of sports and the shared universal language of math.
Learn Fresh and MLB Players Trust co-hosted the Global Championship event alongside MLB’s Spring Training, where students got to enjoy the festivities in addition to tournament play. The weekend kicked off with a family-style dinner Friday night, where students met their peers and got to know their teammates. Students and families headed in early, anticipating the weekend’s tournament ahead.
The tournament began the following day, Saturday, at Children’s Museum of Phoenix, where teams drafted players for the first round of gameplay. Afterward, students headed to Surprise Stadium for a special on-field experience where they met Kyle Higashioka of the Texas Rangers. Rafael, representing the Baseball Island Foundation, had the opportunity to meet Luis Medina, a fellow Baseball Island alumnus and current prospect for the Texas Rangers. Students stayed to watch the Rangers take on the Kansas City Royals in an exhibition game. First rounds officially kicked off that afternoon at ASU’s Sun Devil Fitness Complex. The 12 teams competed in a total of three opening rounds for seeding.
The excitement and anticipation reached their climax on Sunday, where teams faced a single elimination bracket at the MLB Players Association headquarters. The day opened with a speaker series, including a welcome from Tony Clark, the Executive Director of the MLBPA, who shared words of encouragement, wrapping up with a special video message from Rangers’ pitcher, Jon Gray. The games were then underway.
Cristian and Rafael, undefeated so far, were the top seed going into the semifinals after Saturday night’s opening rounds. They advanced to the finals, where they faced Luke M. from Paradise Valley, AZ. A big home run gave them an early advantage, leading them to secure the win, not only as the 2025 Global Champions, but as undefeated champions as well. Both teams demonstrated their skills and the hard work they’d put in over the course of the tournament.
This win means Cristian and Rafeal will be headed back to the States this summer for a special on-field experience at the Home Run Derby during All-Star Week in Atlanta, Georgia.
The MLB Players STEM League program, launched in partnership with MLB Players Trust in 2022, is a baseball-inspired STEM program for middle-school students. Designed in a board game format and aligned with curriculum standards, the program captures the energy of baseball while offering students an engaging way to strengthen their math skills. Since its inception in the United States, the program has expanded to serve students in Latin America, and most recently in South Korea and Japan as of 2024. During the 2025 season, MLB Players STEM League served 500 educators and over 25,000 students across all regions.
The student participants in this year’s Global Championship were selected based on qualifying criteria. To qualify for application, students must reach All-Star Student status during the season by displaying a high degree of growth through the program, a dedication to practicing good sportsmanship, and an ability to overcome adversity either inside or outside the classroom. Students must also complete a minimum of 10 MLB Players STEM League games by March 2025. (One game is defined as 15 minutes of physical board game play.)
Congratulations to all the student participants in this year’s Global Championship! Click here to view our photo album.
2025 MLB Players STEM League Global Championship Winners:
Runner-Up:
Sportsmanship Awards:
*Most Runs Scored Awards:
*Cumulative runs from opening and final rounds