Youth baseball is alive and well in the Acreage Athletic League, as children are currently swinging baseball bats, catching fly balls and trying to turn double plays on Saturday mornings and afternoons at the County Pines Recreational Complex at Samuel Friedland Park, which is located at 18500 Hamlin Blvd.
While the majority of the AAL’s baseball games are played at Samuel Friedland Park, some games will also be played at Willows Park in Royal Palm Beach.
On Saturday, Feb. 22, the Acreage Athletic League conducted its opening weekend of play for the spring 2025 season. In addition to the many players, coaches, parents and family members in attendance, there were a few specially invited guests on hand. They were former Florida Marlins pitcher Kyle Farjad, longtime WPTV NewsChannel 5 anchor Michael Williams, and an honor guard from the Palm Beach County Sheriff’s Office.
This spring, there are five age groups playing competitive recreational baseball within the AAL — 4U, 6U, 8U, 10U and 12U. At the moment, 130 youngsters aged three to 12 are enrolled in the league, which is an affiliate of Babe Ruth Baseball.
According to AAL Baseball Board Member Diana Valdes, the league has the capacity to expand to 14U and 16U, but it needs more players to register to play. Meanwhile, the team rosters are not just limited to boys. “We are co-ed,” Valdes noted. “We have girls playing on our teams, as well.”
While the AAL has been in existence since the 1990s, the league’s leadership is looking to expand the outreach of the league.
“AAL baseball has been in place for 30 years,” Valdes said. “We have a brand-new board of directors aimed at growing the league and earning back the children and families who have left to different leagues. We welcome all new and returning players.”
The league’s regular-season schedule will conclude on Saturday, April 19, with playoffs starting the following weekend on Saturday, April 26.
Families and fans can monitor what’s happening with youth baseball in The Acreage by visiting the league’s Facebook page at www.facebook.com/acreagebaseball1 or web site at www.aalbaseball.com.
