The nation's largest Little League festival, the MLB CUP, concludes successfully... Oh Seung-hwan and Eom Jun-sang also participate

*This content was translated by AI.

The '2026 MLB CUP KOREA', jointly organized by Major League Baseball (MLB) and the Korean Little League Association to promote the development of Little League baseball in Korea and expand the sport's reach, concluded successfully after its final round was held from July 18 to 23 at Hwaseom Dream Park.

This year's MLB CUP KOREA saw 32 teams each from the U10 and U12 categories, having passed preliminary rounds across nine regions nationwide, advance to the final round. The tournament brought together outstanding Little League teams from all over the country, creating a festive atmosphere where players, coaches, families, and fans enjoyed baseball together. During the event, MLB provided various commemorative items and baseball equipment to participating teams, giving young athletes joyful memories.

In the U10 final, Incheon Namdong District Little League faced Gyeonggi Gunpo City Little League, with Gunpo City claiming the championship. In the U12 final, Incheon Seo-gu Little League competed against Gyeonggi Bucheon Sosa Little League, with Bucheon Sosa emerging as champions. Additionally, in the newly introduced Rookie Division final, Incheon Jung-gu Dream-Gyeyang United Team faced Daegu Lions Little League, with Daegu Lions securing the title.

Current and former star players representing Korean baseball attended the event, offering young athletes a special experience. At the opening ceremony on July 18, Eom Jun-sang, who recently signed with the Arizona Diamondbacks, delivered a speech, threw out the ceremonial first pitch, and participated in the home run derby and trophy presentation. On the final day, July 23, Oh Seung-hwan visited the venue to throw the ceremonial first pitch for the finals, attend the award ceremony, and appear on MLB Korea's official YouTube live broadcast special seat, cheering for young players and sharing the significance of the tournament.

Notably, Deoksu High School's Eom Jun-sang was a participant in the 2019 MLB CUP, making his progression from the MLB CUP to actual MLB (Arizona Diamondbacks) the first such case, adding greater meaning to the event. Young players had a meaningful opportunity to meet a player who competed on the same stage as them and made it to the major leagues, inspiring their dreams and goals for the future.

Players from the U10 and U12 final teams wore official MLB team uniforms and caps during the games, experiencing what it feels like to be actual major leaguers. The program of having final round participants wear MLB team uniforms has continued for three years this season and has become a signature program representing the MLB CUP KOREA.

Key matches of the tournament were broadcast live via MLB Korea's official Korean-language YouTube channel. On July 22, one semi-final match each for U10 and U12 was aired, followed by two finals on July 23. The broadcasts featured caster Jung Yong-geom and commentator Kim Sun-woo, who delivered professional game analysis and conveyed the vibrant atmosphere of the. Additionally, during the tournament, MLB Korea's SNS channels produced and operated diverse content including game highlights, player interviews, and on-site sketches, conveying the excitement and emotion of the event to fans unable to attend in person. This helped introduce the challenges and growth process of youth players more broadly. YouTuber Bakkko from the YouTube channel YasinYadeok also participated in various content shoots with players and took part in ceremonial first pitches and award ceremonies during the final round, further enlivening the tournament atmosphere.

Furthermore, the MLB CUP Scholarship, established in 2022 and now in its fifth year, is a scholarship program designed to support the growth of youth players participating in the tournament and enable them to pursue their dreams through baseball. This year, the MLB CUP Scholarship program will be conducted at the Korean Little League Association's award ceremony scheduled for year-end.

An MLB official stated, "This year's MLB CUP KOREA has grown one step further as the nation's largest youth baseball tournament by expanding its scale," adding, "We aimed to provide a stage where young players could not only compete in wins and losses but also create joy, friendship, and precious memories through baseball." The official continued, "Eom Jun-sang, who participated in the MLB CUP and later advanced to MLB before returning to the tournament, demonstrates that the MLB CUP has evolved into a meaningful stage connecting young players' dreams with their actual futures. Moving forward, MLB will actively support the development of youth baseball in Korea and the continued growth of the MLB CUP."

The MLB CUP KOREA is a Little League tournament created to help domestic youth players cultivate their dreams through baseball and enable players, families, and fans from across the country to interact. MLB plans to continue its efforts to expand the base of youth baseball in Korea through differentiated game operations, diverse experiential programs, scholarship initiatives, and digital content.

<© STARNEWS. All rights reserved. No reproduction or redistribution allowed.>

*This content was translated by AI.