The Andre Dawson Classic formerly known as Major League Baseball Urban Invitational returns to Vero Beach, Florida for the second consecutive year with MLB’s continued commitment to bring America’s pastime back to urban youth and their communities with a three-day tournament designed to showcase the baseball programs at Historically Black Colleges and Universities.
Major League Baseball maintains its ongoing diversity efforts with programs for inner city youth to participate in baseball with MLB Urban Youth Academies and MLB Charities RBI Programs that recognize the importance of boosting academic excellence with athletic skills with initiatives to help provide financial assistance to youth who participate in both programs which spread nearly over the entire country.
MLB provides the funds for annual scholarships for selected RBI players who demonstrate academic excellence, athletic and leadership skills, and financial need and plan to attend a “two-year or four-year college or university”. Through the encouragement of education, MLB provides youths with the opportunity to fulfill their dreams.
The event heading into its 17th year, was launched in 2008 at the MLB Youth Academy in Compton, Calif., and was hosted there until 2012. The tournament relocated to Houston, Texas, at Minute Maid Park in 2012 and 2013. In 2014 the tournament moved to New Orleans until 2023. The return to Vero Beach continues a spotlight on Historically Black Colleges and Universities.
The 2025 tournament will feature seven HBCUs – Alabama State University (Montgomery, Ala.), Alabama A&M University (Huntsville, Ala.), Florida A&M University (Tallahassee, Fla.), Grambling State University (Grambling, La.) Jackson State University (Jackson, Miss.), Prairie View A&M University (Prairie View, Texas) and Southern University (Baton Rouge, La.). They will be joined by the University of Missouri (Columbia, Mo.).
MLB Network and MLB.com will air Friday and Saturday contests live. The baseball challenge begins with the first pitch slated for Friday, February 21st through Sunday, February 23rd.
Major League Baseball notes that each year, the tournament features dozens of Nike RBI and MLB Youth Academy alumni on the HBCU rosters.