Is the Texas Rangers RBI program for the underserved or just another prep select program is a question some are asking.
This weekend during All Star play at the West Dallas complex one team mate seemed to have a leg up as his mother is the Vice President for the Texas Rangers Foundation and a local select baseball player.
The Returning Baseball to Inner (RBI) Cities program is supposed to help increase minority participation in baseball, but it appears it is being used to defray costs for wealthy families connected to the team.
Jackson Morris is playing for the Texas Cannons baseball club in addition to his time with the Texas Rangers RBI program which provides him free equipment.
It is unclear if this counts against IRS rules for public charities to provide personal benefits, but neither the Texas Rangers nor the Texas Rangers Foundation would return phone calls requesting comment about the program.
Texas Rangers RBI Program
The program itself has not had much success getting out of the RBI playoffs and some blame the program’s director Juan Garciga for building a group of coaches who can neither teach well or push their players beyond natural talent.
The program was also hit recently by allegations one of their coaches was being investigated for masturbating to a young girl.