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PHOENIX � Concerns about baseball’s future have long haunted MLB executives. Recent improvements in viewership and attendance have suggested a resurgence in popularity, but ultimately the league knows the growth of the game circles back to youth signing up and taking the field from a young age.

Since reaching the World Series in 2023, the Arizona Diamondbacks have captured fans� attention. Once in the basement of the daunting National League West, the team has emerged as a legitimate contender. Now, it is working to build the next generation of great Arizona ballplayers.

The Diamondbacks� RBI program serves to support young baseball players who may not have the means to play based on a number of obstacles, including the cost to play. The program supports players from ages 5 to 18 and is committed to increasing youth interest in softball and baseball in Arizona.

James Kuzniak, the coach at Yuma’s Gila Ridge High School, has worked with the Diamondbacks for the past nine years, running youth camps and tossing batting practice at Chase Field. In 2024, he joined the RBI program as an assistant coach to help some of Arizona’s overlooked young players reach the next level.

“It gives them a taste of pro ball before they get into pro ball,� Kuzniak said before the Diamondbacks City Connect Nike RBI High School Showcase at El Oso Park. “From the gear to the travel to the hotels, meal money, (the Diamondbacks) take care of everything from the top down.�

The Diamondbacks� RBI program, which launched in 2020 under the MLB Jr. RBI recreational program, stands for “Reviving Baseball in Inner Cities.� The RBI team has since traveled and competed against other MLB RBI teams around the country. The Diamondbacks won regional finals to advance to the MLB RBI World Series in Florida in 2023 and 2024, as the number of players in the program and the overall talent continued to rise.

Arizona ranked second to last in the nation (42.6%) in the percentage of children ages 6 to 17 who played a team sport or took lessons in 2020 and 2021, according to a 2023 study by Project Play. The national average was 51%. Beyond baseball and softball, youth participation in sports around the country has plateaued. Kuzniak is part of the mission to rebuild those connections to sports and the community it can provide to those in need.

“It really gives hope,� Kuzniak said about the potential impact of the RBI program. “Even me doing it in my local community. I have young kids talking to me like, ‘Hey man, I hope one day I could play on the RBI team .� � To see 10-, 11-year-olds, kind of giving them that goal of ‘Hey, one day I want to play and make the RBI team,� it’s really cool.

“It kind of gives them something to look forward to. � It doesn’t have to be competitive. It’s not about winning or losing. There’s a lot of failure in this game, from the big leagues on down.�

The RBI program could contribute to the game’s recent resurgence. Thanks in part to rule changes, ESPN’s MLB viewership has increased 22% from last year, and FOX’s viewership has improved 10%, the league reports.

MLB attendance is also up. The Diamondbacks, for example, are averaging 31,461 fans at Chase Field in 2025 versus 28,912 in 2024.

Still, even big leaguers like Diamondbacks outfielder Alek Thomas understand the everyday struggle that baseball presents. Thomas, in his fourth season with the team, once found himself in the same shoes as the kids in Phoenix. Growing up in Chicago, Thomas is an alumnus of the White Sox RBI team. Now serving as a mentor for the generation to follow, he is one of many Diamondbacks players supporting the program.

“Being able to have that experience, the White Sox, they supported all the things that we did,’� Thomas said. “And now, being a part of an organization where they do the same thing is really cool. Being a player instead of a kid is different. Things come around full circle. Just to be able to talk to these guys and give them whatever advice I can give them is really cool.�

As the Diamondbacks� RBI team gets its season started, aiming to reach a third-consecutive MLB RBI World Series in Florida, the growth of the program provides reason for optimism for the future of baseball in Arizona. Project Play’s survey conducted in late 2024 shows that the national average spending amount by parents for their child to play their primary sport has eclipsed $1,000, a trend that has increased by 46% since 2019. The MLB RBI programs around the country help to eliminate those obstacles while rebuilding communities in the inner cities and keeping kids active.

�(The Diamondbacks� RBI program) has built up really quickly because the Diamondbacks have put a lot of money into it,� Kuzniak said. “They’ve really invested in it � It’s not just about the baseball. You treat (the players) like people, and you take care of them like people, and they’re going to do good things for you, once they see that they’re part of the family.�