The eighth annual MLB Little League Classic presented by New York Life on Sunday Night Baseball presented by Capital One will take place at Historic Bowman Field in Williamsport on Sunday, August 17, as the Seattle Mariners and American League home run leader Cal Raleigh take on the New York Mets and Juan Soto.

The Sunday Night Baseball team of Karl Ravech, analyst Eduardo Perez, fellow analyst and five-time World Series Champion David Cone and reporter Buster Olney will provide commentary for the marquee event on ESPN. Ravech, Perez and Cone will also call a Little League Baseball World Series presented by T-Mobile game on ESPN at 9 a.m., prior to the MLB Little League Classic. They'll be joined by reporter Jess Sims.

KidsCast
ESPN's KidsCast, an alternate presentation featuring commentary from an all-youth broadcast team, will air on ESPN2 alongside the traditional MLB Little League Classic broadcast on ESPN. The team will include youth commentator Thomas Gamba, returning for his second year, alongside Roman Brunetti from the Bruce Beck Sports Broadcasting Camp. In addition, Pepper Persley will return for her fourth year as the KidsCast broadcast reporter.

Gamba, 17, is a broadcaster from Garden City, N.Y., and a rising senior at Chaminade High School, where he is executive producer of the sports media team. He has called the MLB Little League Classic on ESPN2, hosts "NHL Hockeyverse Matchup of the Week" and works as a play-by-play voice for multiple regional sports outlets.

Brunetti, 17, is a broadcaster from Mineola, N.Y., and a rising senior at Chaminade High School. A lifelong New York Mets fan, he is passionate about telling the stories and sharing the numbers behind each player and team. Roman played competitive travel baseball for eight years and once shared a Little League team with fellow commentator Gamba. Away from the mic, he enjoys roller coasters, sports video games and exploring new foods, and he hopes to study broadcasting in college.

Persley, 14, is a journalist, broadcaster and author from New York City who began her career at age 6. Named one of Adweek's 2022 Most Powerful Women in Sports, she hosts her own podcast, "Dish With Pepper," and has interviewed figures including A'ja Wilson, Caitlin Clark, Aaron Judge and former President George W. Bush. Since 2022, Persley has worked as a reporter for ESPN's Little League World Series KidsCast coverage.

The team will cover the Seattle Mariners vs. New York Mets game from a youth perspective while spotlighting the full Williamsport, Pa. experience. KidsCast is in its sixth year as the alternate presentation for the MLB Little League Classic and made its debut in 2019.

SportsCenter's "50 States in 50 Days" content initiative will conclude in Pennsylvania on Sunday, August 17, for an on-site show prior to the MLB Little League Classic presented by New York Life. Kevin Negandhi and Ryan Smith will co-host SportsCenter, airing from X-X a.m.

The MLB Little League Classic, presented By New York Life, on Sunday Night Baseball is also available on ESPN Radio with Mike Couzens and analyst Doug Glanville describing the action. Additionally, the event is available in Spanish on ESPN Deportes with the team of Ernesto Jerez, Luis Alfredo Alvarez and Guillermo Celis providing commentary.

Baseball Tonight will precede the MLB Little League Classic, presented By New York Life, at 6 p.m. on ESPN with host Kevin Connors, analysts Tim Kurkjian & Xavier Scruggs and reporter Jeff Passan previewing the action on-site in Williamsport.

All of ESPN. All in One Place. Coming August 21.

For the first time ever, ESPN will offer its full suite of networks and services directly to fans, along with an enhanced ESPN App that integrates game stats, betting information, fantasy sports, commerce, multiview options and a personalized SportsCenter For You. Designed to give fans more choice, flexibility and access to all of ESPN, these new features and functionality will be available to all fans who watch on the ESPN App on mobile and connected TV devices, whether they subscribe directly or through a traditional pay TV package. For more visit the ESPN DTC Press Kit.

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ESPN media contact: [email protected], [email protected] 

Source: ESPN