The World Series? Make It 2 Appearances For Young Manchester Player

MANCHESTER, CT — One can make a valid argument that the young baseball career of Manchester's Jacob Budarz has been filled with a bit more excitement than most teens. After all, he played in the Little League World Series and, this fall, was at Game 2 of the World Series en route to winning the Major League Baseball's Pitch, Hit & Run Competition for the 13-to-14 age group.

Budarz recently spent some time with Patch to relive the whole experience. He seemed cooler than most players his age with a laid back, down-to-earth attitude, but he also admitted the excitement level hit a peak when he made it to the World Series.

I guess I didn't expect something like this," he said. "I've been doing competitions for a couple of years and made it to Fenway Park. But taking it all the way to the World Series was pretty fun."

Budarz's path to the MLB Pitch Hit & Run championship at Minute Maid Park in Houston began in July in Revere MA and he earned enough points to compete at the regional finals at Fenway in August.

After that, it was a waiting game to see if he would qualify for the National Finals at the World Series. The top 4 scorers in each age group would be competing after game 2 of the World Series. In September, he found out he was in the finals, which included an all-expense-paid trip to Game 2. Family members chuckled that a plane ride to Texas was much more exciting than, say, a car ride to The Bronx.

"I had been to competitions at Yankee Stadium and Fenway, but this was the World Series," Budharz said. "The field seemed a little more groomed. Houston lot different — lot warmer — because the field is indoors, something I hadn't done yet."

Budarz continued, "Maybe there was a little more pressure because it was the finals, but the stadium was still empty during the competition so not a lot of people are watching you. It's a really good accomplishment and I wanted to win for sure."

In 2021, Budarz and his Manchester squad made it to the Little League World Series after a wild series of games in the early playoff rounds. The team played well at the Series, but endured an early exit. Still, Manchester took part in all the hoopla that included meeting MLB players like Mike Trout and Todd Frazier.

The MLB competition was a little different, he said.

"The Little League World Series was more of a team accomplishment," he said. "The whole town was behind us and we were representing part of our country. It's a dream we all have as players."

He thought for a moment, then added, "This one-person thing was a different type of cool experience. Since I won it, I might remember this this a little longer."

Budarz joked that his running was not the stronest link — "I'm not really fast," he joked — but the hitting and throwing made up for it as he amassed 1,790 points to beat out three warm weather players from Texas, California and Virginia to make his age group.

"We got to know each other so it was a lot of fun," he said. "The Little League World Series is the dream for every kid playing little league, but this, I think, beat it. It's nice thing to have in my book."