Little League Legends Who Became Big League Stars

Many Major League Baseball players get their start on a Little League diamond, but less than 1 percent of Little Leaguers make the Show.

Even fewer big leaguers make their debut on the big stage during the Little League Baseball World Series. Since the first Little League World Series was held in Williamsport, Pennsylvania, in 1947, only 58 Little League Baseball World Series participants have gone on to play Major League Baseball.

These are the chosen few. They include current and former MLB players, including some of today’s biggest stars. We have ranked them all from least to most impressive major league career. 

Little League Baseball World Series: 1990

Team: San-Hua Little League

City: Tainan County, Chinese Taipei

Finish: Beat Shippensburg, Pennsylvania, 9-0 in final to win championship

MLB: 2002-05

Team: Los Angeles Dodgers

Position: Left field

Stats: 19 G, 25 PA, 2 H, 2 RBI, .091 BA

World Series appearances: None

Baseball is a simple game — you throw the ball, you hit the ball, you catch the ball. But even Ted Williams, the greatest hitter who ever lived, admitted that hitting a round ball with a round ball square is the hardest thing to do in the game.

Chin-Feng Chen did it well enough to collect two career hits. And his journey began by winning the Little League World Series with Chinese Taipei, which now has won 17 LLBWS titles, the most of any country.

How about that?

(Note: All MLB stats current through 2022)

LLBWS: 2003 

Team: Lamar Little League

City: Richmond, Texas

Finish: Lost 14-13 to Saugus, Massachusetts, in quarterfinals

MLB: 2016, 2019 (2 seasons)

Teams: Houston Astros

Position: Pitcher (right-handed)

Stats: 8 G, 1 GS, 0-1, 15.53 ERA, 22 H, 23 R, 13.1 IP, 7 SO

World Series appearances: None

Brady Rodgers grew up in Texas and went to Arizona State.

When the Astros drafted him in 2012, he was overjoyed. When they released him in 2019, he had to regroup.

Now, he’s fighting for major league survival.