PASS THE BAT: Four Thunder Players Represented at MLB National Softball Event
- Jessica Jacobson
- Jul 16
- 6 min read
PASS THE BAT is a special section of the Thunder Blog that highlights exceptional Thunder player stories that impact the next generation of Thunder success. Passing the bat matters more than the hit itself. It’s about the hard work, dedication, and resilience it takes to be able to get on base for your team, and then passing that momentum, opportunity, and lessons to the next teammate.
If you can see her, you can be her.
At the end of June, four Thunder players had the chance to represent our organization at the MLB Softball Elite Development Invitational (EDI) run by MLB Develops, the youth development wing of Major League Baseball that most directly identifies and impacts up and coming elite athletes of diamond sports (baseball, girls baseball, and softball). EDI is a 3-day event held at the Jackie Robinson Training Complex in Vero Beach, FL. The cost is fully covered by Major League Baseball in partnership with USA Softball. Players flew by themselves, stayed on site at JRTC with a new friend as their roommate, stayed on schedule with the event itinerary, and trained with the best instructors in the country. The coaches were:
The Thunder players who were invited to the event were:
Rylee Kinchen *2025 EDI participant
Pictured Left to Right: Ava Candullo, Maddy Collado, Rylee Kinchen, Gabby Martinez.
EDI is an experience designed to bring together some of the country's top players while investing in their growth as athletes, leaders, and people. This is NJ Thunder's second year of its players being afforded the opportunity to go to this event, as last year, DiLynn Jeffries-El, Rylee Kinchen, Luna Sanabria, and Jami West attended as our first Thunder players in the MLB Develops system.
This opportunity to develop extends beyond the field, giving the athletes the venue to build relationships within diamond sports, ask questions, embrace new perspectives, and discover what becomes possible when you're surrounded by others who dream big and encourage you to do the same in your own way.
At Thunder, we believe that's what passing the bat is all about. It's using your experiences to create pathways for the next player coming up behind you. It's returning home with more knowledge than you left with, sharing what you've learned, and helping raise the standard for the next generation. We're incredibly proud of how these four players in our Thunderhood represented themselves, their families, our organization, and the game.
Read below about their experiences in our MLB Softball EDI Q&A!
Three words to describe EDI:
Ava: new, absorb, passion
Maddy: exciting, surreal, nostalgic
Rylee: inspiring, challenging, unforgettable Gabby: inspiring, unforgettable, competitive
Describe 1 thing that you did that you are very proud of:
Gabby: One thing I am really proud of is stepping outside of my comfort zone and connecting with players from all over the country. I was able to talk to new people coaches and players and learn something new from everyone and improve as a softball player and as a person.
Can you describe a moment or interaction at camp that inspired you or helped you grow as a player or teammate?
Rylee: An interaction at camp that inspired me to grow as a player was probably the mistakes or errors I made. Even though it sounds strange, every time I made an error, Coach Bella really helped me understand the importance of breathing and letting things go. It made me feel inspired of her and also it really helped slow the game down and not think so much about it.
Gabby: One moment that inspired me was hearing coaches and former players talk about their journeys, especially the player who graduated from Duke [Kairi Rodriguez] and tore her ACL in her sophomore year. It showed me that success does not happen overnight and that everyone faces challenges. It motivated me to keep working hard and trust the process.
*Kairi worked camp not as a coach on field, but as an operational intern for the event. The players had chances to talk to her daily, and she also spoke on a panel along with Natasha Watley and Kelsey Whitmore.
What was the most valuable skill or lesson you learned at the MLB Elite Development Invitational, and how do you plan to use it moving forward?
Ava: I learned that there are four ways of catching a ball you can work into your throwing progressions. You can pretend your cutting a ball and turning glove side, quick transfer, force, and tag. I found this really helpful instead of just doing transfer because you don't have to separately work on all of those things. I worked this into my All-Academic Showcase [at the next tournament in Colorado] and felt I had a stronger edge and better routine. I learned from a lot of experiences - it is okay to fail but it's what you do with that failure and change it to make it a positive! Also, before going into this, I felt like sometimes I have just wanted to take a break from softball because it over consumes me sometimes. I heard from Olympians and Lauren Chamberlain that it is okay to do that. It made the thought seem more human to me.
Maddy: The biggest lesson I learned was to stay confident. and move forward after I make a mistake. I want to bring that confidence when I’m competing in a higher level.
Rylee: The most valuable lesson I learned at EDI is probably breathing before every rep. I plan to use this when stepping into the box or before receiving a pitch.
Gabby: The most valuable lesson I learned was the importance of communication, how to be a great teammate, and that energy is contagious. Moving forward, I plan to be more vocal on the field, support my teammates, and help create positive energy during games and practices.
What did this experience teach you about the level of commitment and mindset needed to reach the next level of softball?
Maddy: This experience showed me that talent is not enough. You need to stay mentally tough and always be willing to improve better the next day, and you have to have really good time management if you want to get everything done.
Rylee: This experience taught me that to play at a high level of softball you need to be 100% committed to the process that it takes to achieve in the game. Meaning always being a sponge and taking in new information to help you reach goals.
Gabby: This experience taught me that reaching the next level requires dedication every day, not just during games. It takes discipline, preparation, a strong work ethic, and the willingness to learn from mistakes. The best players consistently put in extra work and stay focused on their goals. It was a lot of work, but I love softball so it was completely worth it and I'm already missing it.
What can you bring back to your teammates on Thunder to help them and our organization?
Ava: I can bring back some of the things that I learned from Coach Ronnie with the stretching and getting your body ready. The four ways to receive a ball when throwing. If your stressed out during the game, you can do grounding which is using your five senses. Count two things you can touch, feel, smell, taste, and see in your surroundings.
Maddy: I want to bring back teamwork I experienced at EDI. I learned how supporting your teammates makes you go farther in the game.
Rylee: I can bring knowledge about recruiting tips to my teammates. For example, I can tell them about the amount of scholarships each division receives, how SAT and ACT scores can help you get money for college, etc. I can also teach them things that I learned for example the breathing techniques which really helped me a lot.
Gabby: I can bring back the lessons I learned about communication, leadership, and competing with confidence. I want to encourage my teammates to support each other more, communicate better on and off the field, and hold each other accountable. I can also share drills, advice, and techniques that I learned at EDI to help us continue growing as players and as a team. My team struggles with communication a lot, and I'm going to try and tell them how helpful it was. In EDI, I got put on a team with random girls. It was hard to talk to them, but once the game started and we started communicating, it was like I’ve been playing with them forever, showing that communication and energy matters. You could not know the person but if you have a common interest, than you’re going to be fine.
For the next generation of Thunder, these four players' experience will prepare YOU for when it's your turn. THUNDER PLAYERS: Watch these players' videos (linked above in the article)! They ARE the standard, along with many, many of their Thunder teammates. If you can see her, you can be her. Thank you Ava, Maddy, Rylee, and Gabby for sharing your talents and experiences with the Thunder community so our younger players can see their future!
You can follow MLB Develops on instagram to stay up to date on all MLB elite youth events and opportunities.
Want to join Thunder? Email info@njthunder.com to get started.
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