Atlanta — Rapsodo, the sports data company known for helping athletes analyze real-time metrics to perfect their game announced a partnership with the Atlanta Braves and Atlanta Braves Foundation to bring its technology, data and expertise to help level the playing field in the Southeast including HBCU baseball. To help expand the Braves’ diversity programs and initiatives, Rapsodo will join in providing HITTING 2.0 and PITCHING 2.0 units, education, analytics support, and testing access to ten partner HBCU baseball programs in addition to the Braves’ local youth development initiatives, such as the RBI Fall Development Program and their 44 Classic.
These offerings are aimed at providing young, diverse athletes across the Southeast with the same tools used by all 30 MLB teams. Local youth athletes with limited access to baseball technology and recruiting opportunities now have the chance to evaluate their skills at upcoming training camps and showcases to increase exposure to recruiters for potential scholarship and recruiting opportunities. In addition, the ten HBCU schools now have access to data analytics to capture, track and develop athletes’ progress. Rapsodo’s technology puts these student-athletes on equal footing with other colleges across the nation not only from a development standpoint, but by also providing the players and coaches with consistent metrics that allows them to be seen and measured by scouts.
The 10 recipient HBCUs are: Alabama A&M University, Alabama State University, Alcorn State University, Clark Atlanta University, Florida A&M University, Grambling State University, Jackson State University, Morehouse College, Southern University, and Tuskegee University.
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Additionally, Rapsodo will provide HBCU athletes and those individuals participating in the Braves’ youth development programs free access to RapScore — the first standardized test that calculates a score to rank player performance at all levels, and identifies individual strengths and weaknesses based on data to help with player development. RapScore provides players with quantifiable metrics used by scouts for player evaluation, and are available on Rapsodo’s National Database.
“Rapsodo’s technology was created to help athletes reach their greatest potential, and to be able to do this alongside the Braves and provide this opportunity to underserved youth is a great privilege,” said Batuhan Okur, founder and CEO of Rapsodo. “The Rapsodo team is passionate about utilizing our technology to better communities and the game of baseball, and this partnership is a continuation of that mission.”
“The Braves have always sought to change the dynamics of baseball by lowering the barrier to entry to develop the greatest potential and find the best players out there,” said Adrian Williams, senior director of diversity and community. “Our ongoing partnership with HBCUs and incorporating technology into our RBI program has done just that, and we are thrilled to bring Rapsodo on board to continue to elevate the opportunities for these young athletes. Rapsodo’s training technology and analytics are putting these athletes at a much higher advantage of improving their skills and being seen by top recruiters.”
To learn more about the upcoming events the Braves will be hosting in Atlanta, visit www.braves.com.