Milford Junior Major League is making waves in youth baseball — and not just in Connecticut. With eight state championships in the last seven years, including the 2024 15U Legion State Title, the program has cemented itself as a powerhouse in player development and competitive excellence. In 2024, the league's momentum continued with a 12U Cal Ripken World Series appearance, earned after clinching the 2023 11U Regional Championship.
But Milford’s success doesn’t just happen at the top — it starts from the very beginning. The organization welcomes players as young as two years old through its wildly popular Born To Play program, which has boasted over 100 toddlers annually for the past three consecutive years. From there, players progress through T-Ball and Coach Pitch before joining the Cal Ripken divisions and eventually advancing to Babe Ruth and Legion baseball at age 13.
In 2021, Milford Junior Major League breathed new life into the dormant American Legion Post 196 baseball program, which had been inactive for three years. Just one year later, the revitalized effort made history: Milford’s 15U team won both the Babe Ruth and Legion State Championships in the same season — a feat never accomplished before.
About the Organization
Can you tell us about the history of this junior major league baseball organization?
2025 will be Junior Major League’s 70th season. Created in 1955, Milford Junior Major League was founded to give every young athlete in Milford a chance to play baseball. Thousands of players have come through the program in the last 70 years. Many have come back to the league to coach or sponsor.
How does your league differentiate itself from other youth baseball programs?
We created a Born To Play program for 2-3 year olds. Many surrounding leagues start at 4 or 5. In addition, we affiliate ourselves with many national affiliates giving us an opportunity to provide our players with multiple opportunities through Cal Ripken, Babe Ruth, American Legion Baseball as well as other affiliates.
Player Development
How do you identify and recruit young talent for your league?
Junior Major League is a true town oriented recreation league. We will not turn anyone away for our recreation programs. That was the vision of the league when it started and we keep that tradition. We do hold tryouts for our American Legion program (Ages 13-19) but will always provide opportunities for anyone who does not make it.
What kind of training programs do you provide for players to develop their skills?
We have opened and operated our own indoor training facility for the last 4 years to give our player’s the opportunity in the winter to prepare for the upcoming season at an affordable price. What started as a 4 month rental has turned into a 3 year venture which allows us to always have somewhere to practice during inclement weather.
Do you have partnerships with professional or college teams to help players advance in their careers?
Junior Major League is fortunate to have league officials and Post 196 American Legion coaches who have college contacts and have been able to provide insight to our players throughout the process. We pride ourselves on helping each player individually make a choice that is in their best interest and fully support them along the way.
How do you support young athletes both on and off the field?
On the field is easy, we provide them everything they need from practices, games and tournaments to reach their full potential. Our league makes significant investments each season in field upgrades and equipment to ensure our players get the most out of each practice. Off the field, we have partnered with many local organizations to provide our players opportunities for service hours and to become involved with the community.
Challenges and Growth
What are some of the biggest challenges your organization faces?
Rising costs is a major challenge. We pride ourselves on keeping our prices down to allow everyone an opportunity to play. In addition to securing sponsors, maintaining facilities and finding the appropriate balance between development and competition. Additionally, adapting to the ever changing youth sports trends keeps us striving to improve.
Have you seen a growth in interest in junior league baseball, and if so, what do you attribute it to?
100%. Our registration numbers have continued to rise since 2018 and in 2025, we will see a 20% increase in registration from 2024. It’s an exciting time and it’s all due to the volunteers and coaches that we have that continue to run successful divisions and put the kids first.
Community Involvement
What role does the community play in supporting the league?
The community plays a huge role in supporting the league. Our sponsor list continues to grow and we have been fortunate that over 95% of our sponsors have returned over the last 4 years because they see the dedication and time the league puts into the players and their families. The community provides our families with additional fundraising opportunities as well.
Are there any community outreach programs or initiatives your league is involved in?
Our league is affiliated with a variety of organizations in Milford. Junior Major League organizes the baseball program for American Legion Post 196, we are also members of the Downtown Milford Business Association and participate with Walks With Buddy each year. We understand the importance of organizations working together and there is not an organization that asks for help and hasn’t received it from Junior Major League and we are very proud of that.
Future Plans
What are your goals for the next five years?
We want to continue to grow and maintain the success we have had over the last 7 years. We want to continue to increase our registration numbers and identify new families to become members of the extended and executive boards.
How do you see the future of junior major league baseball evolving?
We see continued growth and success on and off the field. We believe that our growing partnerships with Milford-based organizations will only strengthen our impact on our community and that will lead to increased exposure and more families giving us an opportunity to show that Junior Major League is a true family.
"Junior Major League is a true town oriented recreation league. We will not turn anyone away for our recreation programs. That was the vision of the league when it started and we keep that tradition."
"We believe that our growing partnerships with Milford-based organizations will only strengthen our impact on our community."