Five MLB stars who played in the Little League World Series

The 2021 Little League World Series gets underway on Saturday, and it’s hard not to think about what these promising young prospects could become if they stay on the path to the major leagues. Let’s count down the five greatest MLB players who participated in the Little League World Series.

5. Cody Bellinger

The L.A. Dodgers’ Cody Bellinger has started off strong enough in his MLB career, but the future holds serious question marks for him if he doesn’t turn things around soon.

Bellinger – who played in the 2007 Little League World Series – was the NL Rookie of the Year in 2017, and the league MVP in 2019. But after struggling in 2020 (.239 average, 12 homers, 30 RBI), his production has fallen off a cliff in 2021 (.171 average, five homers, 21 RBI).

4. Todd Frazier

It would be unfair to say Todd Frazier peaked in the Little League World Series, but he had one of his finest all-around efforts in the 1998 final, going 4-for-4 with a home run while recording the win on the mound.

“The Toddfather” would go on to be a two-time All-Star over 11 seasons, and won the Home Run Derby in 2015. He recently participated in the 2020 Olympics, winning a silver medal with Team USA.

3. Lance Lynn

Considering how Lance Lynn has aged like a fine wine, it’s almost surprising to see that he participated in the 1999 Little League World Series.

The lone pitcher on this list, Lynn has garnered significant Cy Young votes over the last two seasons despite plying his trade in relative obscurity with the Texas Rangers. He’s now a frontline starter for a pennant contender in the Chicago White Sox, and currently boasts the best ERA in baseball at 2.04 (among qualified starters).

Lynn is 114-74 through 280 career games with a solid 3.46 ERA and 1.272 WHIP.

2. Jason Varitek

One of the heart-and-soul players of the 2004 and 2007 World Series champion Boston Red Sox, Jason Varitek suffered some heartbreak when his Little League club from Almonte Springs, FL lost in the 1984 Little League World Series to South Korea.

Varitek would shake that off and have an excellent 15-year career as the backstop in Beantown, batting .256 with 193 homers and 757 RBI. He was a three-time All-Star, a Silver Slugger, and a Gold Glover.

1. Boog Powell

Boog Powell – a key cog in the Baltimore Orioles’ 1966 and 1970 championship teams – was one of the first and foremost Little League World Series alumni to find his way to the Fall Classic.

He tasted defeat in the 1954 Little League World Series, but Powell would eventually go on to win AL MVP honors in 1970. That was one of three seasons in which he hit over 30 homers and drove in over 100 RBI in Baltimore.

The four-time All-Star was inducted into the Orioles Hall of Fame in 1979.