MINNEAPOLIS (WCCO) – A middle school student from Minnesota is noticed at the highest level.
Benjamin Bergan, 13, has just been honored with a national award during the World Series and won first place in the Major League Baseballs Pitch Hit, & Run competition.
Bergan, who started playing baseball at the age of 3, beat thousands of youth players around the country to claim first place.
“It’s still shocking to me,” Bergan said.
He was invited to the competition in Atlanta, as well as game four of the World Series.
It starts at the regional level, where the top three players from the Minnesota Twins region – which includes four states – are selected. Then it’s another competition against regional winners across the country.
“Me and my dad, we train almost every day,” he said.
Benjamin Bergan (Credit: CBS)
The top three were invited to Atlanta to compete nationally. He beat thousands.
“It seems so crazy to me, because every single time I was completely surprised that I made it to the next round,” Bergan said.
Players are judged on a points system for their pitching, strokes and runs. Monday night in Truist Park, all of Bergan’s exercise paid off. When they announced the winner of the second place, he knew he had won.
“I was just overwhelmed, I was so happy,” he said
Bergan took home two trophies. He never put them in his luggage on the plane.
He hopes to play in MLB one day. His favorite team? Minnesota Twins. He hopes this honor will help get him there
“I think just going out there and working every day can really help you,” he said.
Bergan, who hit second place with 140 points, says he will take a short break before going straight into the basketball season.
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