Bishop Foley student plays for Tigers NIKE RBI softball team

MADISON HEIGHTS — Madison Heights Bishop Foley junior Sasha Walker took her talents to the national stage this summer and played for the Detroit Tigers NIKE RBI team.

The RBI program is operated by Major League Baseball and stands for Reviving Baseball in Inner Cities. The program’s aim is to provide opportunities in baseball and softball to young people in diverse communities.

This summer, the Detroit Tigers-sponsored NIKE RBI softball team not only made the tournament but won the NIKE RBI softball division championship. Walker, and the team, got to travel all over the country to play softball and kept winning along the way.

“It was really fun,” Walker said. “And we were able to create a good team after not knowing each other. It was a little nerve wracking playing with each other (at first), but then we started playing really well and felt comfortable.”

The team played in Pittsburgh and Florida, among other places, before winning the championship by a score of 3-1 at the Jackie Robinson Training Complex in Vero Beach, Florida.

Walker wasn’t just on the team: She was one of the best players on the squad. After the championship game, she was awarded the MLB Develops MVP Award presented by Chevrolet which is given to the MVP of the championship.

“She’s very humble and very team-oriented,” Bishop Foley Athletic Director Brian Barnes said. “She’s proud of what she’s done and is so grateful for the experience and to be a part of it.”

Telling a local kid that she’s going to play for a team that’s sponsored by the Detroit Tigers is a big deal as well. The players were decked out in Tigers gear and even wore the Tigers Motor City Connect jerseys in the championship game.

“It was kind of scary playing for the Tigers because we want to represent them in a good way,” Walker explained. “I think that playing for them also drove us to play better and show that Detroit has good softball.”

The Tigers organization supported the team in a lot of different ways throughout the summer.

“We got to meet players that we always look up to,” Walker said. “The Tigers helped a lot, and we got really cool gear, and we got recognized a lot. It made it a lot more fun.”

The tournament is also a big deal for recruiting purposes. This is a showcase and a platform for softball players all over the country who may not have been big-name recruits. If players like Walker get more recognition out of it, then NIKE RBI is doing what it’s set out to do.

“I want to play in college. I’m not sure where yet but playing for the Tigers got me a lot of recognition,” Walker said. “I had a lot of people reaching out to me about playing in college. The Tigers really helped me become more recognized.”

Bishop Foley has proudly been posting about Walker, who is set to graduate in 2027, and pointing out just how deserving she is of all of the recognition being thrown her way.

“This experience couldn’t happen to a better kid,” Barnes said. “She’s the hardest worker in the program, just a genuinely good human being and kid with great parents. From our perspective, it’s been great.”

Since Walker still has another school year before she graduates high school, she’ll look to participate and play next summer as well.

“Overall, I’m very happy about the experience and I’m very happy with what came out of it,” Walker said. “I’m excited to play again next year and hopefully have the same experience.”

To learn more about NIKE RBI, go to mlb.com/rbi and visit the MLB website to see more articles and videos of Walker.