CLEVELAND, Ohio— Mount Union assistant baseball coach Cory Douglass was the recipient of the "2025 GameChanger of the Year" award. Now in its fourth year, the award honors individuals making an extraordinary impact on their communities through youth sports. 

Coach Douglass has been a cornerstone of the MLB Cleveland Guardians' RBI (Reviving Baseball in Inner Cities) program for nearly 15 years, mentoring hundreds of young athletes across the 12u, 15u, 16u, and 18u levels. 

"Coach Cory represents all that is good in youth sports," said Sameer Ahuja, GameChanger president and DICK'S Sporting Goods senior vice president. "He not only develops skilled ballplayers through his hands-on, compassionate style of coaching, but more importantly, he shapes good people of strong character. We're honored to recognize his selfless leadership and the lasting impact he's had on the players he's coached and mentored in the Northeast Ohio community." 

Under his leadership, the Guardians' RBI program had a record-breaking 2024 season. The 18u team achieved the most wins in a single summer in program history. The 15u team earned a spot at the prestigious RBI World Series, and the 12u team advanced to the semifinals at Cooperstown All-Star Village in just its second season. 

"Simply put, this program would not be what it is today without Cory," said Curtis Danburg, Cleveland Guardians Vice President, Communications and Community Impact. "He has opened doors for countless young athletes, helping them earn college scholarships, preparing them for careers, and instilling the character and work ethic they will carry for life. These are values he has poured into the program and into people, things that will outlive him and continue shaping lives long into the future."

Douglass will be recognized on August 26 with an on-field ceremony at Progressive Field before the Cleveland Guardians' matchup against the Tampa Bay Rays. In his honor, GameChanger will donate $15,000 to Cleveland Guardians Charities, with the funds earmarked for the RBI program. 

*GameChanger contributed to this story.