Yuma's E1 Prospects 12U heads to national baseball tournament in Utah

A Yuma 12U roster is heading to St. George, Utah, for a national tournament that will bring 60 teams together from across the country. The E1 Prospects 12U team, coached by Eddie Leal, is carrying more than a weekend bracket into the AFA 2026 National Tournament, a six-game guarantee event that runs June 9-14.

Leal said the trip gives his players a chance to see where they stand against top competition. "we're from a small town, so we're gonna give it our best shot up there." That is the point of the trip for a group that has spent more than two years playing together. The roster is made up of players from across Yuma County, and the long run together makes this more than a short-term travel-ball stop.

For Yuma County families, the tournament is also a measure of what it takes to keep a team like this intact. The miles to St. George mean more time on the road, more days away from home and more planning around school, work and practice schedules. That kind of commitment is part of the backdrop to youth sports in the county, where club teams often depend on parents, volunteer support and a coaching network that can keep players developing together season after season.

The run also says something larger about the county’s player development. E1 Prospects describes itself as an amateur girls fastpitch softball travel and showcase organization, built to compete in exhibition games and showcases. The program says it has helped place 317 student-athletes into collegiate programs over nine recruiting seasons, a number that gives added weight to this trip from Yuma. It suggests a pipeline that reaches beyond one tournament and toward the next level.

That is why this June run matters in Yuma County. It is not just a chance for E1 Prospects 12U to test itself in St. George. It is another public sign that the region’s youth sports system is producing teams with enough continuity, coaching and family backing to take on the nation’s best.