Kinley Rasmus Shines as Two-Way Star in Little League World Series

At the 2026 Little League Baseball World Series in South Williamsport, Pennsylvania, 12-year-old Kinley Rasmus is standing out as a two-way star for Phenix City, Alabama, showing exceptional skill both on the mound and at the plate.

Rasmus, daughter of former Major League Baseball pitcher Cory Rasmus and niece of former MLB outfielder Colby Rasmus, has made history in the tournament by becoming the 25th girl to play in the competition and the ninth to pitch.

Her pitching performance against Tacoma, Washington, included eight strikeouts and one hit allowed over six shutout innings, tying the record for most strikeouts by a female pitcher in a Little League World Series game since Mo’ne Davis in 2014, according to reports by nytimes.com and sports.yahoo.com.

Despite her strong outing, Phenix City lost 2-0 in extra innings due to tournament pitch limits. However, Rasmus rebounded with a powerful offensive display in a subsequent game against Bonita, California, going 2-for-2 with a walk and an RBI triple that helped lead her team to a 12-2 mercy-rule victory.

Kinley’s pitching and batting helped Phenix City advance to its first Little League World Series appearance since 1999, a milestone noted by espn.com and usatoday.com. During the regional tournament, she threw a complete-game shutout in the final and hit .750, reflecting her significant two-way contribution.

Her family’s baseball legacy runs deep. Kinley’s father Cory and uncle Colby played on Phenix City’s 1999 team that reached the Little League World Series final. Their father, Tony Rasmus, coached that team and played minor league baseball.

Cory is now an assistant coach, while another uncle, Case Rasmus, manages the current team. Kinley’s cousin Ryker Rasmus also plays on the roster, as noted by multiple sources.

Kinley credits her father for teaching her pitching skills, particularly her curveball. "My dad," she said, reflecting the family’s coaching influence on her development, as reported by espn.com.

Her mother, Jill, is a former collegiate softball player, and Jill’s brother, Jeff Mathis, had a 17-year career as a major league catcher, expanding the family’s sports pedigree.

Radio host John Ziegler highlighted Kinley’s example to argue that at this age level, girls competing with boys in sports does not confer a physical advantage, reinforcing the fairness of mixed-gender competition in youth leagues, according to sports.yahoo.com.

The Little League World Series runs from August 19 to August 30, with Phenix City’s next game scheduled against the Mid-Atlantic representative from West Chester, Pennsylvania, on August 24, according to usatoday.com and espn.com.