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What Should I Engrave on a Youth Baseball Trophy?

Include the player's full name, team or league name, season and year, and optionally their position or jersey number. Keep it simple with text that fits comfortably on the trophy plate.

Standard Engraving Format

The most common and effective engraving layout for youth baseball trophies follows this simple formula:

Line 1: Player's full name
Line 2: Team or league name
Line 3: Season and year
Larger Trophies: Position, jersey number, or achievement (optional)

Real Engraving Examples

Here are actual engraving examples we recommend based on thousands of youth baseball team orders:

Participation Trophy:
Tyler Anderson
Cardinals Little League
Spring Season 2025

With Jersey Number:
Marcus Thompson
Rockford Knights
Summer 2025
#12

With Position:
Dylan Martinez
Westside Warriors
2025 Season
Catcher

MVP Award:
Ethan Roberts
Most Valuable Player
Eagles Baseball Club
Championship 2025

Position-Specific Achievement:
Noah Jackson
Golden Glove Award
Titans 10U
Shortstop - 2025

Batting Achievement:
Caleb Williams
Batting Champion
.485 Average
Mustangs 2025

What NOT to Include

Avoid these common engraving mistakes:

Nicknames instead of full names: Use "Matthew" not "Matt" - these are long-term keepsakes
Too much text: More than 4 lines gets cramped and hard to read
Stats without context: ".350" means nothing without "Batting Average" label
Vague dates: "Spring" isn't as meaningful as "Spring 2025" years later
Coach names on player trophies: Save that for separate coach appreciation awards
Generic phrases: Avoid "Good Job" or "Great Season" - be specific

Expert Tip

Always triple-check spelling of names before submitting your order, especially for less common names or those with alternate spellings. We engrave exactly what you provide, and fixing errors requires ordering replacement plates. Have another parent or coach review the complete list before submission to catch any typos or mistakes.

Engraving for Different Award Types

Tailor your engraving to match the award purpose:

Team Participation: Focus on the shared experience. Team name and season are most important. Keep player info simple and consistent across all trophies.

Individual Achievement: Lead with the achievement, then player name. For example: "Home Run Leader" on line 1, name on line 2, team on line 3, "15 Home Runs" on line 4.

All-Star Recognition: Include the all-star designation prominently. Example: "Tyler Anderson / All-Star Selection / Rockford Little League / 2025."

Championship Trophies: Include the tournament or championship title prominently. Example: "District Champions" or "State Tournament Finalists."

Coach Awards: Include years of service or specific accomplishment. Example: "Coach Dave Miller / 10 Years of Dedication / Warriors Baseball."

Character and Space Limits

Standard trophy plates accommodate about 25-30 characters per line including spaces. If you have a particularly long team name or player name, you may need to abbreviate. For example:

"Northern Valley Little League Majors Division" becomes "NVLL Majors" or "N. Valley Majors"
"Spring Championship Season" becomes "Spring Champs"
"Under 10 Select Team A" becomes "10U Select A"
"Most Valuable Player Award" becomes "MVP Award" or just "MVP"