Filipino baseball prospect Aiden Lazaro has achieved another career milestone after becoming the first homegrown Filipino baseball player accepted into the prestigious IMG Academy in Bradenton, Florida, where he will undergo a long-term elite athletic development program. The opportunity marks a significant breakthrough not only for the 13-year-old athlete but also for Philippine baseball, as IMG Academy is recognized worldwide for producing top-level athletes across multiple sports.
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Elite Training Path Begins
Known as one of the world's premier sports training institutions, IMG Academy has developed numerous professional athletes, including Major League Baseball players James Wood, Chris Perez, and this year's sixth overall pick Zion Rose, along with tennis legends Serena Williams, Venus Williams, Andre Agassi, and Maria Sharapova. Its sister company, IMG Tennis Management, also represents Filipino tennis star Alex Eala.
Lazaro's journey bears similarities to Eala's career path. Both began competing in their respective sports at a young age before pursuing elite international training at 13. While Eala trained at the Rafa Nadal Academy in Mallorca, Spain, Lazaro has now started his development program at IMG Academy in Bradenton, Florida.
His selection into IMG Academy reflects years of consistent performances in both local and regional competitions. Accompanied by his mother, Shelly, Lazaro recently completed the first phase of his training at the academy's 600-acre campus under the guidance of former Major League Baseball coaches, professional players, and scouts.
As part of the program, the young athlete also gained access to IMG's Performance & Sports Science Center, where his training covers strength and conditioning, speed and agility, mobility, injury prevention, recovery, sports science, nutrition, and mental performance.
Sharing his excitement about the opportunity, Lazaro said, "I'm excited to immerse myself in a new training environment and learn from everyone at IMG Academy who helped develop some of the top athletes and professional players. I look forward to bringing home everything I gain from this so I could contribute more to my teams in the Philippines."
He added, "I'm very thankful to IMG Academy for welcoming me into its baseball and holistic athletic training program and for working closely with my mom over the past few months to help create exciting opportunities for my future. I'm humbled by this privilege and I'm ready to work hard to make the most of it."
Historic Milestone for Philippine Baseball
Lazaro's admission into IMG Academy makes him the first-ever homegrown Filipino baseball talent to join the internationally renowned institution, representing a landmark achievement for the country's baseball community.
His baseball journey began early, joining the Ateneo de Manila baseball varsity in kindergarten at the age of five. Throughout the years, he has served as team captain across several age divisions.
Last school year, Lazaro made history by becoming the only Grade 7 student and the youngest player ever included in Ateneo's UAAP Juniors baseball roster. He also won a gold medal representing the National Capital Region in primary baseball during the 2025 Palarong Pambansa.
Internationally, Lazaro represented the Philippines as a member of the Philippine U12 National Team in 2024, where he earned the Most RBI (runs batted in) Award at the Asian Baseball Championship in Japan.
After completing the initial phase of his training in Florida, Lazaro and his mother have returned to the Philippines for the new academic year. Now a Grade 8 student at Ateneo, he continues to serve as team captain of the school's Baseball Pony Division while maintaining a hybrid training setup. Under this arrangement, he will continue representing both Ateneo and the Philippines in competitions while traveling between Manila and Florida for succeeding phases of his development.
His IMG Academy coaches will monitor his progress through online coaching while he is in Manila and conduct in-person training during semestral breaks and school holidays to ensure his athletic program complements his academic commitments.
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