A Five-Year Trip Down MLB Memory Lane

Zack Raab
4 days ago
3 min read

Today marked my five-year workiversary at Major League Baseball. I've been looking forward to this day for quite some time, and what a special ride it's been! So thankful for all the opportunities I've gotten as part of the MiLB Club Services and overall Minor League Business Operations team, and I'm still enjoying it as much as on Day 1, August 23, 2021! 😊⚾

Took a trip down memory lane today and found 20 of my favorite photos from the past five years:

August 2021: A quick, fun photoshoot with my younger sister before my first day of work, still remote post-Covid. Rocking my brand-new MLB shirt and a big smile, excited for what was to come.
December 2021: My second Baseball Winter Meetings in Orlando. But this time as staff, with all expenses paid after paying my way to attend as a job seeker and to network back in 2019.
May 2022: My first of now 59 MiLB Club visits and my first ballpark selfie. Chattanooga was the first team to invite me and want me to visit them, which I appreciated so much, as I was still very fresh in my role.
December 2022: My first office holiday party at the Commissioner's Office in NYC. The only office holiday party where you can get a photo op with the World Series trophy.
December 2023: Speaking at the first annual Chanukah Party that I helped organize at the Commissioner's Office. An extremely meaningful, heavily attended first-ever Jewish community event at MLB HQ, held just two months after the world had changed.
April 2024: My first ceremonial first pitch. Appreciated the Binghamton Rumble Ponies offering me this bucket-list item, and I would've thrown from the mound if I were allowed.
May 2024: My first visit to historic McCormick Field during its 100th season. A special minor league ballpark tucked within the Blue Ridge Mountains of Asheville, North Carolina.
July 2024: Participating in my third annual MLB Employee Softball Tournament, but my first time at the Brooklyn Cyclones stadium. Getting to take some at-bats on a professional field with walk-up songs and raising money for charity was such a treat.
August 2024: My first time pulling tarp. An MiLB rite of passage that was a bucket list item for me, and the Winston-Salem Dash staff got a kick out of how happy I was to do it.
August 2024: First time doing the t-shirt toss. Another fun opportunity presented to me by the Charleston RiverDogs staff that I couldn't say no to.
September 2024: Our first pre-Rosh Hashanah pizza lunch at the Commissioner's Office. Apples and honey served courtesy of the four MLB Mitzvah Employee Resource Group co-founders - Andrew, Daniel, me, and Jessica.
October 2024: Group shot with much of the aforementioned Chattanooga Lookouts staff. While it's not everyone, this crew of Andrew, Kansas, Jennifer, Sidney, Alex, and Jarrah, quickly became some of my best friends in the MiLB world since I joined.
May 2025: My first MiLB Club visit that coincided with a visit from the legendary Ben Hill. This overlap in Greenville, SC, with my colleague at MLB whom I've admired so much was unintentional but an amazing bonus, even with a rainout that night.
July 2025: Signing the World's Most Autographed Baseball in Altoona, PA. One of 6,750 signatures and part of a Guinness World Record.
November 2025: Running credential pickup at the annual MiLB Business Summit, this time in Indianapolis. Truly my favorite part of the annual event, getting to see and welcome everyone as they arrive.
November 2025: Group shot with our full MiLB Club Services team. I wish everyone were as lucky as I am to be part of such a fun team, including my awesome manager, Nathan, as well as Trace, Lizette, Ashlie, and Melissa.
November 2025: 2 Chainz, MiLB style. Always take pride in representing our brand and special world with as much joy as I can.
November 2025: Helping lead a session at the MiLB Business Summit. Facilitating idea sharing and industry best practices has been one of my core responsibilities, and it's special every time I get to be up on the podium and behind a mic.
July 2026: Working the MiLB Hat Wall at All-Star Village in Philadelphia. First time taking part in All-Star festivities and got a special visit from my mentor, Jeremy Renna, whose support has been invaluable in my journey.
July 2026: First time being in the stands for an MLB Home Run Derby. What an experience, and I hope it's just the first of many opportunities.