Before Lauren Shehadi made her first appearance on air with MLB Network, she spent her days learning the ins and outs of the game at the fields of McLean (Va.) Little League.
“My first experience in Little League® was in Tee Ball. I hit the ball, just a little dribbler to the pitcher, and I started running to third base. I was so mortified and embarrassed, but everyone was kind to me because that’s the learning ground,” said Shehadi. “My greatest Little League memories aren’t on the field, but within the community. I just remember being done with my game, getting a snack from the concession stand, and heading over to a field with my friends to watch either the boys play or another softball team.”
After her days of lacing up her cleats and running out onto the diamond came to an end, Shehadi attended the University of Florida, where she first discovered her love for sports broadcasting while hosting Gatorzone, a web-based sports show.
“I remember my first interview with Steve Spurrier, the head football coach at the time, and I stumbled through my question, but there was such an energy after that, that I felt and thought, ‘oh my gosh, I want to do this forever. I just want to do this, whatever this is, forever,’” said Shehadi. “It gave me that competitive edge without actually being on a field. It was the perfect transition for me.”
Today, Shehadi co-hosts MLB Network’s regular season weekday morning show MLB Central alongside retired World Series champion Mark DeRosa, and veteran host Robert Flores. Celebrating its 10-year anniversary in 2025, the show features an informative, irreverent, and humorous look at the game, covering the previous night’s action and the slate of games ahead. Shehadi also covers MLB Network’s special event coverage throughout the year and serves as a field reporter and host for TBS during the MLB Postseason.
As part of Little League’s Girls with Game Celebration in March, Little League sat down with Shehadi to learn more about her days on McLean LL’s fields and the journey that followed in a special Six Innings Conversation:
First Inning: What lessons did you learn while playing softball at McLean (Va.) Little League? Do you have a favorite memory from your Little League days?
There are so many lessons that this great game has taught me, but I always tell one story about teamwork and picking up your teammates. When I was around 10 to 12 years old, I started playing first base. I remember it was right when keeping score and stats started to matter. My dad would keep the book and whenever a teammate would throw a ball that I couldn’t get to – whether it was way above my head or rolling in the dirt – I remember looking over to my dad and he would point at me and mark in the book as E3, an error on the first basemen. After the game, I would try arguing why it wasn’t my error, and he would look at me and say, ‘you pick up your teammates and they’ll pick you up,’ and that’s just like life. He was teaching me something far greater than a lesson on the field – it was about teamwork and caring for one another – and I carry that with me. I think about that situation and lesson once a month still to this day.
Second Inning: As Little League celebrates Girls with Game Month, we look ahead to the organization’s continued female initiative. What do you think is the future of Little League Softball and women’s sports in general?
Representation matters. I remember being a young girl between five and seven years old and looking up to the next great female players. Then, in high school, I would watch Jennie Finch with her long blonde hair and pink bow, throwing strike after strike, and I remember thinking, ‘I want to be that. I want to be there.’ While I never got to that level, that representation allows you to see that you can play that sport in a space that matters. Plus, when I was young, a lot of girls were ushered into softball, but now there are more opportunities. I talk to young girls all the time at our MLB youth initiatives and programs, and you have girls who like the option of playing baseball more. I never had that choice, but they do now. The future is different – it’s vast, and it’s awesome.
Third Inning: Today, you spend time in your community giving back to youth organizations – what advice do you share with these young athletes?
My greatest advice is to enjoy the journey. So many times, we are anxious to get where we are going. I remember I was a terrible Little League player, but I loved it from the very beginning, and once I got a few skills, I knew I wanted to try and play in college, but I wasn’t good enough to get a scholarship. So, I kept playing, and then I was recruited to walk on to the team. I share this because if I was always trying to get that scholarship, then I wouldn’t have enjoyed the journey along the way, like spending time at the fields with my friends. So, just enjoy it, have fun, and be a kid. When I do speak with a young group of girls, I also share with them that everyone is different. Every strength is different. You can emulate your swing after the best in the world, but maybe it’s not the right swing for you. So, it’s important to look at your individual strengths and build on those.
Fourth Inning: For ten years, you have been cohosting “MLB Central” with Robert Flores and Mark DeRosa. Do you have a favorite memory from the last decade?
Every single day we laugh, and I think that is what makes the show so special. In the commercial break, it’s the same as what you see on the show. There is just nonstop banter and fun. Robert is this quick-witted, smart, sarcastic, dry personality; and Mark is a 16-year MLB veteran with a personality for days who does more homework than any analyst I’ve ever known. Then, despite playing softball and watching baseball my whole life, I like to ask the questions that the casual fan would want to know. There’s no wrong question; there’s no question too small. We cater to everyone and that is what makes this show so special and so loved by different kinds of people.
Fifth Inning: When you hear the phrase “if you can see her, you can be her,” how do you feel it relates to your professional career and the journey you have taken to get where you are today?
One person I have spoken with a lot is Suzyn Waldman, the voice of the New York Yankees on the radio. She has gone through so much, and when I talk with her, I always say, “you went through it, so we didn’t have to.” She paved the way for the next generation and there are so many women like Suzyn who dealt with more adversity than my generation did. They weren’t always welcome, but they endured it, and now we have to endure it much less and have the chance to work shoulder-to-shoulder with male professionals. There is a class that came before us that paved the way, and we are thankful for that.
Sixth Inning: What advice would you share with a young female looking to establish themselves in a career in the sports industry whether it’s on the air, in the front office, or behind the scenes in some capacity?
I always say to be a “yes person.” When someone asks, “Can you make this happen by this day?” my initial reaction is, “Yes, let’s figure out a way.” No one wants to deal with someone who always says no. My second piece of advice is to work hard. If you work harder than everybody around you, then you’re going to find a spot. Number three – and I always think of my first news director because he gave me this advice – when you’re the one on air or facing pressure in the workplace, “appear like a duck, calm on the surface, struggling like heck underneath.” So, if there is chaos around you, the more you smile, calm down, and think about the next step to a solution, then you’ll get through it.
Learn more about Little League’s Girls with Game Initiative, dedicated to honoring and celebrating the girls and women who have made the Little League program what is today as they continue to inspire the next generation by visiting LittleLeague.org/GWG.