12-year-old boy in critical condition after being hit with baseball: reports – National
A 12-year-old New Jersey boy is in critical condition and on a ventilator days after being hit with a baseball in the neck during pregame warmups, according to U.S. media reports.
Xavier Taylor, a player with Maple Shade Youth Baseball, was walking back to the dugout at Fellowship Columbia Bank Field on May 26 when he was hit with a baseball in the neck.
After Xavier was struck, he collapsed on the field and was airlifted to Cooper University Hospital in Camden, N.J., NBC News reports.
Xavier’s father, Greg Taylor, told CBS Philadelphia that “an unpredicted ball got loose from one of the players and struck him in his neck and he collapsed on the ground.”
This week, Greg told NBC News that his son is still in “very critical condition” and on a ventilator.
“We’re pushing day by day in hope that the activity comes back,” Greg said.
Get breaking National news
Get breaking Canada news delivered to your inbox as it happens so you won’t miss a trending story.
Greg said that his youngest son brought a pair of shoes to the hospital when they first arrived with Xavier after he was struck.
The youngest son told his parents, “These are for Xavier when he comes home, because he’s walking out of here.”
The Maple Shade community has come together to help raise money for the Taylor family, with organized meals throughout the summer.
The Meal Train fundraiser had raised more than US$110,000 of its $2,500 goal from more than 1,400 donations as of Tuesday morning.
The president of the Maple Shade Baseball Association said they submitted their incident report to the Babe Ruth League Headquarters and Maple Shade Township Police Department, CBS Philadelphia reports.
Global News has reached out to The Maple Shade Youth Baseball Association and Maple Shade Police Department for further comment but has not received a response.
The Maple Shade Youth Baseball Association released a statement on Monday, writing, “First and foremost, we want to thank our entire Maple Shade Youth Baseball family for your understanding as our league leadership, coaches, volunteers, and families took the time needed to support the Taylor family during this incredibly difficult week.”
“After speaking with the Taylor family and having thoughtful discussions among our Board and coaching staff, we have made the decision to continue with our season. We ask for your patience and understanding as we work through what the remainder of this season will look like,” the organization added.
The Maple Shade Youth Baseball Association also announced that it will cancel the remainder of the major season only, as well as the closing ceremonies scheduled for June 12. League play will resume only for T-Ball, Rookie and Minor divisions.
“We know many families have questions, and we appreciate your continued patience as we navigate the weeks ahead. Our focus remains on supporting the Taylor family while also providing an opportunity for our players to return to the game they love. More importantly, the game Xavier loves,” the statement added.
Xavier’s baseball league has been raising awareness about his condition in its Facebook group and the Maple Shade community gathered at the field Thursday night for a candlelight vigil, where some attendees wore Xavier’s team number, 6. There was also a second vigil outside the hospital on Saturday.
The baseball association created a “bats out for X” initiative that took place on Sunday evening and the Maple Shade community supported Xavier by lighting up its Main Street with blue lights in reference to his team’s colour. Players were asked to place one baseball bat out on their front porch as the community rallied together for Xavier “while he battles to recover from a freak accident on the baseball field.”
© 2026 Global News, a division of Corus Entertainment Inc.
