GRANDERSON SPENT 16 SEASONS PLAYING MAJOR LEAGUE BASEBALL.

NOW HE'S PASSING DOWN THOSE YEARS OF EXPERIENCE TO THE NEXT GENERATION OF PLAYERS AND INSPIRING THEM TO PURSUE COLLEGE CHICAGO.

TONIGHT'S JOANNA HERNANDEZ TELLS US ABOUT THE GRANDE MAN'S BASEBALL ACADEMY.

>> I WAS IN THEIR SHOES AND I WAS ALSO IN YOUR SHOES.

I STARTED PLAYING WHEN I WAS 6 YEARS OLD.

CURTIS GRANDERSON IS RETIRED FROM MAJOR LEAGUE BASEBALL, BUT HE'S STILL MAKING MOVES ON THE FIELD.

THESE ARE THE HIGHEST LEVEL OF BASEBALL PLAYERS THAT YOU CAN BECOME WITHOUT GOING PROFESSIONAL LEVEL AND ALL OF THEM ARE STRIVING TO BECOME PROS.

>> GRANDERSON IS THE FOUNDER OF CHICAGO, BASEBALL AND EDUCATIONAL RUNS IT AT HIS ALMA MATER.

THE UNIVERSITY OF ILLINOIS AT CHICAGO.

WE BUILT THE STADIUM WHERE WE'RE SITTING RIGHT NOW IN 2014 AND THEN 2 YEARS LATER, OK, HOW DO WE GET THE COMMUNITY ACCESS TO THIS?

AMAZING GOT CAUGHT THE BEST VIEW IN BASEBALL.

THE ORGANIZATION WANTS A VARIETY OF CAMPS, CLINICS IN TOURNAMENTS FOR KIDS ACROSS CHICAGO ALL YEAR LONG.

I WANT TALKS ABOUT HOW SEGREGATED THE CITY AND BASEBALL IN SPORT.

FEEL LIKE IS A REALLY GOOD NEUTRALIZE ARE BRINGING PEOPLE TOGETHER THE 3 TIME.

MLB ALL-STAR SAYS THE PROGRAM'S MISSION IS TO EMPOWER YOUTH BY PLAYING HARD AND DREAM AND WHEN I WAS PLAYING MAJOR LEAGUE BASEBALL IS ONE OF A HANDFUL OF PLAYERS WITH A COLLEGE DEGREE.

SO I KNEW THE IMPORTANCE OF EDUCATION.

ALSO GIVING BACK.

I DIDN'T KNOW IT WAS CALLED GIVING BACK AT THE TIME.

I WOULD JUST WATCH MY PARENTS DO 8 YEAR-OLD CAMERON VASQUEZ IS ALREADY THINKING BIG.

DO WANT TO PLAY PROFESSIONALLY.

YES, HOW COME?

SO I COULD BE LIKE THEY'VE YOU LIKE BABE YEAH.

>> TOO BAD.

HE IS THAT WHEN YOU MADE PAY IT PAY NOW FACES UIC BASEBALL PLAYER.

JAMES HARRIS IS ONE OF THE COACHES IN THE ORGANIZATION.

>> IS REALLY JUST ABOUT GIVING BACK FOR IT'S ALWAYS FUN.

AND, YOU KIDS LIKE THEY BEGAN TO THE COLLEGE SENIOR STARTED PLAYING WHEN HE WAS A KID.

>> NOW WORKING TO SCORE A SPOT IN THE BIG LEAGUES.

AND THAT'S DEFINITELY ONE OF THE BIG DREAMS FOR ME.

>> I'M MAKING IT TO THE LEAGUE.

SO MY MINDSET HAVE TO WORK ANYMORE.

CURTIS GRANDERSON BELIEVES ONE WAY TO GET TO THE BIG LEAGUES IS THROUGH EDUCATION.

CURRENTLY LESS THAN 7% OF MLB ROSTERS ARE BLACK.

>> THAT'S ACCORDING TO CENTRAL FLORIDA'S INSTITUTE FOR DIVERSITY AND ETHICS IN SPORT.

>> PAST YEAR IN THE MAJOR LEAGUE BASEBALL DRAFT, 80% OF THE PLAYERS DRAFTED.

WE'RE FROM COLLEGE.

SO IF WE'RE GOING TO DRAFT PLAYERS FROM COLLEGE, WE GOT TO GET MORE PLAYERS INTO COLLEGE.

WE HAVE TO GET MORE PLAYERS OF COLOR INTO COLLEGE FOR SOME KIDS.

THIS IS THE FIRST TIME THEY STEP ONTO A COLLEGE CAMPUS.

>> AND EXPERIENCE GRANDERSON SAYS INSPIRES KIDS TO BECOME A STUDENT ATHLETE.

NOW I'M IN A POSITION.

>> I HAD THE ABILITY TO HELP OTHER PEOPLE, THE FILL THEIR DREAMS.

AND IT MAY NOT NECESSARILY BE AT THE MAJOR LEAGUE LEVEL.

IT COULD BECOME A SCOUT COMING UMPIRE IN THE FIRST TO GO TO COLLEGE IN THE FIRST TO GRADUATE COLLEGE.

WANT TO PLAY FOR THE CUBS.

>> FOR CHICAGO TONIGHT, BLACK VOICES, I'M JOINED HERNANDEZ.

>> SEEMED A LITTLE DIVIDED ON WHO THEY'RE GOING TO PLAY FOR.

GRANDERSON SAYS ALL CAMPS IN TRAINING OR MID TO BE AFFORDABLE AND ACCESSIBLE FOR FAMILIES.

IF YOU'D LIKE TO