Ranking The Backyard Sports Kids

The Backyard Sports franchise has taken fans through most of the major sports, starting with soccer and baseball and eventually extending to hockey and even skateboarding. With the series slowly starting to come back as of 2024, fans are more excited than ever to get a new game in the series. Until that happens, there is a long history of games to pull from when deciding which Backyard Sports kid is the best. Below, we’ve put together a power ranking of all 30 original Backyard kids across all of the franchise’s major games.

30) Jorge Garcia

Jorge is a frustratingly average player. In baseball, he has decent pop to his bat, but his swing makes it tough to line up well. He’s not bad in the field, though that’s largely due to his height. His size also gives him an advantage on the gridiron, where he’s not a terrible pass-catcher despite a relatively low rating. That continues into basketball, though his skill set will leave you wanting more. Unfortunately, Jorge’s fear of dirt keeps him from being great.

29) Kimmy Eckman

Eckman makes a great lineman in Backyard Football, but her lackluster speed means it’s tough to rely on her in most of the other sports. Sure, she’ll hit a few dingers on the baseball diamond, but you’ll need a perfect pitch or she’ll whiff more often than not.

28 & 27) Ashley and Sidney Webber

If you add either twin to your squad, you’ll want to take both. The tennis stars get a nice boost when on the same team, but are much worse on their own. If you’re willing to give up two spots on your lineup, the twins are quick, solid players across most sports.

26) Billy Jean Blackwood

Billy Jean’s best attribute is her height. That makes her a good basketball player, especially if you need a shot blocker. Otherwise, we’d suggest looking for another player. She’s average in most stats, but lacks that standout skill to make her useful.

25) Reese Worthington

Despite his size, Big Toe isn’t a bad receiver. He’s got speed to burn teams deep and catches nearly anything. Plus, he’s a great kicker if you need one. Reese doesn’t have quite as much utility across the other sports, but his speed makes him playable. You just have to watch his stamina.

24) Annie Frazier

Flipper might have good contact in baseball and kicking power in soccer and football, but her stamina makes her nearly unusable toward the end of games. If you can manage that, she’s not a bad player. We’d just prefer players who don’t tucker out as quickly.

23) Marky Dubois

Marky can play all day, which is a great asset across the Backyard series. The problem is that he’s just not very good at any sport. He’s a decent lineman in Backyard Football, but doesn’t impress anywhere else.

22) Gretchen Hasselhoff

Gretchen’s best qualities are energy and speed. Somewhat surprisingly, that makes her an excellent linebacker in Backyard Football, and she mixes that speed with great ball control in Backyard Soccer. Outside of that, she’s an average player that you can generally skip.

21) Ronny Dobbs

Dobbs is solid in most sports, though basketball seems to be his favorite. He plays great defense and has solid guard skills, making him a great pick-up. That said, don’t get him in Backyard Football. He’s one of the worst players in the game.

20) Ricky Johnson

Ricky is one of the best soccer players in the group, which means he’s also a great kicker in Backyard Football and has above-average speed across the board. He’s also one of the taller kids, giving him an advantage in basketball. However, his skill set outside of soccer makes it tough to pick him over most.

19) Lisa Crockett

Lisa is always ready to do the dirty work regardless of the sport. If you need a blocker in football or a defensive specialist in the other sports, she’s your girl. Lisa also brings solid speed in most sports, making her a solid addition to most lineups.

18) Mikey Thomas

Mikey has a big bat, but if he doesn’t hit it out of the park, you might be in trouble. He’s also a solid lineman and can even play quarterback in a pinch. On the soccer field, his speed will let you down, and he’s not much more than a wide-body inside scorer in basketball. Mikey isn’t a bad player. He’s just too slow to be effective across the board.

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17) Luanne Lui

Luanne is the second fastest player in the franchise (not counting the Pro Kids), which means you can use her in almost any sport. That said, she’s going to be a liability anywhere that doesn’t call for pure speed.

16) Maria Luna

If Maria has a pink uniform, she’s one of the better all-around players in the series. However, if you don’t give in to her demands, she’s a speedy player with average stats. That puts her in the middle of these rankings with the potential to move much higher or lower depending on whether you’re willing to wear pink.

15) Sally Dobbs

Dobbs is solidly above average in most stats across the franchise, though her best position is probably quarterback in Backyard Football. With that in mind, she’s an easy player to draft because you know you’re getting a steady hand.

14) Ernie Steele

In Backyard Baseball, Ernie has one of the best gloves in the business, which pairs well with his height. His defensive skill translates to every other sport. He’s a great post defender in Backyard Basketball and an excellent wideout in Backyard Football. Plus, if you play at his home stadium, Ernie gets a big boost to his stats.

13) Vicki Kawaguchi

Vicki’s short stature means she doesn’t bring much power and can lose out on 50/50 balls as a receiver in Backyard Football. That said, if she gets a hit on the ball or catches a pass, she’s as good as gone. Add in a lethal three-point shot, and you have an underrated Backyard Sports star.

12) Tony Delvecchio

Tony is a home run slugger with a big arm, making him a mainstay in our Backyard Baseball outfield. He is a smashmouth defender in Backyard Football who doubles as a solid quarterback with his rocket arm. Unfortunately, his skill set falls off slightly in the other sports. Plus, if you put him on the same team as his sister Angela, his stats dip dramatically. We haven’t put her on the list yet for a reason.

11) Stephanie Morgan

Stephanie loves baseball, but it might be her worst sport. That doesn’t mean she’s bad. If you need a middle infielder, she’s worth a draft pick. However, her all-around game translates to every other sport in the Backyard Sports franchise. We like her best in Backyard Basketball, but she’s a solid pick-up in everything.

10) Amir Khan

Amir is a tough character to place because he’s among the best in the league at his preferred position. There aren’t many better fastball pitches (though his stamina makes him more of a closer than a starter), and he catches nearly everything on the football field. He’s not bad at the other sports either, but his low stamina keeps him from moving into the top-tier players.

9) Angela Delvecchio

Angela is the best pitcher in the franchise, and it’s not that close. Despite a lack of velocity, her pitches confuse opponents with movement. She’s also a good defensive player in Backyard Soccer and one of the best kickers in Backyard Football. On top of all that, there aren’t many better long-range snipers in Backyard Basketball. Sure, she’s a specialist in most sports, but when you put her in the right spot, she’s outstanding.

8) Dmitri Petrovich

Paste might be best on the basketball court where he’s equally dangerous shooting outside jumpers and banging in the post. He’s also one of the best linemen and kickers in Backyard Football and brings a big bat to Backyard Baseball. Dmitri will tire out relatively quickly, but until that happens, you’ll have a stud in your lineup.

7) Dante Robinson

Dante plays quarterback like prime Michael Vick, mixing speed with a massive arm. He’s also one of the best point guards among the Backyard kids and dominates the outfield in Backyard Baseball. He’s not a guy you build your team around, but he’s an excellent second fiddle.

6) Kenny Kawaguchi

The K-Man is one of the speedier players in the franchise, which comes in handy in every sport. He’s also a deadly three-point shooter in basketball and a surprisingly great wideout in football. In a pinch, he even makes a great pitcher in Backyard Baseball. Kenny just misses out on the top five.

5) Achmed Khan

Achmed’s game is all about power. He is a big slugger in baseball, a hard hitter in football, and can light teams up from deep in basketball. If you’re looking for a rock in your lineup who can fill several holes, Achmed isn’t a bad option. He’s not quite as good as the players above him, but he’s on that level.

4) Kiesha Phillips

Kiesha has more than enough speed to outpace most of the roster. She also brings excellent power in baseball and is one of the better players to stick on the line in football. Flash can be a game-changer in the right hands.

3) Jocinda Smith

They don’t call her MVP for nothing. She is easily one of the best players across the Backyard Sports franchise, boasting top-tier stats across the board. That said, her best sport is basketball, where she might have an argument to be the best player in the game.

2) Pete Wheeler

Nobody beats Pete Wheeler in a footrace. He is the fastest kid on the playground, and that makes him a threat in any sport. It doesn’t matter if you can’t hit with him in baseball. Just bunt the ball, and after two steals, you’ll be on third base. Toss him the ball in football and he’ll break off long run after long run. Even in basketball, his speed makes him a great defender who cleans up the boards like no one else.

1) Pablo Sanchez

Pablo is the G.O.A.T. There’s no doubt about it. His worst sport might be soccer, but even there, he’ll tear up the competition.

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