Top social media posts of the year: WBSC Premier12 shines as baseball & softball community engages on social media
With 2024 being a year full of tournaments and exciting moments, it was also a year of growth and expansion for the WBSC's social media channels, with each platform experiencing further growth and engagement. Here's a look back at the top posts and top moments of the year on the WBSC's social media channels.
The third edition of the WBSC Premier12 presented by RAXUS last November marked the peak of the year in terms of social media engagement and reach, showcasing the biggest moments of the WBSC's flagship event, especially Chinese Taipei’s Chia-Cheng Lin solo home run in the top of the fifth of the championship game to give his team a 1-0 lead. This moment ranked in the top five on Instagram, Facebook and TikTok.
Instagram @Premier12
The WBSC’s main event proved to be very successful on Instagram, with the final day garnering the most attention. Four of the top five posts in engagement were published on 24 November 2024.
The best post of the year was the congratulatory message to the new champions, Chinese Taipei with over 65k in engagement.
In second place at 46k was an astounding piece of skill by Chinese Taipei second baseman Tung-Hua Yueh, who ended Japan's fourth at-bat with a spectacular diving play. In third place was a follow-up post on 4 December featuring Yu-Min Lin tossing a beautiful pitch during the final. The two key moments of the final complete the top five - a home run by Chinese Taipei’s Chia-Cheng Lin and the last out of the championship game.
Instagram @WBSC
The WBSC Instagram account featured four different events in its top five posts of the year. At the top of the list, we find a flashback to the WBSC U-12 Baseball World Cup 2023, when Venezuelan catcher Jose Castillo showcased his defensive skills with a perfect pickoff throw to third base.
The next two posts on the list are from the WBSC Men's Softball World Cup. In second place, Maiker Pimentel threw an 84mph drop ball to end the inning during Group A of the tournament, while third place belongs to Rogelio Sequera, in combination with WBSC Commentator Kyle Smith, in an electric play at home plate. In fourth place, we find another flashback, this time to the WBSC U-23 Baseball World Cup 2022, where Colombian catcher Jair Camargo initiated a double play with very smart baseball.
X @WBSC
In a roller-coaster WBSC Premier12 game on 22 November last year at the Tokyo Dome, Japanese first baseman Shugo Maki stepped up to the plate with the Super Round game against Venezuela tied at five, the bases loaded, and two outs in the bottom of the sixth inning. He saw a first-pitch ball and then smashed an 85mph breaking pitch from Pedro Garcia for a grand slam, giving Japan the lead and a crucial win. This moment was the most engaging post on WBSC's X account.
Not far behind, the final out of the Premier12 championship game, which saw Chinese Taipei lifting the trophy for the first time in history, ranked second. Third and fourth place feature a pair of tweets showcasing the championship celebration by Chinese Taipei, while fifth place belongs to Kaito Kozono's late-inning three-run homer that gave Japan a come-from-behind victory against USA.
Facebook @WBSC
On Facebook, the play with the most engagement of the year was a perfect throw by Mexican centre fielder Joel Vargas during the WBSC U-15 Baseball World Cup 2024, which saw 53k engage with the post, more than any other post.
Excluding the Premier12, the Men's Softball World Cup and Women's Baseball World Cup appear in the list with the next three most engaging posts. These include the Philippines' stunning win against Mexico in Hermosillo and two posts about the USA Women's National Baseball Team earning the silver medal and defeating Japan in the World Cup.
If we factor the Premier12 back into the equation, we find a reel featuring Chia-Cheng Lin's home run, which ignited Chinese Taipei’s victory against Japan in the final of the flagship international event. It is followed by a video of Chinese Taipei's coronation as Premier12 champions and a reel capturing the championship celebrations.
TikTok @WBSC
We find two Mexican plays at the WBSC U-15 Baseball World Cup 2024 on top of the list in 2024 on TikTok, in a virtual technical draw. Vargas' was the most popular post in 2024 on TikTok, with 49,544 engaging with the post, only 10 more than catcher Alexander Huerta throwing a runner out at second base.
@wbsc ???????????????? What a throw by Joel Vargas! ????⚾ WBSC U-15 Baseball World Cup - 2024 ???? Follow the tournament on Gametime.Sport #BaseballWorldCupU15 #Baseball #Beisbol #WBSC ♬ Hip-hop instrumental.(1288673) - Eto
A pair of Premier12 plays made the top five on TikTok, including Tung-Hua Yueh's diving play and Chia-Cheng Lin's homer.
In fifth place, 23,056 fans engaged with the Dominican Republic talented shortstop Alfredo Sena at the WBSC U-15 Baseball World Cup 2024, making a backhanded play in the hole and featuring his strong arm to retire the runner at first base.