Where ‘The Sandlot’ Cast Is Today

Released in the 1990s, The Sandlot is a classic movie about growing up. It’s a funny story about a group of boys who are passionate about baseball. Their game takes a turn when a special baseball flies over the fence and lands in the yard of a grumpy neighbor, guarded by a huge, intimidating dog. Now, they face a big challenge: how can they possibly retrieve the ball from ‘The Beast’?

The feel-good comedy The Sandlot featured a cast of mostly newcomers, and while many didn’t continue acting after the movie became popular, it does star one very famous actor. Now a beloved classic, The Sandlot is often shared with new audiences, letting people rediscover its charming story and the actors who brought it to life.

Tom Guiry (Scott “Scotty” Smalls)

I absolutely love this movie! It’s told from the perspective of Scotty, a new kid in town, and it’s one of the funniest sports comedies from the ’90s. His mom really pushes him to go make some friends, and he ends up falling in with a group of kids who play baseball. He’s not much of a player at first, but thankfully, Benny, the oldest of the group, takes Scotty under his wing and helps him learn the ropes.

Most people remember Tom Guiry as the kid from The Sandlot – he was only twelve when he filmed that! It’s wild to think it’s been fourteen years since he had a bigger role in The Black Donnellys. He’s popped up in a bunch of really great movies since then, like Black Hawk Down, Mystic River, and even The Revenant. He was most recently in The Unforgivable, but it doesn’t look like he’s added any new acting credits since then, though I’m guessing he’s still working. I did see, though, that he’s been dealing with some legal issues recently, according to People magazine.

Mike Vitar (Benjamin Franklin “Benny” Rodriguez)

Benny was the oldest and natural leader of the group, guiding them throughout the game depicted in the movie. He was very dedicated, and a later scene shows he eventually became a professional baseball player. The role was played by Mike Vitar, who many will recognize as Luis Mendoza from The Mighty Ducks films. After that, Vitar chose to leave acting and has worked as a firefighter in Los Angeles since 2002.

Patrick Renna (Hamilton “Ham” Porter)

Patrick Renna is famous for playing Ham, the energetic, slightly overweight kid with a quick temper, in the series. Viewers remember him for dramatically announcing his big hits before making them on the field, and for giving a memorable tutorial on how to make s’mores during a treehouse camping scene.

After the movie came out, Renna seemed to have the most success with his acting career. He appeared in an episode of The X-Files and later had a recurring role on the Netflix series GLOW. In 2024, he was in two films, including Monster Summer and You Gotta Believe. When discussing You Gotta Believe, Renna emphasized that the positive message of The Sandlot is what makes it a classic and continues to resonate with audiences.

Chauncey Leopardi (Michael “Squints” Palledorous)

Squints was the classic smart, slightly awkward kid, and he had a huge crush on the beautiful lifeguard, Wendy Peffercorn. He was so infatuated with her that, in a scene many now find problematic, he pretended to drown hoping she would rescue him and give him CPR, which he saw as a chance for a kiss.

Chauncey Leopardi, who appeared in the TV shows Freaks and Geeks and Gilmore Girls, is now focusing on a different career. While some viewers might remember him from Logic’s “Homicide” music video featuring Eminem, Leopardi told People magazine he left Hollywood to pursue his passion for cannabis. He occasionally still acts, but now primarily runs a cannabis farm in Los Angeles.

Marty York (Alan “Yeah-Yeah” McClennan)

Marty York, best known as “Yeah-Yeah” from the friend group due to his habit of saying “yeah, yeah,” continues to act. Recently, fans might have spotted him as Fabrizio on Abbott Elementary, where his character had a memorable encounter with Melissa at the DMV. He’s currently working on a new project called Due Justice, which also stars Tara Reid, and is expected to begin filming soon.

He’s promoting a new documentary called The Sandlot Legend on his Instagram, and it sounds like filming is currently underway. He’s also letting people know he’s available for personalized video messages through Cameo.

Brandon Quintin Adams (Kenny DeNunez)

Kenny is a talented pitcher on the team, famous for his fast fastball, which the kids nicknamed “The Heater.” He’s considered to be just as skilled as Benny. After starring in The Sandlot, Brandon Quintin Adams went on to appear in The Mighty Ducks alongside Mike Vitar. He also made guest appearances on popular ’90s sitcoms like The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air, Moesha, Sister, Sister, and Martin. More recently, he narrated the series The Resort. Adams continues to take on acting roles occasionally and is part of the cast in The Sandlot Legend. Tragically, he was involved in a shooting that took the life of his close friend, which led him to step back from his career to mourn.

Denis Leary (Bill)

Bill is Scotty’s stepfather and doesn’t appear much in the film, which has become a beloved classic over the past 30 years. He traveled a lot for work and was a huge baseball fan, owning a valuable baseball signed by Babe Ruth – a gift from his own father. This very ball is what gets lost, starting all the trouble in the movie, and the boys are determined to retrieve it before Scotty gets into trouble.

Denis Leary is a very talented comedian who has also had success in movies and television, appearing in films like Wag the Dog and the TV show Rescue Me, as well as The Amazing Spider-Man. He’s still working today, currently starring in the series Going Dutch, and will be returning as the voice of Diego in the upcoming Ice Age: Boiling Point, scheduled for release in 2027.

Karen Allen (Scotty’s Mom)

Scotty’s mother is a supporting character whose main role is to encourage her son to stay out of trouble and build friendships. The role is played by Karen Allen, a well-known actress who starred in classic films like Animal House and Raiders of the Lost Ark alongside Harrison Ford. Allen has continued to work in movies, including later Indiana Jones films released in 2008 and 2023, and she also performs on Broadway. She’s scheduled to appear in a film called Other Mommy in 2026.

James Earl Jones (Mr. Mertle)

James Earl Jones portrayed Mr. Mertle, the initially scary neighbor who the children come to realize is actually a kind man. Even his dog, nicknamed “The Beast,” turns out to be a gentle giant. The kids are also surprised and thrilled to find out that Mr. Mertle used to be a professional baseball player.

James Earl Jones was famous for being the voice of iconic characters like Darth Vader in Star Wars and Mufasa in The Lion King. A highly accomplished actor, he was one of the rare few to win an EGOT – an Emmy, Grammy, Oscar, and Tony Award. Though he passed away in 2024, his final major film role was a return to his character King Jaffe Joffer in Coming 2 America.

Art LaFleur (Babe Ruth)

In Benny’s dreams, Art LaFleur appears as Babe Ruth, the legendary baseball player. He offers Benny guidance on how to retrieve the baseball from a scary, slobbering dog.

LaFleur had small roles in several films, including a part as Banes in The Replacements. He’d previously been in Field of Dreams and went on to appear in numerous other movies about baseball. His last acting credit was in 2017 with the film Dive. LaFleur was later diagnosed with an unusual form of Parkinson’s disease and passed away in 2021.

Marley Shelton (Wendy Peffercorn)

Wendy Peffercorn is remembered as the attractive older woman many young boys had a crush on during middle school. She was a lifeguard at the local pool and often caught the eye of the younger swimmers. While Squints was particularly smitten with her, she didn’t appreciate his attempts to kiss her.

I always recognize Marley Shelton when she’s on screen! I first noticed her in a role a while back, and she’s had some great parts since then – she was fantastic in Quentin Tarantino’s Grindhouse, and a lot of us horror fans remember her as Sheriff Deputy Judy Hicks in the Scream movies, appearing in those as recently as 2022. More recently, I enjoyed seeing her in Rise on NBC and 1923, the Yellowstone prequel. She’s been keeping busy with guest spots like Tracker and a few episodes of the new Matlock, and I just heard she’s currently filming a drama called Road to Recovery. It’s cool to see an actress with such a diverse career keep landing interesting roles.

The Sandlot is available to stream on Netflix and Disney+.

2025-11-19 15:40