Where ‘The Sandlot’ Cast Is Today

The Sandlot is one of the defining coming-of-age movies of the 1990s. The sports comedy film centers around a group of young friends who love baseball. When a prized baseball goes over the fence into the scary neighbor’s yard, protected by his big, menacing dog, the game comes to a screeching halt. How will they ever get the ball back from “The Beast”?

A beloved comedy, The Sandlot stars a group of largely unknown actors, many of whom went on to pursue other careers following the film’s success. There is, however, one huge movie star at the center. Having become a cult classic, the film is now often shared with the next generation, making it fun to look back at the adorable story and its cast.

Tom Guiry (Scott “Scotty” Smalls)

Scotty is the protagonist and narrator of the film, one of the best sports comedies of the 1990s. He’s a new kid who moves into town and befriends the others after his mother encourages him to try and make new friends. He wants to play baseball, too, and they are happy to bring him into the fold. He isn’t very good, but the eldest kid, Benny, takes him under his wing.

Tom Guiry is best known for his role in The Sandlot at just 12 years old. He went on to star in The Black Donnellys 14 years later. He has also had minor roles in a string of high-profile movies, including Black Hawk Down, Mystic River, The Revenant, and, most recently, The Unforgivable. He doesn’t have any acting credits to his name since that psychological drama film, but presumably continues to act. He has, however, had some recent legal troubles, according to People.

Mike Vitar (Benjamin Franklin “Benny” Rodriguez)

Benny was the oldest of the bunch, the de facto leader who guided the boys through the game. He took it seriously, and by the end of the movie, in a flash-forward, it’s revealed that he has become a professional baseball player. He was portrayed by Mike Vitar, who went on to star as Luis Mendoza in the two The Mighty Ducks movies. Vitar decided to retire from acting after that. He has been working as a firefighter in Los Angeles since 2002.

Patrick Renna (Hamilton “Ham” Porter)

Patrick Renna played “Ham” on the series, the outspoken, chubby kid with a short temper. He’s best known for pointing out onto the field to call what he predicts will be his awesome hit, and for his instructions on how to make S’mores in a scene while the kids are camping out in a treehouse.

Renna arguably enjoyed the most on-screen success after the film’s release. He went on to appear in an episode of The X-Files and had a recurring role on the Netflix series GLOW. He appeared in two movies in 2024, including Monster Summer and You Gotta Believe. Speaking with Renna leading up to the release of You Gotta Believe, he reinforces the great message of The Sandlot, noting this is what makes it so timeless.

Chauncey Leopardi (Michael “Squints” Palledorous)

Squints was the stereotypical nerdy and precocious kid. He was also deeply obsessed with the pretty lifeguard Wendy Peffercorn. So much so that, in a now-controversial scene, he fakes drowning so she jumps in to save him and give him mouth-to-mouth, which he views as a kiss.

Chauncey Leopardi went on to appear in the short-lived series Freaks and Geeks and on Gilmore Girls. Fans may also recognize him in Logic’s music video “Homicide,” featuring Eminem. Leopardi told People that he decided to step away from Hollywood to focus on his passion: cannabis. He still takes roles here and there but now spends his time on a growing operation in Los Angeles.

Marty York (Alan “Yeah-Yeah” McClennan)

“Yeah-Yeah” was the quiet, agreeable kid in the friend group who always said “yeah, yeah,” hence the nickname. Marty York appears to still be acting, taking on minor roles. Fans may have recognized him as Fabrizio in a recent episode of Abbott Elementary, where he has a run-in with Melissa at the DMV. He will next appear in a project called Due Justice, which also stars Tara Reid and is currently in pre-production.

His Instagram account promotes an upcoming documentary called The Sandlot Legend, which is reportedly in production. He also advertises his availability for Cameo appearances.

Brandon Quintin Adams (Kenny DeNunez)

Kenny is a pitcher for the team, and he’s incredibly skilled, known for throwing a mean fastball the kids call “The Heater.” He’s almost as good, if not as good, as Benny. After The Sandlot, Brandon Quintin Adams joined Mike Vitar in The Mighty Ducks movies. He also appeared on some of the most iconic sitcoms of the ’90s, including The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air, Moesha, Sister, Sister, and Martin. He last served as narrator for The Resort. Adams appears to be taking occasional roles and is named among those appearing in The Sandlot Legend. Sadly, he was involved in a shooting incident that took the life of his best friend and likely led to him putting a temporary halt to his career while he grieved.

Denis Leary (Bill)

Bill is Scotty’s stepfather, only seen sparingly in the movie, which has become a modern classic today, even 30 years later. Bill was often traveling for business, but he was obsessed with baseball. He even had a rare Babe Ruth-signed ball that his father gave him. It’s this ball, in fact, that goes over the fence and kicks off the hijinks of the movie. The boys are desperate to get it back so Scotty doesn’t get in trouble.

Denis Leary is, of course, a tremendous comedic talent who went on to star in many movies and TV shows. Notably, these include Wag the Dog, Rescue Me, and The Amazing Spider-Man. He continues to be active in the business, now starring in the series Going Dutch. He will also reprise his voice role as Diego in Ice Age: Boiling Point, due out in 2027.

Karen Allen (Scotty’s Mom)

Scotty’s mom is a minor character in the series, there to support her son and encourage him to make friends and to stay out of trouble. She’s played by Karen Allen, who was famously part of the cast of 1978’s Animal House and Raiders of the Lost Ark, acting opposite Harrison Ford. She continued to act in movies, including Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull (2008) and Indiana Jones and the Dial of Destiny (2023). She also performs on Broadway. Allen is set to appear in a 2026 movie called Other Mommy.

James Earl Jones (Mr. Mertle)

James Earl Jones played the seemingly terrifying mean old neighbor, Mr. Mertle, whom the kids eventually discover is really a very nice man. In fact, his dog, known as “The Beast,” is a big, lovable pup once you get to know him. Mr. Mertle is also a former professional baseball player, which the kids are stunned and delighted to learn.

Jones was best known for voicing Darth Vader in Star Wars and Mufasa in The Lion King. But he was a prolific actor who was among only a few to have earned an EGOT (Emmy, Grammy, Oscar, and Tony), and his booming voice was a signature on screen as well. He sadly passed away in 2024, but Jones’ last major on-screen appearance was reprising his role as King Jaffe Joffer in the sequel movie Coming 2 America.

Art LaFleur (Babe Ruth)

Appearing in Benny’s dream sequences, Art LaFleur plays the real-life Babe Ruth, “The Great Bambino,” the iconic former baseball player. His apparition provides Benny with advice on how they can get the baseball back from the terrifying, drooling dog.

LaFleur went on to make a series of minor appearances in movies, including as Banes in The Replacements. He previously appeared in Field of Dreams and went on to appear in many other baseball-themed movies. His final acting appearance was in 2017 in Dive. LaFleur was diagnosed with atypical Parkinson’s disease and sadly passed away in 2021.

Marley Shelton (Wendy Peffercorn)

Wendy Peffercorn has become a name synonymous with the pretty older woman that young boys lust after in middle school. She was the older lifeguard at the community pool that the boys ogled at whenever they went for a swim. She was also the object of Squints’ affections, though she didn’t take lightly to his egregious actions in trying to steal a kiss.

The character was played by Marley Shelton, who went on to appear in Quentin Tarantino’s Grindhouse and in two of the Scream movies as Sheriff Deputy Judy Hicks in 2011 and 2022. In 2018, she starred in Rise on NBC and appeared in the Paramount+ series Yellowstone prequel series 1923. Shelton made a guest appearance in Tracker and had a three-episode arc in Matlock. She’s currently filming a drama called Road to Recovery.

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