WASHINGTON —As part of his Made In America Week initiative, President Donald Trump hosted an American-made product showcase Monday at the White House that included Louisiana baseball equipment manufacturer Marucci Sports.

President Trump, Vice President Mike Pence, and other Cabinet members attended the Made In America product showcase, which featured products manufactured in all 50 states. Marucci, which supplies more Big Leaguers than any other bat company, handcrafts all its wood bats in Baton Rouge.

“We are honored and excited to represent Louisiana and have our wood bats recognized at the President’s Made In America product showcase,” Marucci CEO/Co-Founder Kurt Ainsworth said.

“We’re committed to continuing manufacturing in Louisiana, and we’re working to bring more production and jobs to the state as we continue to grow.”

The Marucci display was the first exhibit President Trump visited as he entered the Blue Room of the White House to which he exclaimed about the wood bats, “Look at this – beautiful! These are nice!”

Ainsworth and fellow Big Leaguer Joe Lawrence along with athletic trainer Jack Marucci founded the company in a backyard shed in 2004. Today, Marucci Sports manufactures maple and ash wood bats for players at all levels of the game, as well as aluminum and composite bats, fielding gloves, apparel and other baseball and softball equipment.

At the conclusion of the event President Trump declared, "We will celebrate craftsmen, producers, innovators like the incredible men and women in this room today. We will protect our workers, promote our industry and be proud of our history because we will put America first."