Let’s be real for a second. Following up on one of the most beloved sports movies of all time is basically a suicide mission for any director. When David Mickey Evans returned to direct a sequel to his 1993 masterpiece, he knew the deck was stacked against him. The Sandlot 2 didn't have Benny "The Jet" Rodriguez or the iconic Squints, but it did have a fresh group of kids trying to outrun a legendary beast. Honestly, the cast of The Sandlot 2 had a massive weight on their shoulders. They had to capture that same "pickle" energy while carving out their own legacy in a direct-to-video landscape that wasn't always kind to sequels.
Most people remember the 2005 movie as the one with the girls. It was a big deal at the time—adding a female presence to the sacred dirt of the sandlot. But if you look back at the roster, you'll see a mix of actors who stayed in the spotlight and others who basically vanished into "normal" life once the cameras stopped rolling.
Max Lloyd-Jones as David Durango: The New Leader
Every sandlot needs a hero. Max Lloyd-Jones took on the role of David Durango, the de facto leader of the new pack. He was the kid with the cool jacket and the slightly brooding "I'm too old for this but I love baseball" vibe. Unlike many child stars who peak at age twelve, Max actually kept the momentum going.
You’ve probably seen him way more recently than you realize. He didn’t just fade away after the mid-2000s. In fact, he’s become a bit of a staple in the sci-fi and fantasy world. Max showed up in War for the Planet of the Apes and had a recurring role in When Calls the Heart. But the real kicker? He served as the body double for a young Luke Skywalker in The Mandalorian. Yeah, that’s him under the digital mask. It’s wild to think the kid running from a dog in a backyard ended up playing the most iconic Jedi in history. He’s active on social media, often sharing behind-the-scenes looks at his stunt work and travel. He’s built a legitimate, adult career that transcends the "sequel kid" label.
Samantha Burton as Hayley Goodfairer: Breaking the Grass Ceiling
Hayley was the disruptor. Bringing a girl into the sandlot was the central conflict of the early film, and Samantha Burton played the part with a perfect mix of "I'm better than you" and genuine talent. Her chemistry with Max Lloyd-Jones was actually real—the two dated for a while after filming wrapped, which adds a layer of nostalgia for fans who shipped them back in the day.
However, Samantha’s story is very different from Max’s. After The Sandlot 2, she pretty much stepped away from the industry. She wasn't chasing the Hollywood dream. She stayed out of the tabloids and moved into a more private life. For a long time, fans wondered where she went. While she occasionally pops up on social media or in "where are they now" threads, she’s a prime example of someone who did their time in the spotlight, made a cult classic, and decided that was enough. She moved into production and behind-the-scenes work for a bit, but mostly, she's lived a life away from the red carpets.
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James Willson as Johnnie Smalls: The Connection to the Past
If you’re going to do a sequel, you need a tether. Johnnie Smalls was that tether. Playing the younger brother of Scott Smalls from the original movie, James Willson had the task of being the "new kid" who was also technically royalty in the Sandlot universe.
James’s career didn't explode into a series of leading roles. He had a few more credits, including a spot on CSI: Crime Scene Investigation, but his acting career mostly tapered off by the late 2000s. It's a common story. Some kids do a movie because it’s a fun summer job, not because they want to be the next Brad Pitt. From what’s public, he’s moved on to other ventures, but he remains a centerpiece of the film's attempt to bridge the gap between the 1962 original and the 1972 setting of the sequel.
Brett Kelly as Mac: More Than Just "The Kid from Bad Santa"
Before he was Mac, Brett Kelly was already a legend. If you don't recognize the name, you definitely recognize the face. He was Thurman Merman in Bad Santa. You know, the kid obsessed with sandwiches and wooden pickles.
In The Sandlot 2, Brett played Mac, the loudmouth who provided most of the comedic relief. Mac was the kid who always had a plan that was definitely going to fail. Brett is one of the few cast members who stayed consistently visible in the Canadian and American acting scenes. He went on to star in High School and had a long-running role in the medical drama Family Law. He also attended the University of British Columbia. He’s one of those actors who managed to transition from "funny kid" to "working adult actor" without the typical child star meltdown. He’s still active today, often poking fun at his child star roots on Twitter.
The Supporting Lineup: Neale, Gauthier, and the Rest
The rest of the cast of The Sandlot 2 featured a group of kids who filled the archetypes we loved from the first film.
- Sean Berdy (Sammy "Fingers" Samuelson): Sean is perhaps the biggest success story of the group in terms of cultural impact. As a deaf actor, he brought incredible representation to the film. He later became a household name for fans of Switched at Birth, playing Emmett Bledsoe. More recently, he starred in the Netflix series The Society. He’s an advocate, a performer, and a huge inspiration in the deaf community.
- Brandon Quentin Adams (Gus): Wait, Brandon was in this? Yes. He returned as a bridge to the first film, though he’s best known as Kenny DeNunez from the original Sandlot and Jesse Hall from The Mighty Ducks. His presence gave the sequel a bit of much-needed "street cred."
- Cole Evan Weiss (Saul): Cole played the "bird-watching" kid. After the movie, he did a bit more acting (including a role in The Last Champion) before shifting gears. Like many of his co-stars, he’s found a balance between the occasional acting gig and a standard life outside of LA.
Why the Sequel Cast Faced Such Harsh Criticism
Context matters. When this movie dropped in 2005, the internet was just starting to find its voice in hating on things. Fans of the original Sandlot were fiercely protective. They didn't want a "new" version. They felt that replacing the original kids was sacrilege.
But if you look at the cast of The Sandlot 2 objectively, they actually did a decent job. They were playing to a different generation. The 2005 audience was kids who grew up on the Disney Channel and Nickelodeon, not necessarily the gritty, nostalgic 90s kids. The acting isn't the problem with the sequel; the problem was the "Great Wall" it had to climb. The chemistry between Max Lloyd-Jones and Brett Kelly actually mirrors the Squints/Ham dynamic fairly well, even if the script relied a bit too heavily on callbacks to the 1993 film.
The Mystery of the "Great Fear"
One of the biggest stars of the movie wasn't human. "The Great Fear" was the monstrous dog that lived behind the fence. In the first movie, it was Hercules (a massive English Mastiff). In the sequel, it was a beast supposedly even more terrifying.
Fact check: The dog used in the sequel was actually a mix of real dogs and animatronics provided by the legendary effects teams that worked on similar mid-budget features. The kids often talked in later interviews about how the "dog" was actually just a guy in a suit or a giant puppet for most of the close-ups. It’s a classic Hollywood trick that usually ruins the magic for the actors, but for the cast of The Sandlot 2, it was just another day at the office.
Where Can You Find Them Now?
If you’re looking to follow the journeys of these actors, your best bets are Instagram and LinkedIn. Seriously.
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- Max Lloyd-Jones: Very active on Instagram. He posts about his stunt work, his dog, and his roles in major franchises. He’s the most "famous" in the traditional sense.
- Sean Berdy: He has a massive following and is very active in the entertainment industry and the deaf community. He’s a regular at conventions.
- Brett Kelly: You can find him on social media being hilarious and humble about his "Bad Santa" fame.
- The "Ghost" Members: For actors like Reece Thompson (who played the bully, Reton) and McKenzie Brooke Smith, their careers took the path of the "working actor"—lots of guest spots, indie films, and then a shift into other professional fields.
The Legacy of the Sequel
Let's be honest. The Sandlot 2 isn't going to win any Oscars. It isn't even going to win "Best Baseball Movie." But for a certain group of Gen Z and late Millennials, this was their Sandlot. They saw themselves in the techy kids and the girl who could out-hit the boys.
The cast worked with what they had. They took a script that was basically a beat-for-beat remake of the original and tried to give it heart. Whether they ended up as Jedi body doubles or regular people working 9-to-5s, they’re part of a cinematic universe that defines American childhood.
If you're feeling nostalgic, the best thing to do is a double feature. Watch the original to remember why we love the game, then watch the sequel to see how a new group of kids tried to keep the spirit alive in a different decade. You might find that the cast of The Sandlot 2 deserves a bit more credit than the critics originally gave them.
To see what these actors are up to today, check out their most recent credits on IMDb or follow their verified social profiles. Many of them still attend autograph signings and nostalgia conventions, especially during the summer months when baseball season is in full swing. Keep an eye on the "Where Are They Now" segments on YouTube, as several cast members have recently participated in 20th-anniversary retrospectives.
Actionable Next Steps:
- Check out Max Lloyd-Jones in The Mandalorian to see his work as the "double" for Luke Skywalker.
- Follow Sean Berdy on social media to keep up with his advocacy and new acting projects.
- Re-watch The Sandlot 2 on streaming platforms like Disney+ to see if the chemistry holds up better than you remember.