Major League Baseball announced last Thursday the 50-man roster and coaching staff for the fourth annual HBCU Swingman Classic presented by USA Baseball, which is scheduled for Friday, July 10, at 7:00 p.m. ET at Citizens Bank Park in Philadelphia, PA. The rosters comprise 50 of the top players from Historically Black Colleges and Universities from across the nation.
Led by 2007 National League MVP and Philadelphia Phillies Wall of Famer Jimmy Rollins and Southern University HBCU legend and 14-year MLB veteran Rickie Weeks, the Swingman Classic roster will be broken up into two teams: National League (Rollins) and American League (Weeks).
Rollins will be joined on staff by Wes Chamberlain, Wayne Gomes, Jason Maxwell, Milt Thompson and Lenny Webster. Weeks’ staff will feature Marlon Anderson, Courtney Duncan, Derrick Lewis, Jemile Weeks and Corey Wimberly. For the fourth consecutive year, MLB Network will exclusively broadcast the game with Dave Sims (play by-play) and Harold Reynolds (analyst) on the call. Ken Griffey Jr. and Emily Haydel, granddaughter of Hank Aaron, will also contribute to the broadcast.
The event will also include the following three honorary VIPs: Florida A&M product Andre Dawson, Grambling product Ralph Garr Sr. and Ken Griffey Sr. Dawson and Garr are two of the most decorated players in the history of HBCU baseball, and Griffey Sr. spent 19 seasons playing in the Major Leagues.
Players were selected by a committee that includes Griffey Jr., representatives from Major League Baseball and professional scouts and evaluators. In total, 22 athletes on the roster have previously participated in Major League Baseball’s elite-development events (MLB Develops). Trey Callaway, Thomas Ealey, Aaron Grant, Tervell Johnson, Chris Marcellus, Solomon McKinney, Eric Williams and Bruce Wyche are all products of Nike Reviving Baseball in Inner Cities (RBI) programs. Nine players on the roster have previously participated in the Hank Aaron Invitational, six played at the DREAM Series and four are alumni of the Breakthrough Series. Eleven athletes will return to the Swingman Classic after previously playing in the event, including two-time participants Justin Journette, Robert Tate Jr. and KJ White. Additionally, Philadelphia native Santino Harwood and Lincoln University’s Solomon McKinney were both named to the Swingman Classic roster.
The HBCU Swingman Classic presented by USA Baseball will feature special pregame activities designed to honor and celebrate HBCU culture. Pregame festivities, which will be announced at a later date, are set to feature an in-ballpark DJ, an in-game “Divine Nine” recognition and much more.
Tickets for the HBCU Swingman Classic presented by USA Baseball are on sale NOW at AllStarGame.com.
NATIONAL LEAGUE
LHP Derek Arrocha, Jackson State
RHP Ethan Blakeney, Norfolk State
INF William Brown IV, Florida A&M
1B Pierre Cabral, Jackson State
C Trey Callaway, Alabama State
3B/RHP Kanious Davis, Alcorn State
RHP Talmadge Davis, Jackson State
LHP Myles Dismute, Southern
3B/C Ryland Duson, Prairie View A&M
RHP Caleb Granger, Florida A&M
INF Aaron Grant, Arkansas-Pine Bluff
OF Brycen Hammonds, Alabama A&M
OF Cameron Hill, Grambling
OF Ryan Hunter, Southern
OF Niguel Jenkins, Alabama State
OF Justin Journette, Norfolk State
C *Chris Marcellus, Grambling
RHP Anthony Mateo, Alabama A&M
LHP Solomon McKinney, Lincoln
OF Tyree Reed, Jackson State
1B Byron Robinson Jr., Texas Southern
OF Michael Rodriguez, B-Cookman
INF Robert Tate Jr., Jackson State
INF JT Taylor, North Carolina A&T
3B/DH Eric Williams, Miss. Valley State
LHP Jean Carlo Zambrano, B-Cookman
AMERICAN LEAGUE
3B Jay Campbell, Florida A&M
OF Thomas Ealey, Norfolk State
RHP Kenny Fabian, Ark. Pine Bluff
C/1B Jose Fernandez, B-Cookman
C* Jonathan Gonzalez Perez, Md. E. Shore
INF Santino Harwood, Delaware State
OF Donovan Hill, Southern NO
C Armando Hurtado Jr., Coppin State
INF Jaydan Israel, Norfolk State
INF/OF Tervell Johnson, Alabama A&M
LHP Jorhan LaBoy, Alabama State
C Maikol Lucena, Bethune-Cookman
1B Jaylon Lucky, Southern
3B Andrey Martinez, B-Cookman
RHP Justin Mays, Texas Southern
RHP Jackson McKenzie, Florida A&M
OF Miguel Oropeza, Alabama State
RHP James Peterson, Alabama State
RHP Jalen Porter, Arkansas Pine Bluff
OF Jacoby Radcliffe, Southern
RHP Alvaro Yasseel Samboy Diaz, Norfolk State
RHP Bobby Spencer, Southern
RHP Pablo Torres, Bethune-Cookman
INF Jonathan Trejo, Texas Southern
INF KJ White Jr., Southern
OF Bruce Wyche, North Carolina A&T
*will not participate due to miltary service
*will not participate due to professional contract
Manager Jimmy Rollins
Pitching Coach Wayne Gomes
Coach Wes Chamberlain
Coach Jason Maxwell
Coach Milt Thompson
Bullpen Coach Lenny Webster
Manager Rickie Weeks
Pitching Coach Derrick Lewis
Coach Marlon Anderson
Coach Jemile Weeks
Coach Corey Wimberly
Bullpen Coach Courtney Duncan
