MLB’s Home Run Derby X is returning, and this time there’s an added twist. Now in its fourth year, the three-on-three co-ed homerfest featuring former MLB sluggers and top women’s baseball and softball stars teaming up is set to hit six cities with a two-day final culminating in Salt Lake City, Utah. There’s more than just pride on the line, too: A $200,000 cash prize will be awarded to the winning team.
“Baseball fans are in for a treat,” Oklahoma University and Athletes Unlimited softball star Tiare Jennings said. “Home Run Derby X brings together MLB legends and the best from women’s baseball and softball, and I’m honored to be part of it. It’s not every day you get to put on a show like this, and I plan to make the most of it!”
While previous years’ contests featured singular events – whether in Seoul, Korea, where all-time KBO greats joined in or Fort Wayne, Ind., with 2016 World Series-winning Cubs players taking part – this is the first time that HRDX is following a season-long format known as the Race to Salt Lake City.
It’s easy to follow: Win at any of the first six events and your team will automatically gain entry to the two-day winner-take-all Salt Lake City final. There will then be a Wild Card team and a special Salt Lake City Bees team taking part in hopes of taking the HRDX trophy and a cool $200,000.
Here is the list of events. Tickets will go on sale on May 22:
July 13: Mac Nease Baseball Park at Russ Chandler Stadium, home of Georgia Tech during MLB’s All-Star Week events. (Atlanta, GA)
July 26: Dell Diamond, home of the Triple-A Round Rock Express (Round Rock, TX)
Aug. 9: Durham Bulls Athletic Park, home of the Durham Bulls (Durham, N.C.)
Aug. 23: Chickasaw Bricktown Ballpark, home of the Oklahoma City Comets (Oklahoma City, OK)
Aug. 30: Principal Park, home of the Iowa Cubs (Des Moines, Iowa)
Sept. 13: To Be Announced
Sept. 19-20: Final at the Salt Lake Bees (Salt Lake City, Utah)
In addition to the new Race to Salt Lake City format, each of the six qualifying events will feature special rivalry matchups. It means that every city will have a unique and memorable matchup featuring heated head-to-head contests at every stop.
“After hearing what a great time Nick [Swisher] and Manny [Ramirez] had in last year’s Home Run Derby X, I’m excited to put the uniform back on and take some swings for the fans,” newcomer Ben Zobrist said. “I’m looking forward to going back to some of the great ballparks and cities I played in on my way to the Major Leagues.”
The exact lineups and rivalry matchups will be announced soon – as will the location of the Sept. 13 event – but the MLB Legends scheduled to participate have a combined 43 All-Star Game appearances, 14 Silver Slugger Awards, 25 Gold Glove Awards, 12 World Series championships, one Roberto Clemente Award, one World Series Most Valuable Player Award, two batting titles, one Cy Young Award, one Most Valuable Player Award, one Rookie of the Year Award, and one Home Run Derby championship.
The participating MLB legends are: Rick Ankiel, Jake Arrieta, Lorenzo Cain, Michael Cuddyer, Ian Desmond, Jonny Gomes, Alex Gordon, Adrián González, Ryan Howard, Andruw Jones, Daniel Murphy, Manny Ramírez, Nick Swisher, Adam Wainwright, Ryan Zimmerman, and Ben Zobrist. More MLB legends may be added prior to the events.
They’ll be joined by current and former stars of collegiate softball and women’s baseball who have a combined 27 College World Series appearances, 16 National Championships and 17 First-Team All American selections. They include Jocelyn Alo, Reese Atwood, Jocelyn Erickson, Hannah Flippen, Kinzie Hansen, Alex Hugo, Tiare Jennings, Ashton Lansdell, Amanda Lorenz, Elizabeth Mason, Ali Newland, Jessica Oakland, Ella Parker, Kasidi Pickering, Sydney Romero, Taylor Schumacher and Katie Stewart.
