By Will Herbert
HBCU Baseball Comes to Philadelphia with the 2026 Swingman Classic
Leading off Major League Baseball’s All-Star Week will be players from historically Black colleges and universities. The fourth annual HBCU Swingman Classic comes to Citizens Bank Park on Friday, July 10 at 7 p.m. ET, and the game will be broadcast on MLB Network.
Established by MLB Hall of Fame player Ken Griffey Jr. in partnership with the Major League Baseball Players Association Youth Development Foundation in 2023, the goal of the event is to highlight players from HBCUs who neither get the biggest spotlight, nor share the privilege that someone like Griffey had as the son of a professional baseball player.
“I grew up where I got to be in the clubhouse,” Griffey said in an interview with MLB Network. “I found out how fortunate I was to be able to be in these facilities, but there’s also kids that I played with who had no opportunity like this, and I wanted to give back.”
Stand-up comedian, actor and Florida A&M University alumnus Roy Wood Jr. has been working with MLB to cover HBCU baseball. He spoke via Instagram DM about the impact that the showcase game has on participating athletes getting to play in a professional ballpark.
“To be chosen for this game, and to be able to get a little bit of a taste of what your life could be and what opportunities still lie ahead in spite of the work you’ve already done, I think a lot of these kids leave the game even more inspired to work hard so they can get back to playing in a facility like [Citizens Bank Park] on a regular basis,” Wood said.
Rosters for the game will feature 50 players from 19 different HBCUs, including nearby Lincoln University, a participating dual admissions transfer institution with Community College of Philadelphia located about 90 minutes from the city.
Each team of 25 players for the game will be managed by a former Major Leaguer. Philadelphia Phillies legend and franchise hits leader Jimmy Rollins will manage the National League team, while 14-year MLB veteran and HBCU alumnus Rickie Weeks will manage the American League team.
The National League team features Lincoln University’s Solomon McKinney. McKinney is a 6-foot-1 left-handed pitcher in his sophomore season. He played at North Carolina A&T State University in 2025 before transferring to Lincoln.
The American League team features Philadelphia native Santino Harwood, an alumnus of Roman Catholic High School. Harwood is a 5-foot-11 shortstop for Delaware State University who began his collegiate career as a walk-on before earning a scholarship after his freshman season.
The Philadelphia Inquirer featured Harwood after he was selected for the game, noting that he is a white player at a HBCU.
Players for the game were selected by a committee, including Griffey, who said he hopes to see more players from HBCUs get to the big leagues in the future. Wood sees the possibility that the HBCU Swingman Classic is already giving players more visibility.
“The thing I’m really excited about – We went to the SWAC tournament this year, and it seemed to me to feel like more scouts this year than last year’s SWAC tournament,” Wood said via DM. “I’m sure there’s a lot of factors that could play into that, but I would hope that the Swingman and its existence is a big part of it.”
Tickets for the HBCU Swingman Classic are available on the Phillies website.
National League Roster
| Player | Position | School |
|---|---|---|
| Trey Callaway | C | Alabama State University |
| Chris Marcellus | C | Grambling State University |
| Pierre Cabral | 1B | Jackson State University |
| Byron Robinson Jr. | 1B | Texas Southern University |
| Kanious Davis | 3B / P | Alcorn State University |
| Ryland Duson | 3B / C | Prairie View A&M University |
| Eric Williams | 3B / DH | Mississippi Valley State University |
| William Brown IV | INF | Florida A&M University |
| Aaron Grant | INF | University of Arkansas – Pine Bluff |
| Robert Tate Jr. | INF | Jackson State University |
| JT Taylor | INF | North Carolina A&T State University |
| Brycen Hammonds | OF | Alabama A&M University |
| Cameron Hill | OF | Grambling State University |
| Ryan Hunter | OF | Southern University |
| Niguel Jenkins | OF | Alabama State University |
| Justin Journette | OF | Norfolk State University |
| Tyree Reed | OF | Jackson State University |
| Michael Rodriguez | OF | Bethune-Cookman University |
| Derek Arrocha | P | Jackson State University |
| Ethan Blakeney | P | Norfolk State University |
| Talmadge Davis | P | Jackson State University |
| Myles Dismute | P | Southern University |
| Caleb Granger | P | Florida A&M University |
| Anthony Mateo | P | Alabama A&M University |
| Solomon McKinney | P | Lincoln University |
| Jean Carlo Zambrano | P | Bethune-Cookman University |
American League Roster
| Player | Position | School |
|---|---|---|
| Jonathan Gonzalez Perez | C | University of Maryland Eastern Shore |
| Armando Hurtado Jr. | C | Coppin State University |
| Maikol Lucena | C | Bethune-Cookman University |
| Jose Fernandez | C / 1B | Bethune-Cookman University |
| Jaylon Lucky | 1B | Southern University |
| Jay Campbell | 3B | Florida A&M University |
| Andrey Martinez | 3B | Bethune-Cookman University |
| Santino Harwood | INF | Delaware State University |
| Jaydan Israel | INF | Norfolk State University |
| Tervell Johnson | INF / OF | Alabama A&M University |
| Jonathan Trejo | INF | Texas Southern University |
| KJ White Jr. | INF | Southern University |
| Thomas Ealey | OF | Norfolk State University |
| Donovan Hill | OF | Southern University at New Orleans |
| Miguel Oropeza | OF | Alabama State University |
| Jacoby Radcliffe | OF | Southern University |
| Bruce Wyche | OF | North Carolina A&T State University |
| Kenney Fabian | P | University of Arkansas – Pine Bluff |
| Jorhan LaBoy | P | Alabama State University |
| Justin Mayes | P | Texas Southern University |
| Jackson McKenzie | P | Florida A&M State University |
| James Peterson | P | Alabama State University |
| Jalen Porter | P | University of Arkansas – Pine Bluff |
| Alvaro Yasseel Samboy | P | Norfolk State University |
| Bobby Spencer | P | Southern University |
| Pablo Torres | P | Bethune-Cookman University |
