The SFCBL is holding its annual Home Run Derby this Sunday. The league’s All-Star Game is moving south to the home of the Makos at St. Thomas University in Miami Gardens. Paul Demie Mainieri Field has the largest seating capacity among the venues of the SFCBL as we look to fill up its stands for Sunday’s festivities.

The format of the derby goes as follows: The event will be broken up into 3 rounds. In round 1, the field will start with 8 hitters. Round 2 cuts the number down to 4. The championship round will feature the final two hitters in the competition. In each round, the batters will have 10 outs to hit as many home runs as they can. They will be given one 45-second timeout to use at any point while at the plate.

Let’s meet the contestants.

Eddie Marshall - Palm Beach Xtreme, C

Eddie has been the top hitter across the SFCBL. Eddie Marshall leads the league in multiple statistical categories, including home runs, batting average, and RBI. Marshall will be entering his first year of collegiate ball at Samford University. The week 3 Offensive Player of the Week award winner is a local product from Lighthouse Point.

Andrew Tabares - Beach Boys, C

Andrew is playing in his second season with the league and has taken a big step forward in year two. Tabares has been pivotal in the success of the Beach Boys this year. He has improved at the dish, hitting .327 on the season with a team-leading 3 home runs. The Miami native has a very short drive from the site where he plays his college ball at Palm Beach State. He will be looking to bring the boom this weekend.

Johnny Lopez - Hooks, INF

Johnny Lopez has an argument to be the SFCBL’s most versatile athlete. The Florida Atlantic University incoming freshman has split time this season with action manning the infield for the Hooks while also handling a workload on the mound. The athlete from Coral Springs has notched a victory this year against the X-Team and has struck out 8 batters in 8 innings of work across 8 games. All this while being a force at the plate with a .328 batting average.

Niko Benestad - Lightning, C

The line of South Florida talent continues with Niko Benestad. Niko currently sits tied for second in long balls with 4 this season. Niko went long twice in the same game on June 13th against the Wave. Benestad isn’t all power, though. Pitchers have struggled to deal with the Lightning catcher’s approach at the plate. His home run power combined with his ability to hit for contact equals a .380 batting average. He is also averaging nearly one walk per game—an extensive bag of tricks at the plate for number 9.

Jack Tate - Lighting, OF

Jack is the only outfielder selected for the home run derby. Tate joins Niko Benestad as the only duo coming from the same team. Tate has been seeing the ball very well and has seen the results in his run contributions as of late. Tate is from the northeast, coming from Wantagh, New York, and plays ball at St. John’s University.

Dylan Prince - Bucs, INF

Dylan is the only home run derby contestant who has a big fly for multiple teams, with a pair of home runs for the Bucs and the Lightning. Prince has some of the best power in the league despite being a 5’10 freshman. The Bryant Bulldogs will soon have a multifaceted hitter entering their program.

Reed Wilson - Lions, C

Reed Wilson comes in as the oldest competitor on Sunday as a junior for the Lions. Wilson is from the small town of Grove Hill, Alabama, with a population of less than 2,000 people. Reed joins Tabares as players in year 2 of their SFCBL careers. Last year, Wilson was selected as an all-star but was unable to compete. This year, he gets the opportunity to be crowned the home run derby champ.

Caeden Cloud - Blazers, INF

Caeden represents the SEC with 4 home runs this season. The University of Kentucky freshman has been dynamite this season with a .347 average, 21 RBI, and 22 runs scored. Cloud is among the best in the league both at the plate and in the field. This Blazer will seek to make his hometown of Nixa, Missouri, happy by winning the derby on Sunday.

Jacob Kelley

SFCBL Media