NECBL Unveils 2024 Home Run Derby Contestants

July 16, 2024 - New England Collegiate Baseball League (NECBL) News Release

North Adams, MA - The New England Collegiate Baseball League (NECBL) and Commissioner Sean McGrath are excited to announce the 2024 NECBL Home Run Derby contestants. The Home Run Derby will be featured as the opening event of the NECBL's All-Star Festivities, which this year will take place at Muzzy Field, home of the Bristol Blues on Sunday, July 21. The Derby will begin at 2:45 PM, with the first pitch of the All-Star Game set for 5:10 PM.

Tickets for the event are $10 for General Admission, for all ticket information, please visit here - All-Star Game Tickets.

There will be thirteen participants in this year's Home Run Derby, with two rounds of competition. The first round will see each contestant have three minutes to hit as many home runs as they can without any timeouts. The top two hitters with the most home runs after round one will move on to the Championship round.

In the championship round, the two finalists will have four minutes to hit as many home runs as they can with one thirty-second timeout, which can be used anywhere within the four minutes. The player with the most home runs in the championship round will be crowned the Home Run Derby champion. Home runs hit in round one will not carry over to the championship round.

If there is a tie, a one minute tiebreaker will be implemented to determine a winner.

2024 NECBL Home Run Derby Participants

Scott Seeker (Martha's Vineyard, 1B/DH, Mount St. Mary's): Seeker enters the weekend with a dozen hits, five doubles, one homer and six RBI and is batting .203 on the season in 59 at-bats and 18 games played. Seeker's solo home run this season came in a 7-6 win over the East Division-leading Newport Gulls.

Jayden Hylton (Mystic, OF, Stetson): In 2024 thus far, Hylton has recorded three hits including a double, two walks, a stolen base and one run scored in just 12 at-bats for a .250 batting average.

Tyler Hare (Newport, OF/1B, Wofford): Hare, the East Division's Coach's Choice, logged 20 hits including five doubles and a trio of homers totaling 19 RBI this summer. The Gulls' outfielder-infielder hybrid tallied 20 walks and crossed the plate 25 times in 82 at-bats averaging .244 at the plate this season for Newport. Hare currently ranks second among the Gulls in home runs this year.

Brady Dever (North Shore, CF/1B, Brown): Dever joins the NECBL Home Run Derby lineup with 10 hits including a homer and a pair of doubles and six RBI. The Texas native has accounted for 20-percent of the team's home runs this season and has logged eight runs scored and six walks for the Navigators.

Zach Plasschaert (Ocean State, 1B/OF, Arizona): Plasschaert is one of four members of the Waves program that has multiple homers this season as he knocked out two, added a double and drove in nine runs on 12 hits in 62 at-bats for the Waves in 2024.

CJ Willis (Sanford, OF, Quinnipiac): Willis proves to be one of the favorites heading into this year's Home Run Derby as he has racked up 34 hits including a trio of homers, 10 doubles, one triple and drove in 17 runs in 88 at-bats in 28 games as he leads the Mainers with a .386 batting average and ranks fourth overall in the NECBL.

Micha el Zarrillo (Bristol, 3B/1B, Lafayette): Zarrillo enters the All-Star Sunday with 13 hits, three doubles, one triple and one home run with 11 RBI and seven walks in 65 at-bats recording a .200 batting average for the Blues.

Jakobi Davis (Danbury, OF, Cornell): Davis joins the Home Run Derby action with nine hits including one home run and four RBI with 10 walks and 13 runs scored in 22 appearances for the Westerners.

Ripken Reese (Keene, OF, Kent State): Reese is another heavy hitter as he enters the week of the Home Run Derby with 27 hits including six home runs, six doubles and 17 RBI along with 14 walks and seven stolen bases in 97 plate appearances throughout 27 games for the SwampBats. Reese is one of 10 players to have five or more homers in the NECBL.

DJ Perron Jr (North Adams, 3B, Rhode Island): Perron Jr enters the week of the Home Run Derby with 18 hits, including four homers and two doubles and 13 RBI and 14 walks. Additionally, the SteepleCats outfielder logged 18 runs scored in 78 at-bats throughout 24 games this season for North Adams.

DJ Pacheco (Upper Valley, OF/IF, Richmond): Pacheco heads into the home run derby with six long balls on the season, driving in 21 runs in the process. The Upper Valley outfielder currently holds a .304 batting average and has 28 hits in 92 at bats in his 28 games played for the Nighthawks.

Jonathan Hogart (Valley, OF, Murray State): Hogart joins the Home Run Derby lineup with 27 hits including six doubles and seven home runs while driving in 29 runs. Valley's outfielder logged 20 walks, eight stolen bases and racked up 28 runs scored in 98 at-bats and 30 games for the Blue Sox. Hogart had a two-for-three outing with two homers last Thursday versus Danbury. Hogart was recently named the NECBL's Week 6 Player of the Week.

Max Jensen (Vermont, 3B, Cornell): Jensen rounds out the derby contestants with 33 hits in 85 at-bats for a team-leading .338 batting average for the West Division-leading Mountaineers. The Virginia native has compiled nine doubles, two triples and three home runs totaling 22 RBI in addition to 23 runs scored, nine walks and four stolen bases in 21 games played for Vermont. Jensen's .388 batting average is good for third overall in the NECBL.

The 2024 NECBL All-Star Game on July 21st will feature the best players and top talent in the league and will provide for a night full of excitement and entertainment. The 2024 All-Stars will look to showcase their talents with the hopes of continuing their baseball career beyond college and the NECBL, with 30-40 total scouts representing every Major League Baseball (MLB) team expected to be in attendance.

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