MLB Ambassadors Bring Home Run Derby X To Bees Daybreak Ballpark
Sep 16, 2025, 12:50 PM
First baseline, terrace-level view of the Salt Lake Bees new home, The Ballpark at America First Square. (Brian Preece)
(Brian Preece)
SALT LAKE CITY – Three-on-three baseball? That’s how Salt Lake Bees General Manager Ty Wardle describes the Home Run Derby X Championships coming to Utah this weekend.
Wardle spoke with JJ & Alex on KSL Sports Zone to share details about the two-day event, scheduled for Friday, September 19, and Saturday, September 20.
“Think of this as a three-on-three baseball format,” Wardle said, describing the game. “They want to hit a ton of home runs, have a lot of excitement, have different teams participating, and then you have kind of high-flying catches and athletic catches that are happening at the same time. So high-paced baseball, think of it that way, hopefully, expecting a ton of different home runs from exciting players.”
RELATED: Dale Murphy Welcomes MLB Home Run Derby X To SLC
“Utah is a baseball state,” Wardle said proudly. “We know it. We’re part of it here. There’s a lot of excitement around baseball in general. So I think it’s a perfect sort of setting to have Major League Baseball attached to things that are happening in Utah in our minor league venue. We’re excited for it.”
Gates will open at 5:30 p.m. MT each night. Friday’s quarterfinals will begin at 7 p.m. MT.
The semifinals and finals will be held on Saturday, September 20, beginning at 7 p.m. MT.
What is Home Run Derby X?
Home Run Derby X is a global baseball tour that is owned and operated by Major League Baseball. The first iteration took place in 2022.
OFFICIALLY OFFICIAL🔒Here are your EIGHT teams competing in the CHAMPIONSHIPS in Salt Lake City this week😱#HomeRunDerbyX pic.twitter.com/tavaijYvk6
— MLB’s Home Run Derby X (@homerunderbyx) September 16, 2025
“They see it as a way to capture new fans and have excitement in different ways around baseball throughout the year,” Wardle continued. “Travel to different markets that may not have Major League Baseball teams, trying to create additional fandom.”
Eight teams will take part in the two-day event.
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Washington Nationals (Ian Desmond, Ryan Zimmerman, Ali Newland)
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Los Angeles Dodgers (Adrián González, Grady Emerson, Mya Perez)
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St. Louis Cardinals (Adam Wainwright, Taylor Schumaker, Rick Ankiel)
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Toronto Blue Jays (Kevin Pillar, Rachel Garcia, Devon Travis)
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New York Yankees (Nick Swisher, Jocelyn Alo, Todd Frazier)
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Kansas City Royals (Mike Moustakas, Tiare Jennings, Bri Ellis)
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Salt Lake Bees (Jose Reyes, Hannah Flippen (Utah softball), Cole Tucker)
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Team Wild Card (Chris McHugh, Jayda Coleman, Sydney Romero)
Tickets can be purchased at SLBees.com.
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Brian Preece is a sports.ksl.com insider covering Locals in MLB and the Salt Lake Bees. Follow Brian’s Bees and Beehive baseball here. Find Brian on X, Instagram, and BlueSky at @bpreece24.
