National Team Edges Out American Squad by 3 Runs in 2025 HBCU Swingman Classic

Florida A&M rising sophomore infielder Jay Campbell followed Dawson's advice and was named the game's MVP. In the seventh inning, he hit a two-run home run that tied the game 4-4.

The National Team took an early 1-0 lead when Alabama State infielder Kameron Douglas blasted a pitched 417 feet into the centerfield bleachers.

He hit the baseball with a velocity of 105.9 miles per hour as Dusty Baker and Harold Reynolds watched in amazement from the broadcast booth.

After a weather delay, the American Team answered Douglas' run with a three-run third inning to lead 3-1.

No runs were scored in the next two innings until each team added a run in the sixth inning, making the score 4-2.

In the seventh, the Nationals' Jay Campbell's two-run homer equaled the American Team at 4-4.

Manager Brian Jordan's National squad brought in three additional runs in the eighth inning to give them a 3-run lead at 7-4. The American Team did not score in the top of the ninth inning, resulting in a final score of 7-4 in favor of the National Team.

Previous coverage of the 2025 HBCU Swingman Classic:

2025 HBCU Swingman Classic Rosters Revealed

The third annual HBCU Swingman Classic, presented by T-Mobile and powered by the MLB-MLBPA Youth Development Foundation, will feature the most promising HBCU baseball all-stars ready for the professional leagues.   

Harold Reynolds, joined by special guest Reggie Waller, a Major League Baseball consultant and experienced scout, interviewed Cardell Thibodeaux, the SWAC Player of the Year outfielder from Southern University.

"It's a dream come true," Cardell Thibodeaux told Reynolds and Waller. "We always like to be seen by the right guys and just have a lot of fun. At the end of the day, we all love to play the game, love to play the game the right way. So, it's a dream."

Ken Griffey Jr.'s vision for this season's event features a star-studded guest list of legends, including Dusty Baker, Ralph Garr, and Andre Dawson.

Last season, the American League team defeated the National League, 5-4, after a dramatic ninth-inning rally was stopped.

The 2025 teams were announced by Major League Baseball (MLB) on Tuesday. 50 HBCU baseball players will participate in Ken Griffey Jr.'s annual event at 6:00 PM ET from Truist Park in Atlanta, Georgia. 

Canyon Brown, who primarily played catcher for the Aggies, showcased his prowess with a .310 batting average, 5 HR, 49 RBI, 12 doubles, and three triples. He's a native of Ormond Beach who attended Seabreeze High School in Florida. Brown is 6-1 and 190 pounds.

For the past several seasons, HBCU programs have been gaining recognition for producing talented athletes for professional baseball. With only two players selected, optimism remains for more student-athletes to be drafted, highlighted by events like the HBCU Swingman Classic hosted by Ken Griffey Jr.