Home Run Derby Featuring some MLB Stars at Isotopes Park

Bynewsdesk

August 20, 2024, 6:25 pm

This Friday will be a fun time for the family in ABQ at Isotopes Park. In conjunction with Major League Baseball, the Albuquerque Isotopes announced ROB STRATTON, JARED GAY, GENE TRUJILLO and JARED MANG as the four local participants selected by MLB to compete in the annual Home Run Derby X (HRDX).

The event will be on Friday, August 23 at the Rio Grande Credit Union Field at Isotopes Park. Stratton, 46, a former Albuquerque Isotopes outfielder (2003), played 11 seasons in the Minor Leagues, hit 197 career home runs and is a two-time winner of the Triple-A All-Star Home Run Derby (2003 and 2007), the latter as a retired player at Isotopes Park. A 20-plus year resident of Albuquerque, Stratton has taught Special Education for 15 years at Atrisco Heritage High School. Gay, 27, is a 2018 graduate of Eastern New Mexico University. He played in the Pecos League (Salina, 2000, and Santa Fe, 2021-22) and American Association (Houston, 2021) and became the only player in the Pecos League to led the league in home runs in two-straight seasons. Gay currently is the Club Manager at Casa Rondeña Winery in Los Ranchos. Mang, 27, born in Los Alamos, NM, attended the University of New Mexico where he played baseball for four seasons, tallying a .339 average and 25 homers, before being drafted by the Detroit Tigers in the 18th round of the 2019 MLB. Draft, where he played one pro season. Mang currently works for Albuquerque Baseball Academy. Trujillo, 19, an Albuquerque native and 2023 St. Pius High School graduate, is a rising sophomore first baseman on the University of New Mexico Baseball team. During his freshman season, he hit .304 with four homers over 25 games. He was ranked as the No.1 first baseman and No. 3 overall player in his class, according to Perfect Game.

The four local participants will be joined MLB Legends MANNY RAMIREZ, IAN DESMOND, RYAN ZIMMERMAN and JONNY GOMES and women’s softball/baseball stars JOCELYN ALO, ALEX HUGO, ASHTON LANSDELL, and Albuquerque’s own ANDREA HOWARD. MLB HRDX is an exciting 3-on-3 co-ed competition with events featuring four teams, each led by an MLB Legend and female player from softball and women’s baseball.

The HRDX Event is scheduled to begin at 7:10 pm on Friday, August 23. Tickets are still available. The first 3,000 fans 16 & older through the gates will receive a MANNY RAMÍREZ Mariachis adult jersey giveaway. This specialty navy and orange Ramírez jersey giveaway features the Mariachis de Nuevo México wordmark on the front with a turquoise New Mexican-themed background, the Home Run Derby X Albuquerque logo on the right sleeve and his iconic number 24 and Ramírez on the back.

Bynewsdesk

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