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HBCU stars get chance to shine on MLB All-Star stage

Atlantans and other Georgia natives will be among 50 HBCU players selected for Swingman Classic on Friday at Truist Park.
Southern University's KJ White Jr. (right), a Westlake High graduate, will get a second opportunity to play in the HBCU Swingman Classic on Friday at Truist Park in Atlanta. Pictured is White celebrating during last year's Swingman Classic in Arlington, Texas. (Sam Hodde/Getty Images)

Credit: MLB Photos via Getty Images

Southern University's KJ White Jr. (right), a Westlake High graduate, will get a second opportunity to play in the HBCU Swingman Classic on Friday at Truist Park in Atlanta. Pictured is White celebrating during last year's Swingman Classic in Arlington, Texas. (Sam Hodde/Getty Images)
18 hours ago

Before he ever dreamed of playing under the lights at Truist Park, KJ White was just a kid in the front yard of his Atlanta home, bat in hand, hitting baseballs tossed by his father — longtime Westlake High School baseball coach Kelcey White Sr.

“We had a little yard out front, and every day, he was tossing me baseballs to hit,” said White, now an infielder at Southern University. “Ever since I can remember, I was playing with a baseball and a bat.”

Southern University's KJ White, a rising senior, is an Atlanta native who starred at Westlake High School. (Courtesy of Major League Baseball)

Credit: Major League Base

Southern University's KJ White, a rising senior, is an Atlanta native who starred at Westlake High School. (Courtesy of Major League Baseball)

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ExploreThey had the smoke: HBCU legends who left mark in Major League Baseball

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The first HBCU Swingman Classic was played last year in Arlington, Texas, with the American League beating the National League 5-4. (Courtesy of Major League Baseball)

Credit: Major League Baseball

The first HBCU Swingman Classic was played last year in Arlington, Texas, with the American League beating the National League 5-4. (Courtesy of Major League Baseball)

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The HBCU Swingman Classic — a collaboration between Major League Baseball and the MLB Players Association has been spearheaded by Hall of Famer Ken Griffey Jr. (right), who managed the National League in last year's game. (Courtesy of Major League Baseball)

Credit: Major League Baseball

The HBCU Swingman Classic — a collaboration between Major League Baseball and the MLB Players Association has been spearheaded by Hall of Famer Ken Griffey Jr. (right), who managed the National League in last year's game. (Courtesy of Major League Baseball)

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Former Braves outfielder Brian Jordan, here at Truist Park in 2020, will manage the National League in Friday's HBCU Swingman Classic. (Hyosub Shin/AJC 2020)

Credit: HYOSUB SHIN / AJC

Former Braves outfielder Brian Jordan, here at Truist Park in 2020, will manage the National League in Friday's HBCU Swingman Classic. (Hyosub Shin/AJC 2020)

lliw eht .dauqs eganam eugaeL ecitsuJ remroF divaD sevarB naciremA ratS-llA

Proud HBCU heritage

— tuohtiw ohw ytilibisiv eht tnelat devres secruoser .smargorp sreyalp ro fo fo gnol gnol ekil seicagel tfel gnitsal regral srotabucni ni evah evah laicnanif neve etile depoleved llabesab sa dna etatS ,nrehtuoS sloohcS rojaM eugaeL noskcaJ sUCBH adirolF .llabesaB M;pma&A

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Andre Dawson, who played at Florida A&M University before embarking on a Hall of Fame career with the Expos and Cubs — among others — tips his cap at the 2024 HBCU Swingman Classic in Arlington, Texas. (Courtesy of Major League Baseball)

Credit: Major League Baseball

Andre Dawson, who played at Florida A&M University before embarking on a Hall of Fame career with the Expos and Cubs — among others — tips his cap at the 2024 HBCU Swingman Classic in Arlington, Texas. (Courtesy of Major League Baseball)

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Del Matthews (left), MLB’s senior vice president of baseball development, said the HBCU Swingman Classic gives players from historically Black colleges a chance to shine in front of major league scouts. (Courtesy of Major League Baseball)

Credit: Major League Baseball

Del Matthews (left), MLB’s senior vice president of baseball development, said the HBCU Swingman Classic gives players from historically Black colleges a chance to shine in front of major league scouts. (Courtesy of Major League Baseball)

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Huge opportunity

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Lawrence Butler, here in the dugout for an Athletics game on Friday, July 4, 2025, is a graduate of Atlanta's Westlake High School who was drafted by the then-Oakland Athletics in 2018. (Sara Nevis/AP)

Credit: AP

Lawrence Butler, here in the dugout for an Athletics game on Friday, July 4, 2025, is a graduate of Atlanta's Westlake High School who was drafted by the then-Oakland Athletics in 2018. (Sara Nevis/AP)

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woN“ I“ ”’,meht‘ — .sdrow ohw saw ,pu ot eseht taht taht dednuorrus wohs yas .dias yllaer ,noitisop ’sreyalp sreyalp eno ecno fo fo reven tnaem em ”.tol kool ekil wonk ni woh doog .og teg wef raf gnigaruocne gnimaerd nac yb gnieb a a uoY I sirraH gnieB

Stockbridge High alum Michael Harris II, here playing for the Braves in April, is now in his fourth season with Atlanta. (Hyosub Shin/AJC)

Credit: HYOSUB SHIN / AJC

Stockbridge High alum Michael Harris II, here playing for the Braves in April, is now in his fourth season with Atlanta. (Hyosub Shin/AJC)

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saw eht taht loohcs loohcs .pihsralohcs ylno dereffo mih hgih detaudarg ta dna a nrehtuoS JK ,71

I“ I“ sraey erew tnew saw dezisrednu gninrut ot ot eerht taht .dias diap ro ”.ffo ym tsom elttil wenk otni fi syug worg gniog teg .emag ruof noisiced egelloc ,kcab dna a ,nrehtuoS gnikooL JK d’I I ”,91

— — sraey saw ot eht eht taht gniknirhs denetrohs sdnuor sdnuor loop sreyalp .ytinutroppo fo ni detcapmi sah morf morf reilrae nwod yletanoitroporpsid egnahc yb a BLM nI tfarD naciremA nacirfA 05 04 ,1202 02

eht naht ,potstrohs thgin erom si .emag a ,yenkcniP esuoheroM yadirF roF

Morehouse College shortstop Elijah Pinckney said he is blessed to have been chosen to play in the 2025 HBCU Swingman Classic in Atlanta. (Courtesy of Morehouse College)

Credit: Moreho

Morehouse College shortstop Elijah Pinckney said he is blessed to have been chosen to play in the 2025 HBCU Swingman Classic in Atlanta. (Courtesy of Morehouse College)

m’I“ s’tI“ htiw saw yrev ot ot ot siht eht ecnis .nees .dias tneserper ytinutroppo ytinutroppo ”,level ”.dik tsuj eguh hgih eh .lufetarg demaerd dewotseb gnieb eb eb ta dna tuoba elba a a a lufknahT esuoheroM ev’I I

saw pu levart ot hguorht eht .margorp yalp ylno fo tsom edam .ti ni sih morf dedne egelloc ecnahc .llabesab llabesab ta a ecnirP yenkcniP yllanigirO htroN esuoheroM ,dnalyraM tI eH s’egroeG ytnuoC ,ettolrahC desab-aniloraC

htiw htiw ohw pu ot eht eht potstrohs ydaer no ton sledom msilanruoj sih s’eh tsrif-evolg evig emag ,dleif .maerd rojam-elbuod tub ssenisub dnoyeb llabesab secnalab snoitaripsa dna dna retfa .scimedaca a yenkcniP rodniL s’eH ocsicnarF ,drofwarC nodnarB A

m’I“ I“ ohw erehw tnaw tnaw ot ot eht ,maet tneduts .dias ”.ydaer reyalp fo ym ym ym ym .kram ekam dnik si stcapmi eh teg ,tsrif gnihtyreve ,detfard ”,ytinummoc supmac tub eb eb llabesab dna dna osla sngila a ll’I fI I I doG

KJ White of Southern University played in last year's inaugural HBCU Swingman Clasic in Arlington, Texas. (Jamea Beavers/Getty Images 2024)

Credit: MLB Photos via Getty Images

KJ White of Southern University played in last year's inaugural HBCU Swingman Clasic in Arlington, Texas. (Jamea Beavers/Getty Images 2024)

— ot eht roines .nees ,nosaes ydaer ydaer remrofrep tnemom si sih rof gniretne eb dna na ,etihW JK CAWS-llA

,yllufepoh .detfard ,dnA

s’tahT“ I“ — gnikrow krow ereht eht .dias ton peek tsuj fi .drah drah ”.dnirg ”,laog teg noitatcepxe nac eveileb ta a eW eW JK I I .sUCBH


About the Author

Ernie Suggs is an enterprise reporter covering race and culture for the AJC since 1997. A 1990 graduate of N.C. Central University and a 2009 Harvard University Nieman Fellow, he is also the former vice president of the National Association of Black Journalists. His obsession with Prince, Spike Lee movies, Hamilton and the New York Yankees is odd.