By BRENT STUBBS

Senior Sports Reporter

bstubbs@tribunemedia.net

The stage is set for the Don’t Blink Baseball extravaganza this week. It all begins 4pm today at the Andre Rodgers Baseball Stadium with a kid’s clinic, organised by the MLBPA. Immediately following that at 7pm will be the celebrity softball game at the stadium as well.

Among those participating in the Celebrity game are Callix C, Jason Bourgeoi, Quintin Berry, Vincent Blue, Daryl Boston, Michael Bourn, Edwin Jackson, CC Sabathia, Natasha Watley, Curtis Granderson, Tim Beckham and Christopher Young on one team. The other team will include DJ Collie, Lewis Brinson, Donye Evans, Lucius Fox, Todd Isaacs Jr, Triston McKenzie, DeShawn Knowles, BJ Murray, Lawerence Butler, Dan Starwalt and Brennan Davis.

On Thursday at 5pm, there will be the inaugural high school showcase back at the stadium.

The climax will come on Saturday on Montagu Bay with the Don’t Blink Home Run Derby, starting at 1pm. The gates open at noon.

For the Home Run Derby, each of the 20 participating players will get 15 swings at hitting a home run into the water on Montagu Bay.

Out of that field, the top four hitters will advance to the semifinal and then it will wrap up with the final round for the title.

BJ Murray is the defending champion.

The list of Major League players expected to participate are Jasrado “Jazz” Chisholm - Miami Marlins; Lucius Fox – Washington Nationals; Will Benson – Cincinnati Reds; Nick Gordon – Minnesota Twins; Triston Mckenzie – Cleveland Guardians; Josh Palacios – Pittsburgh Pirates; Richie Palacios – St Louis Cardinals; Dany Touki Toussaint – Chicago White Sox; Akil Baddoo – Detroit Tigers; Lawrence Butler – Oakland Athletics and Lewis Brinson – Yomiuri Giant. The minor

league’s list include Brennen Davis – Chicago Cubs; James Wood – Washington Nationals; Termarr Johnson – Pittsburgh Pirates; Sebastian Walcott – Texas Rangers; BJ Murray – Chicago Cubs; D’Shawn Knowles – Los Angeles Angels; Chavez Young – Toronto Blue Jays; Tahnaj Thomas – Pittsburgh Pirates; Ian Lewis – Miami Marlins; Jon Flowers – Pittsburgh Pirates; Kristin Munroe – Los Angeles Angels; Ryan Reckley – San Francisco Giants; Parris Johnson – Los Angeles Dodgers; Adari Grant – Los Angeles Angels; Toby Simmons – Miami Marlins; Cheriff Neymour – Miami Marlins; Daniel Gaitor – Miami Marlins; Breyias Dean – Miami Marlins; Andru Arthur – St Louis Cardinals; Chad Delancey – Boston Red Sox and Janero Miller – Miami Marlin.

Team Bahamas will be made up of Lucius Fox – Washington Nationals; BJ Murray – Chicago Cubs; Sebas Walcott – Texas Rangers; D’Shawn Knowles – Los Angeles Angels; Ryan Reckley – San Francisco Giants; Kristin Munroe – Los Angeles Angels; Toby Simmons - Miami Marlins; Adari Grant - St Louis Cardinals; Chavez Young - Pittsburgh Pirates; Breyias Dean – Miami Marlins and Paris Johnson- LA Dodgers.

Team World will be made up of Will Benson - Cincinnati Reds; James Wood – Washington Nationals; Josh Palacios – Pittsburgh Pirates; Richie Palacios - St Louis Cardinals; Akil Baddoo - Detroit Tigers; Lawrence Butler – Oakland Athletics; Nick Gordon – Minnesota Twins; Lewis Brinson - Yomiuri Giants; Brennen Davis – Chicago Cubs and Termarr Johnson – Pittsburgh Pirates.

“Everything looks great. We’re looking forward to it,” said Todd Isaacs Jr, who along with fellow Bahamian professional baseball player Lucius Fox started the event six years ago to give Bahamians a chance to watch the internationally based players in a unique event on Montagu Bay. “We have a great group of guys coming down to participate in all of the events.”

The high school showcase is an added feature and will feature 25 of the top high school baseball players from around the United States of America, which are coming here through Minority Baseball Prospects.

They will be in a showcase with some of the top local players from the Bahamas.

Of course, the highlight of the weekend will be the Home Run Derby, which will also take on a new format when the Bahamas players will be matched against a host of foreign pro players coming to the Bahamas.

“We hope to showcase our top players against these minor and major leaguers as we try to take the title right here in the Bahamas,” Fox Jr said.

“So we’re looking forward to a really good showing as we continue to push the baseball narrative in the Bahamas.”