Players Chosen For Wild MLBx All-Star Showcase
The 12 players who will play in the new MLBx 3-on-3 competition for All-Star Weekend have been revealed.
Four teams will take part in the unique exhibition event as part of MLB All-Star festivities, Sunday, July 12 at Citizens Bank Park in Philadelphia. It's replacing the traditional celebrity softball game.
The Major League Baseball All-Star Game will be on Tuesday, July 14.
Who's Playing in MLBx?
Four teams of three will compete, three of which are led by a former Philadelphia Phillies star, the fourth a "villain" team guided by a former rival. Each team then gets a player from the AUSL – Athletes Unlimited Softball League – a U.S.-based women's league. The third member is a bit of a wild card.
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Team Howard:Ryan Howard, Alyssa Brito, Eagles WR Devonta Smith
Team Rollins:Jimmy Rollins, Tiare Jennings, former Eagles WR (among many other teams) Terrell Owens
Team Victorino:Shane Victorino, Rachel Garcia, rapper Eladjo Carrion
Atlanta Braves:Andruw Jones, NiJaree Canady, actor/singer Antonio Cipriano
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"MLBx is a fresh take on baseball that still highlights the skills fans love to see – power, defense and big moments," Rollins told MLB.com. "Doing it in Philadelphia with this group makes it even more exciting."
What is MLBx?
Even the Savannah Bananas hasn't ventured this far off the traditional game.
If you ask MLB, MLBx is a "high-energy, condensed showcase emphasizing power hitting, athletic defense and co-ed teamwork."
Teams of three face off in games that will last roughly 30 minutes in a tournament-style bracket.
MLB has hailed it as a "modified Home Run Derby." Teams get one point for a home run and an additional point for hitting through a target in center field. Defenses can also score, getting one point for catches. Teams can tack on more points for hot streaks.
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MLB's hope is that this exhibition creates more of an emphasis on power and athleticism and creates highlight-reel moments, as opposed to the circus that the celebrity game often devolved into. The faster, more dynamic pace is geared specifically toward younger audiences.
This is the first time MLBx will be part of All-Star Weekend, but it's not the invention of a brand-new game.
MLB Home Run Derby X debuted in 2022 in London, Seoul and Mexico City. In 2023, it was held again in London, in conjunction with the MLB London Series. It was again held in 2025 in Salt Lake City, with the Dodgers beating the Yankees 72-71 in the finals.
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This story was originally published July 11, 2026 at 6:55 AM.