KANNAPOLIS, N.C. — One of the premier postseason showcases in Black college baseball returns to North Carolina this weekend as the sixth annual Minority Baseball Prospects HBCU All-Star Game brings together many of the top players from HBCU programs across NCAA Division I, NCAA Division II, NAIA, and junior college baseball.
The game is scheduled for Saturday, June 6, at Atrium Health Ballpark in Kannapolis, North Carolina, home of the Kannapolis Cannon Ballers. First pitch is set for 6 p.m., TICKETS
The 2026 event continues the growth of the Minority Baseball Prospects platform, which has developed into a national showcase built around baseball, exposure, culture, and community. The weekend is part of a broader HBCU All-Star Games tour that also includes softball, youth development, and fan-centered programming.
A Professional Stage in Kannapolis
Atrium Health Ballpark provides the all-star game with a professional-baseball setting. The downtown Kannapolis venue is the home of the Kannapolis Cannon Ballers and has become a strong fit for the MBP event because of its fan amenities, intimate sightlines, and ability to host a full weekend experience around the game.
For the players, the setting matters. The MBP HBCU All-Star Game is not simply an exhibition; it is a showcase opportunity in front of scouts, evaluators, media, and fans who follow Black college baseball closely.
Team Names Honor HBCU Baseball Builders
This year’s teams will compete as Team Larry Watkins and Team Wilbert Ellis, names that connect the current generation of HBCU standouts with two of the sport’s respected builders.
Larry Watkins is synonymous with Alabama State baseball. A former Hornet player and longtime coach, Watkins spent decades connected to the program and became Alabama State’s all-time winningest baseball coach. Known during his playing days as the “Toy Cannon,” Watkins helped build a program identity around speed, competitiveness, and postseason relevance. His name is a fitting one for an all-star team loaded with athleticism and offensive pressure.
Wilbert Ellis is one of the towering figures in HBCU baseball history. The longtime Grambling State coach and administrator won more than 700 games, helped lead Grambling to SWAC championships and NCAA Tournament appearances, and became one of the sport’s most respected ambassadors. Ellis’ career extended beyond the dugout, as he became a national voice for baseball, youth development, and HBCU athletics.
Together, the team names give the game a deeper meaning: the MBP HBCU All-Star Game is about showcasing today’s players while honoring those who helped create the platform.
Rosters
Team Larry Watkins
| Player | School | Selection Note |
| Jaquez Akins | Benedict | Second Team All-SIAC outfielder. |
| AJ Anderson | Alabama A&M | 2026 Brooks Wallace Player of the Year Award Watch List. |
| Trey Bridges | Grambling State | 2026 Preseason First Team All-SWAC outfielder. |
| Kameron Byrd | Southern | 328 batting average, 47 RBI and 43 runs scored. |
| Talmadge Davis | Jackson State | SWAC Pitcher of the Week; earned multiple weekly pitching honors during the season. |
| Daniel Donaldson-Fountain | Edward Waters | SIAC Player of the Year; First Team All-SIAC outfielder; NCBWA Division II South Region First Team; D2CCA All-South Region Second Team; ABCA/Rawlings All-South Region; NCBWA Division II Second Team All-American. |
| Jaden Greenidge | Lincoln (Pa.) | .372 batting average, 1.001 OPS, 10 doubles, four triples, three home runs and 27 RBI; also worked on the mound. |
| Armando Jackson | Talladega | 2026 HBCUAC Preseason Player of the Year; First Team All-HBCUAC catcher; key piece of Talladega’s Black College Nines small-school national championship team. |
| Darryl Johnson II | Miles | 72 strikeouts in 63.0 innings, including 28 strikeouts looking. |
| Camron Laffitte | Bishop State | 37 RBI, 15 stolen bases, .391 on-base percentage and four home runs. |
| Jaylon Lucky | Southern | .472 on-base percentage, 47 walks, 16 doubles and 41 RBI. |
| Malcolm McKay | Dillard | 30 strikeouts in 25.0 innings. |
| Chris Nunez | SUNO | Second Team All-HBCUAC starting pitcher; HBCUAC Pitcher of the Week. |
| Jaelyn Rhynes | Miles | 2026 Preseason First Team All-SIAC starting pitcher. |
| Zak Rice | Alabama A&M | .340 batting average and .469 on-base percentage. |
| Johan Sandoval | Savannah State | First Team All-SIAC second baseman. |
| Bobby Spencer | Southern | 73 strikeouts in 75.1 innings. |
| Robert Tate Jr. | Jackson State | 73 hits, 54 runs, 40 RBI and 13 stolen bases. |
| Jordan Treadwell | Coppin State | .319 batting average, .417 on-base percentage, .504 slugging percentage and 10 stolen bases. |
| Jackson Williams | Alabama State | 12 home runs and a .993 fielding percentage. |
| Bruce Wyche | North Carolina A&T | All-CAA Honorable Mention; 2025 CAA All-Rookie Team. |
Team Wilbert Ellis
| Player | School | Selection Note |
| Beny Bikar Jr. | Southern | 46 starts, 30 runs, 24 RBI, 25 walks, nine doubles and seven stolen bases. |
| Devin Chandler | Alabama State | 48 walks, .443 on-base percentage, eight home runs, 37 RBI and 48 runs scored. |
| Arin Chevers | Albany State | SIAC Player of the Week. |
| Kanious Davis | Alcorn State | 22 stolen bases, .466 on-base percentage and 40 runs scored. |
| Joseph Di Cesare | Edward Waters | .997 fielding percentage and 253 putouts as a catcher for an SIAC championship program. |
| Caleb Ellis | Southern | Five saves as one of Southern’s key late-inning arms. |
| Kenneth Haynes | Prairie View A&M | 12 starts, 56.2 innings and 41 strikeouts. |
| Ryan Hunter | Southern | SWAC All-Tournament Team. |
| Niguel Jenkins | Alabama State | 1.099 OPS, .607 slugging percentage, 16 doubles, seven home runs and .492 on-base percentage. |
| Tervell Johnson | Alabama A&M | SWAC Hitter of the Week. |
| Camden Matthews | Alabama State | SWAC Relief Pitcher of the Year; First Team All-SWAC reliever; SWAC Tournament champion; NCAA Regional qualifier. |
| Tyvon Moore | Prairie View A&M | Five triples, 10 doubles, 43 runs scored and 12 stolen bases. |
| Miguel Oropeza | Alabama State | SWAC Newcomer of the Year; First Team All-SWAC; SWAC Tournament MVP; SWAC Tournament champion; NCAA Regional qualifier. |
| James Peterson | Alabama State | SWAC All-Tournament Team; SWAC Tournament champion; NCAA Regional qualifier. |
| Tyler Pfirrmann | Edward Waters | First Team All-SIAC starting pitcher; SIAC Tournament champion; NCAA Division II South Regional qualifier. |
| Elijah Pinckney | Morehouse | Second Team All-SIAC shortstop; SIAC Elite 16 honoree; first Morehouse player selected as a two-time MBP HBCU All-Star; 2025 Black College Nines Elites Small School Second Team; 2025 HBCU Swingman Classic selection. |
| Robert Robinson Jr. | Morehouse | First Team All-SIAC designated hitter; Second Team All-SIAC catcher; NCBWA Division II South Region Second Team DH; D2CCA All-South Region Second Team DH; ABCA/Rawlings All-South Region DH; SIAC All-Tournament Team. |
| Emory Stephens | Albany State | 2026 Preseason First Team All-SIAC shortstop; 2025 SIAC Championship MVP; 2025 First Team All-SIAC; 2025 SIAC All-Tournament Team. |
| Bobby Torres | Edward Waters | SIAC Utility Player of the Year; First Team All-SIAC utility player; SIAC Tournament champion; NCAA Division II South Regional qualifier. |
| Kelcey White Jr. | Southern | 2026 SWAC Hitter of the Year; 2025 Second Team All-SWAC; two-time HBCU Swingman Classic participant. |
| Lefrederick Wooten | Benedict | Second Team All-SIAC starting pitcher. |
Storylines to Watch
Alabama State and Talladega carry Black College Nines championship distinction into the showcase. Alabama State finished atop the final Black College Nines large-school poll, while Talladega claimed the small-school crown. Both programs are represented in Kannapolis, giving the game a national HBCU championship flavor.
Edward Waters brings a championship core. Daniel Donaldson-Fountain, Bobby Torres, Tyler Pfirrmann, and Joseph Di Cesare give the game several pieces from an Edward Waters team that captured the SIAC Tournament championship and advanced to the NCAA Division II South Regional.
Morehouse brings two of the best stories in the field. Robert Robinson Jr. enters as one of the most decorated hitters in the SIAC after earning multiple all-region honors. Elijah Pinckney brings one of the strongest career résumés in the game, including all-conference, academic, community, and national showcase recognition. His No. 6 jersey was retired by Morehouse, making him only the second Maroon Tiger baseball player to receive that honor.
Southern’s speed and athleticism will be hard to miss. Kelcey White Jr., the SWAC Hitter of the Year, headlines the Southern group, while Ryan Hunter, Jaylon Lucky, Kameron Byrd, Caleb Ellis, and Beny Bikar Jr. add more experience from one of the SWAC’s most athletic programs.
The pitching matchups could define the game. Team Wilbert Ellis has a strong late-game feel with Camden Matthews, James Peterson, Tyler Pfirrmann, and Lefrederick Wooten. Team Larry Watkins counters with strikeout arms such as Talmadge Davis, Bobby Spencer, Chris Nunez, Darryl Johnson II, Jaelyn Rhynes, and others.
Ticket and Weekend Information
Tickets for the 6th Annual Minority Baseball Prospects HBCU All-Star Game are available through the Minority Prospects events page and Ticket Return. The baseball all-star game is scheduled for Saturday, June 6, at 6 p.m. at Atrium Health Ballpark in Kannapolis, North Carolina.
The game is part of a full weekend of HBCU baseball and softball events in the Charlotte and Kannapolis area. The weekend also includes a free youth baseball and softball instructional clinic at Atrium Health Ballpark and the Minority Softball Prospects HBCU All-Star Game, scheduled for Friday, June 5, at Stick Williams Dream Fields in Charlotte at 7:15 p.m. Both All-Star games will be preceded with a Home Run Derby.
For fans of Black college baseball, the weekend offers more than an all-star game. It is a celebration of HBCU talent, history, player development, and the continued growth of the game.