Bridgewater, NJ -- Eight NEC baseball student-athletes from four different programs were selected to play in the fourth annual HBCU Swingman Classic during MLB All-Star Week.

The event takes place on Friday, July 10th at Citizens Bank Park in Philadelphia, PA, home of the MLB’s Philadelphia Phillies, and highlights players from Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCU) across the nation.

Norfolk State led the way with a NEC-best five players earning a spot in the showcase with Ethan Blakeney, Thomas Ealey, Jaydan Israel, Justin Journette and Yasseel Samboy all receiving the nod. Journette is making his third appearance in the contest.

Coppin State’s Armando Hurtado Jr. and Delaware State’s Santino Harwood round out the NEC student-athletes that will be participating in the showcase, while Maryland Eastern Shore’s Jonathan Gonzalez Perez was selected as a participant but will not compete due to an independent team contract. Gonzalez Perez played in last year’s HBCU Swingman Classic.

Gonzalez Perez was an All-NEC first team pick this season and tabbed NEC Co-Player of the Week on April 14. Journette was a NEC all-star for the third consecutive season by landing on the second team this year along with being tabbed NEC Player of the Week on February 24. Blakeney joined Journette on the All-Conference second team, while garnering NEC Pitcher of the Week accolades on February 17.

The 50 players were selected by a committee which included Hall of Famer and MLB-MLBPA TDF Global Ambassador Ken Griffey Jr., along with representatives from MLB, the MLBPA and across the baseball scouting community.

NEC Student-Athletes Named to the 2026 HBCU Swingman Classic.
American League Roster
Armando Hurtado Jr., Coppin State
Santino Harwood, Delaware State
Thomas Ealey, Norfolk State
Jaydan Israel, Norfolk State
Yasseel Samboy, Norfolk State
Jonathan Gonzalez Perez, Maryland Eastern Shore*

*Selected and will not participate (independent team contract)

National League Roster
Ethan Blakeney, Norfolk State
Justin Journette, Norfolk State