Barrie Baycats slugger Nolan Machibroda will represent the team at the 2025 IBL Home Run Derby Sunday at Bernie Arbour Memorial Stadium in Hamilton.
Machibroda has been very vocal this year expressing interest in taking part in this year's event. He couldn't participate last year due to an oblique injury.
He's even gone as far to say that he cares more about competing in the derby than in the all-star game itself.
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"I'm one-for-one in home run derbies in my career," he said in an interview on July 15. "I think I've earned it... I would be able to compete very well if they gave me a chance."
Machibroda won the Western Canadian Baseball League's home run derby in 2022 when he was playing for Weyburn. He hit nine dingers in the first round before adding another six in the second round at Seamen Stadium in Okotoks, Alta.
He entered that derby without a home run in the regular season to that point.
The Baycats star did play in in the 2024 IBL All-Star Game after making the roster as a reserve. He hit a home run in the game at Welland Stadium. He will also appear in the 2025 all-star game, again making the North roster as a reserve.
This year, Machibroda has three home runs in 25 IBL games (32.333 AB/HR). Last year he hit five homers in 37 games (26.6 AB/HR).
Teammate Ryan Rijo had expressed interest in potentially competing in the derby preseason. He hit four homers in eight games this season (7.25 AB/HR) but a diagnosis of myocarditis in June ended his campaign.
Rijo even planned to have teammate Tyler Plumpton as his pitcher if he were to compete. Machibroda's pitcher is yet to be determined.
FULL FIELD
Machibroda will match up with Cardinals slugger Johnathan Solazzo in the first round, who was ousted by London's Starling Joseph last year.
Solazzo has two home runs in 24 games this season, one of them in Barrie. He is also fourth all-time in league history with 89 homers.
Hamilton's Tyler Duncan defeated Guelph’s Josh Garton 10-8 in the final of the 2024 derby. He will match up against Brantford's Christian Ortega in the first round.
Welland's Robert Mullen currently leads the IBL with 10 homers, will face Kitchener's Yosuke Fujie in the first round.
Mullen was eliminated by Duncan in the first round in 2024.
