As if Miami wasn’t beautiful enough this time of year, Marlins outfielders Lewis Brinson, Monte Harrison and Anfernee Seymour made a trip farther south this weekend to compete at the Don’t Blink Home Run Derby in Paradise from Montagu Beach in The Bahamas. The event was organized by Bahamian prospects Lucius Fox (Rays organization) and Todd Isaacs (Indians organization).
Contestants were allowed 15 swings to rack up as many homers as they could, standing on a stage at the edge of the beach and taking aim at a red “fence” hundreds of feet off shore. I’ve never seen anything quite like it:
This HR Derby set-up is DOPE Batters stand on a stage at the edge of the beach, launch homers into the ocean.#Marlins Anfernee Seymour finished with 4 HR pic.twitter.com/DsOBrHb8Ru
— Fish Stripes (@fishstripes) January 5, 2019
Brinson and Harrison were both drafted onto Fox’s team, while Seymour went against them representing Team Isaacs.
The entire derby—featuring 27 professional players—was streamed on Facebook Live Saturday afternoon. Despite “ballpark conditions” that favored left-handed batters, Brinson, Harrison and Seymour still combined for 14 home runs (Seymour is a switch-hitter who decided to try it righty).
Here are the individual rounds from the Marlins who participated:
Anfernee Seymour (4 HR)
Monte Harrison (5 HR)
Lewis Brinson (5 HR)
In 2018, Brinson hit 12 home runs (11 in the majors, one during his midseason minor league rehab assignment). Harrison hit 19—all with the Double-A Jacksonville Jumbo Shrimp—and Seymour hit four total at High-A/Double-A.
This was the second annual Home Run Derby in Paradise, preceded on Friday by a kids instructional camp. Great idea by Fox and Isaacs as they attempt to raise the profile of baseball in their home country.