MIAMI — Latin baseball’s biggest stars and some of the most recognizable names in entertainment will converge at loanDepot Park on December 6 when La Gente Del Barrio stages its 2025 Home Run Derby and Celebrity Softball Game, a cultural showcase benefiting community programs supported by Vladimir Guerrero Jr. and the VG27 Foundation.
Guerrero is the face of the event in Miami during Art Basel weekend, and the confirmed list of participants reads like a snapshot of the modern global game. New York Mets outfielder Juan Soto, San Diego Padres star Fernando Tatis Jr., Cleveland Guardians third baseman Jose Ramirez, Seattle Mariners center fielder Julio Rodriguez, Pittsburgh Pirates shortstop Oneil Cruz and Colorado Rockies infielder Ezequiel Tovar headline the baseball lineup.
The Home Run Derby will feature one of the strongest hitting groups ever assembled for a non-MLB event. Organizers confirmed ten participants: Guerrero Jr., Junior Caminero, Tatis Jr., Soto, Cruz, Noelvi Marte, Ramirez, Teoscar Hernandez, Elly De La Cruz and Ketel Marte. Combined, they represent the Dominican Republic, Venezuela, Mexico, Cuba and the next wave of rising international stars shaping MLB ahead of the 2026 World Baseball Classic.
The baseball roster extends beyond the derby. Infielders Santiago Espinal and veteran Miguel Rojas will join the Celebrity Softball Game, adding versatility and experience. With power bats, athletic shortstops and elite defenders across the field, organizers are promising a night built for highlight plays inside the dome at loanDepot Park.
Music, Culture and Miami Energy
La Gente Del Barrio continues to build one of the deepest crossover entertainment lineups of the offseason. Latin Grammy-winning duo Gente de Zona leads the musical slate, joined by Dominican producer Dímelo Flow, Miami’s DJ Africa and Marconi Impara, creating a soundtrack that blends reggaetón, Cuban timba, Caribbean rhythm and South Florida energy.
The guest list reaches far beyond music. Confirmed personalities include Tony Dandrades, Carlos Adyan, Roberto Hernández of “El Gordo y La Flaca,” Emmy winner Maity Interiano, Laura Posada, Jessica Rodríguez, Aly Sánchez, Migbelis Castellanos, Chef Adrianne Calvo, Adriana Cataño, Clarissa Molina, Águeda López, Daniella Urbay, La Gatita de El Zol, Paulina Sodi, Carolina Sarassa, Satcha Pretto, Rashel Díaz and comedian Bonco Quinongo. F1 Academy driver Maite Cáceres adds an international motorsport presence to the event.
Kodak Black, one of the most recognizable Haitian-American artists of his generation, joins the celebration as a featured guest, bringing a cultural footprint that extends deep into Miami’s Haitian community. His presence adds a global layer to the entertainment lineup, aligning with La Gente Del Barrio’s mission of uplifting Latin and Caribbean identity on one shared stage.
Hosting duties will be led by Enrique Santos, Orlando León and Gloria Ordaz.
Global Pulse of the Game
Miami’s event shows how global MLB has become. The lineup pulls from every corner of the international baseball world — Dominican and Venezuelan power bats, Colombian athleticism, Mexican national-team talent, Caribbean winter-league standouts and emerging stars preparing for the 2026 World Baseball Classic. Many of these players have already represented their nations in major tournaments, Olympic qualifiers and winter-league seasons. La Gente Del Barrio turns Miami into a winter hub for MLB’s international core and one of the sport’s fastest-growing cultural movements.
Big Swings, Aluminum Bats And Miami Spectacle
One of the event’s main hooks is the format: the Home Run Derby will be contested with aluminum bats. Promotional material from La Gente Del Barrio imagines the possibility of 500-foot blasts under the roof at loanDepot Park — a design choice intended purely for fan excitement.
