The East-West Classic is back for the third straight year, headlined by team captains CC Sabathia (West) and Chris Young (East) among a bevy of fellow former Major League All-Stars.
Full rosters have been revealed for this year’s East vs. West Game, which will be held at historic Rickwood Field on June 19. Young’s squad features former All-Stars such as Justin Upton, Dee Strange-Gordon and Gary Sheffield; Sabathia will be backed by the likes of Prince Fielder, Matt Kemp and Mike Cameron. Several other big names pepper these rosters, too.
East roster
Manager - Jerry Hairston Sr.
- Chris Young (captain)
- Pedro Alvarez
- Josh Barfield
- Lewis Brinson
- Ben Francisco
- Jeremy Guthrie
- Jerry Hairston
- Aaron Hicks
- Edwin Jackson
- Xavier Scruggs
- Gary Sheffield
- Tony Sipp
- Dee Strange-Gordon
- Justin Upton
West roster
Manager - Jesse Barfield
- CC Sabathia (captain)
- Dellin Betances
- Gregor Blanco
- Mike Cameron
- Jose Contreras
- Prince Fielder
- Scott Hairston
- Bill Hall
- Orlando Hudson
- Scott Kazmir
- Matt Kemp
- Jason Kendall
- Miguel Montero
- Denard Span
- Nick Swisher
- BJ Upton
- Brandon Watson
- Jemile Weeks
The annual tribute to the Negro Leagues All-Star Games will be held on June 19 in Birmingham, Ala., with the Home Run Derby starting at noon CT and the East vs. West game at 1 p.m. CT.
Tickets -- priced at $12 for general admission -- are now available here.
“We truly appreciate the opportunity to go back to Birmingham on Juneteenth,” Young said. “The East-West Classic shows that baseball is all about fun, community, and bringing people together. There’s no better place to do exactly that than Rickwood Field, where we can honor the legends who helped build the foundation of our game.”
The East (2024) and West (2025) have split the first two games of this event’s history, with the first being played at Cooperstown’s Doubleday Field and last year’s in Birmingham. This year’s iteration will last five innings or two hours, whichever comes first, after the conclusion of the Home Run Derby. Adam Jones took home the Derby crown in 2025, while Fielder did so a year ago.
Rickwood Field opened in 1910 and is the oldest professional ballpark in the United States. It served as the home of the Birmingham Black Barons, the team with which Willie Mays began his professional career, from 1924-1960.
"It's a lot of emotions when we take the field,” said Jackson, a 17-year big league pitcher. “The greatest of the great Negro League players to play on that field. For us to go out there and put that uniform on and relive what they did, it's amazing."
The Negro Leagues East-West All-Star Game dates back to 1933. Several future Hall of Famers participated throughout the years, including Cool Papa Bell, Ray Brown, Andy Cooper, Leon Day, Martín Dihigo, Josh Gibson, Buck Leonard, Minnie Miñoso, Satchel Paige, Jackie Robinson and Willie Wells.