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Matt Tallarini – World Baseball Network | Dec 7th, 2025 5:08pm EST
MIAMI — The best-kept secret in baseball unfolded Saturday afternoon at loanDepot park, where the 2025 La Gente del Barrio Celebrity Softball Game and Home Run Derby delivered an intimate, player-driven celebration of baseball, culture, and community.
A modest but energized crowd gathered mostly behind home plate, with many fans eventually welcomed directly onto the field. Children hugged players, families mingled by the dugout, media from across Latin America captured relaxed moments, and the superstars shaping the global game moved freely in the most open baseball environment of the offseason.
With El Mundial de Béisbol Clásico 2026 returning to this same ballpark in just a few months, Saturday felt like a family reunion for the Dominican, Puerto Rican, Venezuelan, and Latin baseball cultures that will define the next international tournament.
Celebrity Softball Game: Caminero Wins MVP After Scoreless Duel
The Celebrity Softball Game produced five innings of scoreless entertainment, highlighted by players improvising, laughing, and putting on a show for fans in a way that rarely exists in professional environments.
One of the afternoon’s standout moments came on a chaotic, Savannah Bananas–style 5–6–4–5–3 “single play” that had both teams howling as the ball zipped around the infield.
*After the swing-off blast that earned him Celebrity Softball MVP, Caminero reflected on the moment, saying, “Me siento bien, gracias a Dios… vine pa’ acá a disfrutar al máximo con superestrellas,” and adding that being surrounded by so many friends and familiar faces made him feel like he was returning to his roots: “Al final uno se vuelve a la niñez… uno siempre recuerda de dónde viene.”
Looking ahead to el Mundial de Béisbol Clásico 2026, he kept his focus simple and honest: “Salud… que papá Dios me mantenga de salud y que todo es posible.”
Home Run Derby: Noelvi Marte Tops Vlad Jr. in Final
If the softball game brought personality, the Home Run Derby brought power.
The lineup featured many of the sport’s brightest Latin stars, including Vladimir Guerrero Jr., Ketel Marte, Junior Caminero, Randy Arozarena, Oneil Cruz, Geraldo Perdomo, José Ramírez, Carlos Santana, and Cincinnati Reds outfielder Noelvi Marte.
With eight outs per round, aluminum bats, and distance bonuses for 450-foot shots, hitters launched towering fly balls throughout the dome. Both Junior Caminero and Ketel Marte sent balls off the loanDepot roof in the opening round — moments confirmed by official event videos.
The four hitters advancing to Round 2 were, Vladimir Guerrero Jr. — 9 HR, Junior Caminero — 7 HR, Noelvi Marte — 7 HR, and Ketel Marte — 6 HR
The final came down to Noelvi Marte vs. Vladimir Guerrero Jr., and it was the Reds outfielder who delivered the decisive performance, winning 5–2 and earning the first-ever La Gente del Barrio Home Run Derby title.
Guerrero embraced Marte afterward, a symbolic passing of momentum within the Dominican baseball pipeline as both players look ahead to the 2026 World Baseball Classic.
A Charitable Event With Unmatched Access
What makes La Gente del Barrio unique is how close the community gets to its stars.
Fans walked the warning track. Kids played catch near the dugout. Wives, friends, and family moved across the infield between innings. Reporters from Japan, the Dominican Republic, Puerto Rico, Venezuela, and Miami media outlets captured candid, unfiltered moments.
The event raised funds for La Gente del Barrio Foundation, the VG27 Foundation, and additional partners supporting youth programs across Latin America and the United States.
Guerrero Jr. emphasized the mission:
“The main thing is helping low-income children in the Dominican Republic, Puerto Rico, and all of Latin America.”
A Preview of What’s Coming to Miami
Many of the same stars who participated Saturday will return to loanDepot park in March 2026 for the World Baseball Classic, where the stakes will be far higher and the crowds far larger.
Saturday felt like a warmup — a rare, relaxed chance to see the faces of modern Latin baseball in a setting built on joy, charity, and community connection.
Matthew (Matt) Tallarini is the Founder and Chief Correspondent for the World Baseball Network.
Category: Dominican Republic,
MLB,
Puerto Rico,
United States,
WBC,
World Baseball Network
Tags: Baseball Charity Events, Celebrity Softball Game, Dominican Baseball, Home Run Derby, Junior Caminero, Ketel Marte, La Gente del Barrio, Latin Baseball, Loandepot Park, Miami, Noelvi Marte, puerto rico baseball, Venezuela Baseball, VG27 Foundation, Vladimir Guerrero Jr., World Baseball Classic 2026