GREENSBORO – Major League Baseball (MLB) and the MLB Players Association have invited three North Carolina A&T baseball players to the annual HBCU Swingman All-Star Classic presented by T-Mobile. The game will take place on Friday, July 11, at Truist Park in Atlanta. The first pitch is scheduled for 7 p.m.
The three Aggies invited to play in the game include rising sophomores Tyler Smith and JT Taylor and graduated senior Diego Barrett. The nationally televised game kicks off the Major League Baseball (MLB) All-Star Week and highlights 50 of the top players from historically black colleges or universities (HBCUs). The game will air live on MLB Network and feature HBCU marching band performances, a Divine Nine step show and postgame fireworks.
"I am excited for all three guys who were chosen for the HBCU Swingman All-Star Game," said head A&T baseball coach Ben Hall. "All three had outstanding years and are elite representatives of A&T. Awesome opportunity to put their skills and our program on a national stage."
Smith will play against his teammates during the game as a member of the American League team. Taylor and Barrett will play for the National League.
Smith is having a fantastic summer as he heads into his sophomore year at A&T. Smith ended the year by earning second-team all-conference honors and all-rookie team recognition from the Coastal Athletic Association (CAA). In June, he earned an invitation to the 2025 USA Baseball National Team Training Camp in Cary, NC, hoping to make the USA National Team.
If he makes the team, Smith will have the opportunity to participate in the 45th USA vs. Japan Collegiate All-Star Championship Series, taking place in various locations across Japan from July 8-13. In the team Stars vs. Stripes series from June 29-July 3, Smith is 2-for-5 at the plate and has not made an error at third base in three attempts.
During the 2025 season, Smith led the Aggies in batting (.323) and posted 13 doubles, two triples, nine home runs, 36 RBIs, and 39 runs scored. Smith led the Aggies in on-base plus slugging percentage (.956) and on-base percentage (.414). Smith ranked second on the team in slugging percentage (.542). He was the only player on the 2025 roster to play all 52 games of the season.
Like Smith, Taylor made second-team All-CAA and was named to the CAA's all-rookie team. Taylor batted .297 with a team-leading 11 home runs and 40 RBIs. He ranked 10th in the league in home runs. Taylor also led the team in doubles (14), triples (3), slugging percentage (.559), at-bats (202), and total bases (113). Taylor also posted an on-base plus slugging percentage of .905.
In addition, he scored 38 runs, posted 19 multiple-hit games, and recorded three or more RBIs in a game six times during the 2025 season.
Barrett became one of the best relief pitchers in the CAA during the 2025 season. Barrett made 20 appearances with no starts. In 48. 2 innings pitched, Barrett posted a 3.88 ERA. It was the lowest ERA on the team and one of the lowest among relief pitchers in the CAA. He also struck out 51 batters in the 48.2 innings he pitched, and opponents only hit .192 against him. He had a 1-1 record during the season.
"Going there as an A&T baseball player and being able to represent us as a program and a university is what's great about it," said Smith. "I will obviously go there in a different light after my experience with Team USA, so it feels great to set the standard. It's all about setting the standard for others who might follow us at A&T. You can do great things here."
