When Jimmy Amplo’s high school baseball coach told him the news, the 17-year-old couldn’t believe it. At the start of the week, Amplo was playing travel ball with the Philly Bandits. This weekend, he will be batting in his hometown team’s stadium, Citizens Bank Park.
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Amplo, a rising senior at The Shipley School from Norristown, was selected as one of eight high school players from across the nation to compete in the MLB All-Star High School Home Run Derby.
“I thought it was a joke almost,” said Amplo. “Later that day, when I found out that it was actually real and that they had a spot for me, I was so excited.”
The 14th annual High School Home Run Derby will take place Friday (2 p.m. MLB.com) and has historically featured future major league players. Past participants include Phillies prospect Aidan Miller and major league stars Jordan Walker, Riley Greene, and Bobby Witt Jr., who won the high school derby in 2018 and will play in his third All-Star Game on July 14.
The High School Home Run Derby returns to All-Star week this Friday at Citizens Bank Park! 💥
Watch 8 elite high school athletes from around the nation showcase their power for the chance to advance to All-Star Monday! 🌟🏟️
💻: 2pm ET on https://t.co/6RqFS2pbSV pic.twitter.com/e1S85RpZQN— MLBDevelops (@MLBDevelops) July 7, 2026
Amplo earned an invitation to the derby in June, after hitting a 106.9 mph max exit velocity at Prep Baseball’s Pennsylvania showcase last month. The left-handed batter posted a 1.295 OPS and .750 slugging percentage, while notching 35 hits and five homers during the 2026 season. He also helped lead the Gators to their second consecutive Friends Schools League championship in May.
“Jimmy was a huge part of those wins,” said Shipley coach Bryan Bendowski. “He was our starting center fielder/right fielder, and he is somebody who was very instrumental in the success of those two seasons.”
Heading into the derby, Amplo has been refining his swing by focusing on timing. Still, he knows he’ll be the underdog among the other seven competitors.
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Amplo is the only player in the contest who is not committed to a college program, while many of the others are nationally ranked prospects.
The field includes Kinon Bastian (Fla.), who is committed to Florida; Brady Cunningham (Ill.), who is bound for Texas A&M; Tavis Honeycutt (Fla.), also a Florida recruit; Graham Keen (Mt. Lebanon High School), a Vanderbilt pledge and ranked No. 10 nationally in the class of 2027 by Prep Baseball Report; Sullivan Reed (Miss.), who is committed to Mississippi State; Lubin Rincon (Texas), who is bound for Texas and is No. 7 in the 2027 class; and Grant Westphal (Kan.), the No. 4-ranked player, who’s also committed to Texas.
Amid the impressive roster, Bendowski is working to bolster Amplo’s confidence.
“I’ve been sort of preaching the Rocky mentality to him,” said Bendowski. “The underdog can always come out on top, so give it your best effort and let it fly.”
Amplo added: “I’m definitely a bit nervous, but I’m really excited, too. I’ve been looking up to players like Bryce Harper. I definitely like that he’s a great left-handed hitter and generates a lot of power and bat speed.”
The lifelong Phillies fan said many of his teammates, family, and coaches will be in the stands to watch him on Friday.
“This is what I’ve worked for and why I’ve trained my swing,” Amplo said. “Just being able to play at a ballpark that you grew up going to feels pretty cool, and to actually be able to bat on that field is special.”
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