SOUTH JORDAN — A cheer rang out from the crowd as scores of drones formed the Major League Baseball logo at the end of MLB’s Home Run Derby X at The Ballpark at America First Square Friday night.
Home Run Derby X brought a crowd hopeful that the three-on-three co-ed league sponsored by the league is an appetizer before the full course that is an MLB franchise. The former big leaguers who competed are also well aware of MLB commissioner Rob Manfred’s desire to add two more teams to the league.
“I’m in for all these new cities,” said Ryan Zimmerman, a two-time All-Star and World Series champion with the Washington Nationals. “I think it’s great for the game; I think it’s great for the sport. There are so many cool cities across the country that could support baseball.”
But what makes a good major league city? And is Salt Lake City — reportedly an early favorite to be one of the cities to receive a team — a worthy candidate?
KSL.com asked many of the MLB stars who competed in Home Run Derby X over the weekend these questions to gauge where Utah’s capital may stand in its effort.
What makes a good MLB city?
Big leaguers have different preferences when playing for a city or visiting an opposing one, but having attractions, outdoor spaces and good cultural scenes seems to be among the popular amenities of a big league city.
“I’m a big food guy. If they’ve got good restaurants and stuff, I’m (all in),” said four-time All-Star Jose Reyes, who served as an honorary Salt Lake Bee throughout the weekend.
Four-time MLB All-Star Jose Reyes points to a fan after helping the Salt Lake Bees advance to the semifinals during Home Run Derby X at The Ballpark at America First Square in South Jordan on Friday. (Photo: Carter Williams, KSL.com)
Restaurants and walkable areas are important because they offer downtime away from everything, said Mike Moustakas, a three-time All-Star and World Series champion with the Kansas City Royals. Yet, zoos, aquariums and other places that keep the kids busy before a game eventually became a key factor in an ideal travel city as his family grew.
Other elements help shape a good big league city, though. Ian Desmond, a MLB two-time All-Star, said he spoke with an officer handling security for this weekend’s festivities, who told him how much he enjoyed raising his children in Utah, which resonated with him.
Ryan Zimmerman, left, Ian Desmond, center, and Ali Newland, right, answer questions in dugout after winning a quarterfinal matchup of Home Run Derby X at The Ballpark at America First Square on Friday. (Photo: Carter Williams, KSL.com)
He points out that those types of concerns are often forgotten when it comes to the concerns players have in either deciding to stay with a team or sign with another team. Faith, schools, youth sports options and taxes are all factors during those conversations, too, he explained.
“Everything to raise a family, really, because the baseball side — we can play anywhere. But when you start putting your family involvement into it, then you have to start considering what raising a family here would look like,” he said. “I think safety goes into that as well.”
Having a strong community and shared outdoor activities are also enjoyable, Zimmerman adds.
A passionate fanbase is also desired.
“You want to look for fans that are going to support it,” said Rick Ankiel, who spent 13 seasons in the big leagues. “You want to have people who want to be there and go there. Being from Florida, it seems no matter what Florida team we get, you just don’t have people supporting the team.”
What big leaguers had to say about Salt Lake
So, is Salt Lake City an MLB city?
“Why not? This is a beautiful city,” Reyes says, noting that he was impressed with his first dip in the city’s restaurant scene.
A new rendering of a proposed Major League Baseball stadium that would be located within the Power District project zone in Salt Lake City. (Photo: Larry H. Miller Company)
Salt Lake’s mountain proximity grabbed the attention of big leaguers exploring the area for the first time. Nick Swisher, a World Series champion and MLB All-Star who helped create Home Run Derby X, had never visited Utah before participating in a site tour this spring, and was taken aback by the “beautiful scenery.”
“The views are incredible,” said Todd Frazier, a two-time All-Star and Swisher’s New York Yankees teammate this weekend. “I think this would be the perfect place to have a major league team. I think it would bring a lot of fans.”
Home Run Derby X organizers chose Utah to host the finale because it met all the logistical needs, from hotel capacity to every stadium requirement. As for a franchise, Swisher points out that it has the population to sustain a team and land space for a stadium, two of the more critical components in the expansion process.
Two-time MLB All-Star Todd Frazier tosses baseballs into the stands at the end of Home Run Derby X at The Ballpark at America First Square in South Jordan on Saturday. (Photo: Carter Williams, KSL.com)
It appears to carry many of the items that players desire in MLB cities, as well.
“It seems like you guys check all the boxes,” adds Desmond, as Zimmerman nods in agreement.
Former MLB slugger Adrián González says he wasn’t the type to venture far while on road trips during his playing career, but when he did have an off day, he’d typically explore outdoor spaces and restaurants. He remembers making an exception to his regimen when he had a Triple-A rehab stint against the Salt Lake Bees in Salt Lake City seven years ago.
He ate at Red Iguana and drove north to Antelope Island State Park, a place he fell in love with between the mountains and bison.
“It’s such an incredible spot. If anybody has a chance, I always recommend people to go do it. It’s amazing,” he said.
Hannah Flippen, left, Jose Reyes, center, and Cole Tucker, right, celebrate after a successful batting round during the quarterfinals of Home Run Derby X at America First Square in South Jordan on Friday. (Photo: Carter Williams, KSL.com)
It’s unclear when MLB will make its expansion decision, and Salt Lake City still faces stiff competition from several cities vying for a team; however, Utah’s capital has been a trendy name within the tight-knit baseball circles amid the debate, said former big leaguer Cole Tucker, who spent last season with the Bees.
He gets it. His lone season with the Bees was an emotionally-charged one, as it was both his final season as a professional baseball player and the team’s final season at Smith’s Ballpark. His final game was one he’ll never forget because of how much that day meant for everyone in the building.
“You could just feel how much people cared,” he said. “I feel like all major league fanbases need that, so I definitely feel like Salt Lake could show up in that regard.”
The Key Takeaways for this article were generated with the assistance of large language models and reviewed by our editorial team. The article, itself, is solely human-written.