Steelers News
Justin Fields Wins Steelers Home Run Derby
Pittsburgh Steelers head coach Mike Tomlin revealed on X Sunday night that quarterback Justin Fields won the Steelers home run derby, which is an annual training camp tradition at Saint Vincent College.
Quarterbacks Russell Wilson and John Rhys Plumlee both played Division 1 baseball, so Fields being crowned as the Home Run King is a pretty big upset. Wilson even got drafted by the Colorado Rockies in the fourth round of the 2010 MLB June Amateur Draft. Wilson might have not competed due to his calf injury, however.ย
Fields, who was named Mr. Georgia Football by the Touchdown Club of Atlanta, was also a standout baseball player at Harrison High School. Fields played shortstop and second base. Here are some of Fields’ baseball highlights in high school.
Your new Steelers home run derby champion. Way to show up big time, @justnfields. pic.twitter.com/kQCiMflFxc
— Mike Tomlin (@CoachTomlin) August 12, 2024
Plumlee’s best hitting season at UCF was in 2023, when he hit .286 with an .889 OPS and stole 18 bases.
Given his baseball background, Plumlee looked forward to competing in the Steelers annual home run derby at training camp.
โIโm excited about it. Iโve heard Russ and Justin really can swing a bat. Weโll see, but excited about that,โ Plumlee said when asked if heโs the front runner for the home run derby.
Former Steelers quarterback Kenny Pickett won the Steelers home run derby in 2022 and 2023. Other than Pickett, some of the recent past winners of the Steelers home run derby are Larry Foote (2012), Greg Warren (2013), Dan Molls (2014), Ben Roethlisberger (2015), Sammie Coates (2016), Colin Holba (2017) and Matt Feiler (2018). Dating back to 2012, Pickett is the only player to win the home derby in back-to-back years. The Steelers home run derby was canceled in 2019 after the passing of wide receivers coach Darryl Drake. It was also canceled in 2020 and 2021, as training camp was held at Heinz Field due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
Former Steelers free safety Ryan Clark thinks something suspicious is going on with quarterbacks winning the home run derby often.
“QBs win this oftenโฆ I think the fix is in!” Clark wrote on X.
QBs win this oftenโฆ I think the fix is in!
— Ryan Clark (@Realrclark25) August 12, 2024