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Tony Blanco Jr. (Tom DiPace)
Tony Blanco Jr. couldnâ€t hold back his emotions as he stood on the diamond at Sloan Park, his teammate Esmerlyn Valdez wrapped around his side.
Just seven months earlier, Blanco Jr. endured one of the darkest days of his life. On April 8, 2025, his father—former professional ballplayer Tony Blanco Sr.—tragically lost his life when the roof of the Jet Set nightclub in Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic, collapsed.
That loss changed everything. Blanco Jr., just 20 years old, suddenly found himself not only mourning a father, but the man who had taught him everything about the game—the man whose name he carried with pride.
On Saturday night, under the bright lights of Sloan Park, Blanco Jr. stood tall, powerful and triumphant. He claimed the 2025 Arizona Fall League Home Run Derby crown, honoring his fatherâ€s legacy with every thunderous swing that echoed through the Arizona air.
“From the very first time I saw the date of the AFL Home Run Derby,†Blanco Jr. said in Spanish, “I told myself I was going to go out there and win it.â€
Long Home Runs Made The Difference
The finals turned into a dramatic showdown between Blanco Jr. and Valdez—two friends, two countrymen and two of the leagueâ€s strongest players. They traded moonshots and roars from the crowd, each swing a statement of power and pride.
Valdez pulled ahead by one home run in the swing-off. The pressure was heavy, but Blanco Jr. carried something deeper than nerves. He carried a promise.
He took two mighty cuts. The first ball soared to deep left field to tie it up. The next swing sent the ball screaming to the opposite field. Blanco Jr. dropped his bat and began to walk, his body language calm and certain. Everyone else at Sloan Park waited in suspended silence—until the ball cleared the wall.
Euphoria erupted. Teammates poured out of the dugout. Friends rushed the field. But before anyone else could reach him, it was Valdez—the man he had just defeated—who wrapped him in a massive bear hug.
“Iâ€m so proud of him,†Valdez said in Spanish. “I know he dedicated everything to his dad. It makes me so happy to see him have so much success tonight.â€
The competition extended beyond the two teammates. Along with Valdez, Blanco Jr. outlasted Parks Harber (Giants), Tommy White (A’s), Ethan Petry (Nationals), Ryan Galanie (White Sox), Thomas Sosa (Orioles) and Luke Adams (Brewers).
Between the preliminary round and the quarterfinals (which everyone participated in), the team of Sosa (three homers) and Adams (five) combined for eight points. The team of Harber (six home runs plus a bonus point for a 425+ foot home run) and Galanie (three) combined for 10.
They failed to advance. The team of Petry (12 home runs, 15 points) and White (10, 12 points) advanced to the semifinals against Blanco Jr. (16 home runs, 23 points) and Valdez (nine home runs, 12 points).
In the semifinals, Petry and White combined for 14 points, but Blanco and Valdez edged them with 15 thanks to four 425+ foot home runs from Valdez and one from Blanco Jr. as part of their 10 homers.
That set off the swing-off between Blanco and Valdez. For Blanco Jr., the victory was a tribute, a sonâ€s promise kept, and a reminder that his fatherâ€s spirit still lives on in every swing.
As continues his path to the majors, he carried with him every single step of the way, while embracing the love and connection he feels present day.
“I want to thank my teammates and everyone around me,†Blanco Jr. said. “The support and love from today was unbelievable. Everyone being here for me was important.”
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