PHILADELPHIA (DA) — Andruw Jones will captain the Atlanta Braves team in the inaugural MLBx: All-Star 3-on-3 competition during All-Star Sunday at Citizens Bank Park, Major League Baseball announced.
Jones, the Curaçao-born Atlanta Braves legend and 2026 Baseball Hall of Fame inductee, is the fourth team captain confirmed for the event, completing the four-team field.
The competition will place Jones in a Braves-Phillies rivalry setting against Philadelphia legends Ryan Howard, Jimmy Rollins and Shane Victorino. Howard, Rollins and Victorino were teammates on the Phillies team that won the 2008 World Series.
“I’ve experienced this format before and know how much energy and excitement it brings,” Jones said. “It’s a format that rewards athleticism, quick thinking and big moments, so I’m looking forward to leading the Braves team and competing against some great friends and former rivals. Philadelphia fans are passionate, and I think they’re going to love what MLBx brings to All-Star Sunday.”
MLB also announced that four Athletes Unlimited Softball League standouts will participate in the co-ed competition. Alyssa Brito, NiJaree Canady, Rachel Garcia and Tiare Jennings will each be assigned to different teams.
Howard will team with Alyssa Brito, a Carolina Blaze player. Rollins will be paired with Tiare Jennings, an infielder for Texas Volts. Victorino will be paired with Rachel Garcia, a Texas Volts player and Olympic silver medalist. Jones will captain the Braves team, which will include NiJaree Canady.
Additional participants will be announced before the event.
MLBx: All-Star 3-on-3 will take place Sunday, July 12, immediately after the All-Star Futures Game. The format combines power hitting and defense, with each player receiving one two-minute at-bat during a three-inning game.
One team places its three players in the outfield while the other hits from a custom-built stage. Teams score points for home runs and defensive catches, with additional points available for hitting a center-field target located above the fence.
Players also can activate a five-swing “hot streak,” during which offensive and defensive points count double. The competition will use a bracket format, with two semifinals and a final, and each game is expected to last approximately 30 minutes.
AUSL also will be present at All-Star Village with a fan activation called “Command the Circle,” which will include an interactive pitching accuracy cage, displays for the league’s six teams, player cutouts for photos and information about the league and its athletes.
All-Star Sunday tickets include access to the All-Star Futures Game and MLBx: All-Star 3-on-3.