The Home Town Bats Home Run Derby has become one of the most heartfelt nights on the south-metro baseball calendar, and the 10th annual edition ended with a bang. On Saturday, June 27, families packed into Union Hill Ballpark near New Prague, Minnesota for an evening of towering home runs, immense community support, and a cause worth swinging for. I am grateful for the opportunity to have captured such a special night.
A Derby Built on Giving Back
Home Town Bats, the wooden bat company owned by Ted Nytes, doesn't just make bats — it makes a difference. Every year, Ted turns his love of the game into a benefit, selecting an individual in the community who's facing hard odds and rallying an entire crowd behind them. A decade in, the Home Town Bats Home Run Derby has grown from a friendly slugfest into a genuine local tradition.
This year, the spotlight belonged to 14-year-old Jacob Kirchner of Belle Plaine.
Jacob Kirchner's Story
Jacob grew up as a young ball-player. At age 7, some unordinary signs showed up on the basepaths. The diagnosis was Duchenne Muscular Dystrophy (DMD), a rare genetic disorder in which the body can't produce dystrophin, the protein muscles need to stay strong and stable. Over time, the muscles break down.
There's no cure. Since his diagnosis, Jacob has received weekly injections to slow the disease's progression, and he kept doing the things any kid loves to do — adapting as he needed to — until age 12, when he lost the ability to walk.
What hasn't changed is his love for the game. Jacob will be announcing for the Belle Plaine Tigers at high school games this year, keeping his voice in the sport that's been part of him from the start. He attends Belle Plaine High School and lives with his parents, two brothers, and a sister.
That's who the crowd showed up for.
A Lineup of Sluggers and a Packed Ballpark
The night delivered exactly what the marquee promised: a fun family evening of home runs. A lineup of local sluggers stepped up to swing for the fences while fans cheered every deep fly ball. Between rounds there were food and beverages, kids' games, and the easy, end-of-June energy that only a summer night at the ballpark can produce.
From behind the lens, it was a photographer's dream: genuine reactions and excitements on the field and in the stands, a state-of-the-art local baseball field, and a beautiful evening to tie it all together.
The Moment That Stole the Night
The derby is always about more than the long ball, but this year the community took it to another level. Money rallied from community members and sponsors went beyond the usual fundraising goal — enough to present Jacob's family with a brand-new mobility van. The van is built so Jacob can drive his scooter right up a ramp and travel far more easily, an everyday game-changer for the whole family.
Proceeds came together from every corner of the event: silent auctions, live auctions, food sales, and the donations of neighbors who simply wanted to help. And when the swinging was done, the night closed the only way a celebration like this should — with a spectacular fireworks show lighting up the sky over Union Hill.
How to Support Jacob and the Home Town Bats Mission
The derby may be over, but support for Jacob and future beneficiaries continues. Donations to the Hometown Bats Foundation can be made:
Venmo: @HomeTownBatsDerby
By mail: 20401 300th St., New Prague (checks payable to Hometown Bats Foundation)
In person: First Bank and Trust in New Prague
For more information, contact Ted Nytes at 952-367-7926 or [email protected].
Need a photographer for your next game, tournament, or charity event?
Nights like this are why I love sports photography — the action on the field and the people in the stands, captured so the moment lasts long after the lights go out. If you're organizing a tournament, league night, fundraiser, or any sports event in the Twin Cities and south-metro area, let's talk. I'd love to help you tell your story.