Leaf All-Stars Rep the Six

IBL All Star Showdown Recap - July 20, 2024

Welland Stadium hosted this year's IBL All-Star festivities, and three Toronto Maple Leafs joined the fun.

Saturday afternoon in Welland, Johnathan Solazzo and Ryan Dos Santos teamed up for the Home Run Derby. (image: @mapleleafsbaseball Instagram)

It doesn't happen every season, but when it does it's a blast.

On a sunny Saturday, the Welland Jackfish hosted All-Star festivities at Welland Stadium.  A home run derby preceded a ballgame featuring heroes from all nine IBL clubs.

Two sides were arranged into "North" and "South" alignments.  The north was comprised of players from Barrie, Guelph, Hamilton, Kitchener and Toronto.  The host south included players from Brantford, Chatham-Kent, London and Welland.

Repping the Six was a trio of Leafs: infielders Jordan Castaldo and Johnathan Solazzo and outfielder Ryan Dos Santos.

Solazzo and Dos Santos teamed up for the Home Run Derby.  Dos Santos delivered to his teammate from the mound as Solazzo put his pythons to work at the plate.

In a close opening round matchup, Solazzo was bested by the London Majors' Starling Joseph, 10 bombs to nine.

After the derby, which was won by the Hamilton Cardinals' Tyler Duncan, Solazzo and Castaldo took to the field as All-Star game starters.  

Solazzo played most of the game at third base, and a couple of innings at short.  The Conductor went 1-for-3 with an RBI.  Castaldo played first base for the first half of the game, singling twice and scoring a run.  Dos Santos played right field for the second half of the game.

Team "South" won the game 13-6.

Social media was filled with images of all three players smiling, interacting with fellow All-Stars, and having a great time.

The IBL should make the All-Star Showdown an annual, rotating event.

2024 Toronto Maple Leafs All-Stars Johnathan Solazzo, Jordan Castaldo and Ryan Dos Santos (image: @mapleleafsbaseball Instagram)