VERO BEACH, Fla. -- For Tavis Honeycutt and Kinon Bastian, stepping onto the field at Citizens Bank Park during All-Star Week was a chance to experience a place they had previously known only through screens.
The Hank Aaron Invitational participants took part in the 2026 High School Home Run Derby on July 10, putting their power on display in a Major League ballpark during one of baseball’s biggest weeks.
For both, the experience offered a glimpse of where their dreams could eventually take them.
“Being able to be there and hit like MLB guys are, it shows you that in the future you have a very high [chance] to play there,” Honeycutt said. “Seeing all the pro guys there, too, was just [an] amazing experience.”
An example of where that dream can lead is Jordan Walker, who won the T-Mobile Home Run Derby and is an MLB Develops alumnus.
“It’s stuff you dream about,” Bastian said. “The stadium was beautiful … and it was just super cool just to see my name on the big screen. It was super exciting and just a blessing.”
Honeycutt hit 17 homers, including four in a row, to finish fourth. And he enjoyed watching each ball carry into the stands. His biggest focus heading into the Derby was staying calm despite the stage.
“[Being myself] is what brought [me] to the Home Run Derby,” Honeycutt said. “I just [took] it all in.”
The righty’s favorite homer of the day was one he never got to see because of the Derby format. Players went through a first round, which lasted 2 minutes 30 seconds, while the second round was one minute shorter. Homers from both rounds were then added up to determine the winner -- with an extra 30-second round that was required to determine second place.
“My friends told me [that] I pulled one towards the line that stayed there,” Honeycutt said. “[It] went over far up the second deck, and that was [a] pretty good one. I thought I hit [it] the farthest.”
Honeycutt spent about a week preparing in the cages, focusing on repeating the swing he wanted to take to Philadelphia.
“[It] doesn't have to be your max swing,” Honeycutt said. “It just has to be a nice, smooth swing and get it over -- and that's all I was working on. It was just being smooth and being repetitive every time.”
Bastian took a similar approach, using batting practice to reinforce his swing rather than making major changes.
“[I tried] staying inside the ball, doing the same angle toss so that I’m able to pull the ball for back spin, not top spinning the ball when I try to pull it,” Bastian said.
Bastian’s favorite moment came when he found a rhythm and hit several long balls in succession, finishing with 13 homers.
“Definitely when I kind of got in the groove, and I think I hit three in a row. It was just a lot of fun, I can't even describe it, it was awesome,” Bastian said while struggling to find the words.
Honeycutt also enjoyed watching Bastian compete, and the two will have plenty more opportunities to share the field. Both Florida natives are committed to the University of Florida, and they have already spent significant time together at Vero Beach.
“He is amazing,” Honeycutt said. “His rounds were amazing, hitting balls out backside, pullside just shows you how much power he has. There are a lot of people out there who would want to be like him.”
That power is something Bastian has continued to work on during the Hank Aaron Invitational with former Major Leaguer Howie Kendrick, who has encouraged him to focus on the small details that can separate him as a hitter.
“[Kendrick] was just telling me in BP, especially, to use the whole field,” Bastian said. “Becasue the best hitters, their batting average is so high because they’re hitting all over the place. They’re not just pulling the ball. He told me to be a hitter first and the power will come second.”
The roommates at Vero Beach will take everything they have learned with them as they prepare for their final high school season and their next chapter at Florida. For Honeycutt and Bastian, the opportunity to grow alongside one another has made the experience even more meaningful.
“[I] get to play with him in high school and in a home run derby,” Honeycutt said of Bastian. “Get to play with him at Hank Aaron, and I get to go to college with him. The next step after college is hopefully playing with him in MLB, and that's what I want for him, and that's what I want for me.”